Ri Xing Type Foundry, Type foundry in Datong District, Taiwan
Ri Xing Type Foundry is a lead type foundry in Taipei that produces and stores Chinese characters for letterpress printing. The workshop features towering wooden shelves holding thousands of cast metal characters organized by typeface and size.
The foundry was established in 1969 during Taiwan's period of industrial growth and printing expansion. It remains one of the last active lead type foundries, having survived decades of industry decline.
The facility produces three traditional Chinese typefaces - Kaiti, Songti, and Heiti - maintaining centuries-old printing methods through handcrafted lead character production.
Wear loose, breathable clothing as the casting processes generate significant heat throughout the workspace. Plan to spend a good amount of time exploring the various sections, as there is much to observe and understand.
The craft here involves specialized machines that heat lead to about 300 degrees Celsius to cast Chinese characters using bronze molds. Each cast character is hand-checked and sorted before being added to the shelves.
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