First book of the Spanish Philippines
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In territories under the control of the Spanish Crown, books could not be printed except by royal licence. In 1556 a royal cedula prohibited the printing or sale of books concerning the Indies without a special licence. In 1584 King Philip II of Spain
gave instructions to the Real Audiencia in Manila, "when any grammar or dictionary of the language of the Indies be made it shall not be published or printed or used unless it has first been examined by the Bishop and seen by the Real Audiencia."
Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas, Governor and Captain-General of the Spanish Philippines, wrote to King Philip on 20 June 1593 saying, "Sire, in the name of Your Majesty, I have for this once, because of the existing great need, granted a license for the printing of the Doctrinas Christianas, herewith enclosed - one in the Tagalog language
, which is the native and best of these islands, and the other in Chinese - from which I hope great benefits will result in the conversion and instruction of the peoples of both nations; and because the lands of the Indies are on a larger scale in everything and things are more expensive, I have set the price of them at four reales a piece, until Your Majesty is pleased to decree in full what is to be done."
Prior to this, the Dominicans, "notably (later Archbishop) Benavides
and Cobo
- had already prepared a simple catechism in Chinese characters." "Such was the urgent need of the Dominicans for a catechism to convert the Chinese of the Parian outside the walled city of Intramuros, numbering several thousands, that it was printed from wooden blocks (the xylographic method of printing) and distributed among prospective Christians.
The first book known to be printed by the Spanish in the Philippines was thus a Chinese language
catechism using the Chinese method of printing, and printed by the non-Christian Chinese printer Keng Yong in Manila, who was paid by the Spanish Dominicans for the work. The Spanish historian Carlos Sanz believes that this catechism, Doctrina Christiana en letra y lengua China, compuesta por los madres ministros de los Sangley
es, de la Orden de Sancto Domingo. Con licencia, por Keng Young, China, en el Parian de Manila was printed between 1590 and 1592.
The Chinese method of preparing block prints "was used in Manila by the early printers." "The wooden block" was "probably made of batikuling or a similar wood." "The Chinese printer usually held in his right hand two brushes at the opposite extremities of the same handle; with one he inked the face of the characters and, the paper being then laid on the block, he ran the dry brush over it so as to take the impression. This was done with such speed that one man could finish a couple of thousand copies in a day."
The implication is that Keng Yong was an established printer in the Chinese quarter, and that the Chinese had been printing in Manila for some time using the traditional Chinese wooden block method, perhaps since before the ascendancy of the Spanish in Manila. Since the first known book printed under Spanish (church) authority was Keng Yong's printing probably between 1590 and 1592, the suggestion that the Spanish introduced printing to the Philippines has no basis in historical fact.
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
gave instructions to the Real Audiencia in Manila, "when any grammar or dictionary of the language of the Indies be made it shall not be published or printed or used unless it has first been examined by the Bishop and seen by the Real Audiencia."
Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas, Governor and Captain-General of the Spanish Philippines, wrote to King Philip on 20 June 1593 saying, "Sire, in the name of Your Majesty, I have for this once, because of the existing great need, granted a license for the printing of the Doctrinas Christianas, herewith enclosed - one in the Tagalog language
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
, which is the native and best of these islands, and the other in Chinese - from which I hope great benefits will result in the conversion and instruction of the peoples of both nations; and because the lands of the Indies are on a larger scale in everything and things are more expensive, I have set the price of them at four reales a piece, until Your Majesty is pleased to decree in full what is to be done."
Prior to this, the Dominicans, "notably (later Archbishop) Benavides
Miguel de Benavides
Miguel de Benavides y Añoza was a Spanish clergyman and sinologist, the third Archbishop of Manila, and founder of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.-Biography:...
and Cobo
Juan Cobo
Juan Cobo was Spanish dominican, diplomat, astronomer and sinologist.Cobo was born in Alcázar de San Juan. After becoming a priest of the Dominican order, he traveled to Mexico in 1586 and later to Manila in 1588. He was assigned by King Philip II to bring Christianity to China along with Miguel...
- had already prepared a simple catechism in Chinese characters." "Such was the urgent need of the Dominicans for a catechism to convert the Chinese of the Parian outside the walled city of Intramuros, numbering several thousands, that it was printed from wooden blocks (the xylographic method of printing) and distributed among prospective Christians.
The first book known to be printed by the Spanish in the Philippines was thus a Chinese language
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
catechism using the Chinese method of printing, and printed by the non-Christian Chinese printer Keng Yong in Manila, who was paid by the Spanish Dominicans for the work. The Spanish historian Carlos Sanz believes that this catechism, Doctrina Christiana en letra y lengua China, compuesta por los madres ministros de los Sangley
Sangley
Sangley , is an archaic term used in the Philippines to describe and classify a person of pure Chinese ancestry, while mestizo de sangley was used to refer to a person of mixed Chinese and indigenous ancestry Sangley (Sangleye, Sangley Mestizo, Mestisong Sangley, Mestizo de Sangley or Chinese...
es, de la Orden de Sancto Domingo. Con licencia, por Keng Young, China, en el Parian de Manila was printed between 1590 and 1592.
The Chinese method of preparing block prints "was used in Manila by the early printers." "The wooden block" was "probably made of batikuling or a similar wood." "The Chinese printer usually held in his right hand two brushes at the opposite extremities of the same handle; with one he inked the face of the characters and, the paper being then laid on the block, he ran the dry brush over it so as to take the impression. This was done with such speed that one man could finish a couple of thousand copies in a day."
The implication is that Keng Yong was an established printer in the Chinese quarter, and that the Chinese had been printing in Manila for some time using the traditional Chinese wooden block method, perhaps since before the ascendancy of the Spanish in Manila. Since the first known book printed under Spanish (church) authority was Keng Yong's printing probably between 1590 and 1592, the suggestion that the Spanish introduced printing to the Philippines has no basis in historical fact.