Non-destructive characterization of printing papers and covers of 13th-century Goryeo Buddhist scriptures

Abstract Originally introduced to Korea from China, Buddhism was established as the state religion during the Goryeo Dynasty (13th century), leading to extensive printing of Buddhist scriptures. Accordingly, woodblock printing and diverse paper-making technologies advanced, and surface treatment (e.g., animal-glue sizing) was employed to enhance printability. Nevertheless, few scientific studies exist on the paper used for printing Buddhist scriptures during the Goryeo Dynasty. This study examined this woodblock-printed paper through non-destructive Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Nine pieces of woodblock-printed scriptures were selected for analysis. Their thickness, basis weight (weight per unit area), and apparent density were measured, and their surface-treatment methods were examined through imaging and FT-IR spectroscopic analysis. The analysis indicated that most were manufactured from paper mulberry bast fiber ( Hanji ), and both untreated and treated surfaces (e.g., paper calendering by pounding or animal-glue sizing) were identified. Certain scriptures appeared to exhibit enhanced printability through surface treatment (paper calendering by pounding).