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1. 직지에 대한 간단소개가 들어간 서한.

Dear Friends,
Have you heard about Jikji? Jikji is the oldest extant movable metal type printing in the world and it is Korea's one of most cherished heritage. The original title of Jikji is Baegun hwasang chorok Buljo jikjisimcheyojeol. Literal meaning of its title is that Baegun hwasang copied and recorded meaning of Buddha's most important words, Jikji. Jikji means you may realize the original nature of mind through meditation, and you can attain Enlightenment. Content of this book is the collection of Buddhist treatises and teachings. Baegun's pupils printed first and last volume of this book at Heungdeok Temple of Cheonju city in 1377. Only last volume of this book was found and this volume has been kept in the National Library of France.


2. 직지의 가치(세계 최고의 금속활자본인 점등)에 대한 소개가 들어간 서한.

Dear Friends,
Although you might have barely heard about Jikji, I want to let you know how valuable this piece of work is. Among many metal type printing works during the Goryeo Dynasty, one of its most notable works would be Baekunhwasangchorok Buljo jikjisimcheyojeol, aka Jikji (the Selected Sermons of Buddhist Sages and Seon Masters). It is the oldest extant movable metal type printing in the world. Then you might raise a question: "What about Gutenberg's Bible?" Surprisingly enough, Korea's Jikji (then, Goryeo’s) was actually printed 78 years ahead of Gutenberg’s 42-line Bible.


3. 유네스코 기록유산에 등재된 직지와 직지/유네스코 상 내용이 들어간 서한.

Dear Friends,
Although Jikji is not yet widely known to the world, its value has already been officially acknowledged by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Significant contributions of Jikji to the preservation and accessibility of documentary heritage was recognized and at the 5th International Advisory Committee of UNESCO on Memory of the World Register held in 2001, it was finally inscribed on Memory of the World Register. Annually, UNESCO awards the UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World Prize to commemorate the inscription of jikji. I feel sorry that so many foreign friends do not have knowledge of this.


4. 앨고어 미부통령, 유네스코-직지상 수상자인 오스트리아 음성연구소 소장님, 유네스코 관계자 등이 직지의 가치를 설명한 내용이 들어간 서한.

Dear Friends,
Are you still not convinced of the value of Jikji? Then Let me quote some of noticeable scholars and experts in this field who can back up my explanation. In 2005 at the Seoul Digital Forum, former vice president of the United States, Al Gore said, "Korea's digital revolution is historically the second gift. Korea gives to the whole world following its invention of the movable metal type printing method." Also, the Director of Phonogrammarchiv of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Dietrich Schuller said, "Jikji is the first book printed with movable metals." In addition to this, the UNESCO's Memory of the World programme specialist, Joie Springer said, "UNESCO's declare for to early printing museum to Cheonju city and Republic of Korea in General for their attention and care given us and the support promoting preservation working General. [ . . . ] We have seen increased in the amount of the world that goes into the preservation through out the world for this year particularly glad that of the effort set to be we received from Korea and Cheongju in general." Having heard what these experts said, now are you convinced?


5. 한국의 금속활자술 소개서한

Dear Friends,
I heard that Western countries tend to belittle the value of Jikji for the reason that Jikji was not widely distributed like Gutenberg's Bible. Nevertheless, before and after the publication of Jikji, other metal type printings were already produced in Korea. In the early 1200, Jeungdoga was printed with the movable metal type and since then, from 1234 to 1241, 28 copies of Sangjeongyemun had been printed. Also during the Joseon Dynasty, a various set of books printed in movable metal types was developed including Gyeongja characters in 1420 and Byeongjin characters in 1436. In 1447, a metal type printing printed in Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, not in Chinese characters, was produced. All of these publications were produced prior to Gutenberg’s Bible which was printed between 1453 and 1455. I want to let you and other foreign friends know that Jikji was not the one and only movable metal type printing produced in Korea.