One million pagodas were printed in Japan as early as the 8th century

In 764, Empress Shōtoku ordered the production of one million small wooden pagodas to thank heaven for suppressing the Emi rebellion. Each pagoda housed a paper scroll generally measuring 6 by 45 cm, printed with a fragment of Buddhist text. Completed around 770, this gigantic undertaking cost so much that the printing technique was abandoned in favor of manuscripts.