Final answer:
Writing, according to Liu, allowed for the external storage of information, leading to an expansion of societal knowledge, detailed communication, and preservation of culture. In China, it played a pivotal role in administration and the democratization of knowledge, especially with the invention of movable type printing.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Liu, writing made several significant contributions to society and civilization. The biohistorical importance of writing lies in its capacity to store information outside human brains, overcoming the limitations of brain storage capacity and allowing society to amass a larger trove of knowledge than ever before. Writing enabled detailed communication without requiring personal interaction, fostering the spread and preservation of ideas, values, and spiritual beliefs. In the context of ancient China, writing was instrumental in advancing governmental administration, as officials could manage vast resources and command large-scale projects, like mining and construction of city walls, through written records and commands. With the advent of technologies like movable type printing during the Song Dynasty, the dissemination of information became more widespread, leading to easier accessibility to educational materials for a broader segment of the population and contributing to the democratization of knowledge previously held by aristocratic elites. This shift in information accessibility also played a role in altering the structure of society by enabling a larger number of families to participate in civil administration, as knowledge of Confucian texts became more available.