中国北宋时期，毕昇用泥活字成功印刷了书籍，使活字成为印刷的一项新技术，这对中国且对世界印刷技术的发展产生了深远的影响。

During the Northern Song Dynasty of China, Bi Sheng successfully printed books with movable type by using clay, making movable type became a new printing technology, which had a profound impact on the development of printing technology in China and the world.

木活字印刷技术是中国古代活字印刷的精髓，至今仍在浙江瑞安市传承使用，已历经八百多年，原汁原味保留了其传统特点，人们依然使用这种技术编印谱牒（记述氏族世系的书籍）。瑞安木活字印刷技术的工艺十分考究，刻不同字有各自专门的刀法，快速挑选活字有专业讨巧的口诀，印刷排版也有着严谨的格式，所呈现的字体古朴庄重且气派。

The wood movable type printing technology is the essence of ancient movable type printing in China. It is still used in Ruian City, Zhejiang, and has been used for more than 800 years. The original flavor has retained its traditional characteristics, and people are still using this technology to compile and print their genealogy books. The craftsmanship of Ruian wood movable type printing technology is very sophisticated. Different characters have their special knife methods. There are professional and ingenious formulas for a quick selection of movable types. The printing and typesetting also have a rigorous format. The fonts presented by wood movable type printing are simple, solemn, and grand.

然而，这项技术所需要的精深训练、产生收入之低、当代计算机打印技术的普及，都使得掌握这门技术的工匠人数迅速减少。 2010年，由浙江瑞安市保存的“中国活字印刷术”被联合国科教文组织列入急需保护的非物质文化遗产名录。

However, the in-depth training required for this technology, the low income generated, and the popularization of contemporary computer printing technology caused the number of artisans who master this technology to rapidly decrease. In 2010, the "Chinese movable type printing" preserved by Ruian City, Zhejiang, was selected in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding by UNESCO.