On the Graphic Variants of Wei 為 in the Bamboo Slips and Bronze Bells from the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng

Abstract

Abstract Among the written sources discovered from the tomb of the Marquis Yi of Zeng 曾侯 乙墓, the character wei 為 distinguishes itself for its potential to reflect the difference of scribes/copyists through its graphic variations. This article attempts to use the different variations of wei on bamboo slips and bronze inscriptions to investigate the relationship between scribes/copyists of these two media. This article proposes that the scribes/copyists who produced the same variation of wei on bamboo slips and bronze inscriptions belonged to one school of scribes.