For example, metal movable type had been invented in China by the 12th century (about 300 years before Gutenberg’s movable type press in Europe). That said, across Asia, this was a time of remarkable developments in communication and science. In the “Middle Ages” as during other timeframes, different Asian regions had considerably different histories. The concept of the “Middle Ages” has been developed in relation to Western cultures to mark a period between antiquity and the Renaissance that presents a degree of consistency not encountered in Asia during the same period.
