Bamboo Slips Research Articles

The King: The Identity Construction of Duke of Zhou in Jinteng in the Pre-imperial Period

The Jinteng () is a famous chapter in the Shangshu. In addition to the Shangshu, the bamboo slips in the collection of Qinghua University also contain a text about Zhou Wu Wang You Ji Sou Zi Yi Dai Xian Wang Zhi Zhi, and the overall plot is similar to the Shangshu Jinteng. This paper pays particular attention to the depictions of rituals in the two versions of the Jinteng of the pre-imperial period. With the help of the principle of sympathetic magic proposed by Frazer, it is concluded from the analysis of the ritual depictions and specific texts in the Jinteng that the identity of Zhou Gong may be constructed as an obscure King. However clarifying the changes in the construction of the identity of the Duke of Zhou, it is also possible to understand and expand the ideologies of different political systems behind the texts.

Recognition on the vital parts of the human body in traumatology, forensic medicine and acupuncture from Laoguanshan unearthed bamboo slips of metal-weapon-injury induced lethal symptoms

Eleven bamboo slips of metal-weapon-injury induced lethal symptoms, unearthed in Laoguanshan, reflect the understanding of the vital parts of human body by ancient medical masters. Through the longitudinal research of Laoguanshan unearthed bamboo slips of metal-weapon-injury induced lethal symptoms, and the handed-down literature on this aspect, the doubts remained have been clarified on the annotation and the interpretation of Laoguanshan medical bamboo slips; and the reliable road signs been discovered on the path for collating the sources of handed-down literature on metal-weapon injury, and this path had been failed to deepening. Through the horizontal comparison of metal-weapon injury with forensic medicine and acupuncture, it is found that the understanding of the vital parts of the human body, obtained through various ways in thousands of years, is highly agreed with among metal-weapon injury, forensic medicine and acupuncture, except for the differences in the terminology among different disciplines, and the discrepancy in ancient and modern literature because of the misunderstandings of the previous literature by later generations within the same discipline. Therefore, the multi-dimensional evidences have been obtained to support the recognition of the vital parts of the human body in traumatology, reflected in the Laoguanshan bamboo slips of metal-weapon-injury induced lethal symptoms. Additionally, the reliability of the relevant discipline theories, e.g. acupuncture and forensic examination, has been strongly confirmed. It provides a very typical case for solving major academic problems by applying the "dual-attestation method" to research unearthed and handed-down literature. Moreover, it explores a novel approach to the academic study of traditional Chinese medicine, especially to the effective communication among different disciplines.

The Channel Branches & Network Channels on the Tianhui Lacquered Meridian Figurine — Taking the Heart-Regulated Channel as an Example

Abstract: Along with the surge of unearthed medical literature and cultural relics in recent years, the network of channels in the system of medical channels (meridians) during the early Western Han dynasty have become much clearer gradually. Among them, the increasing number of channel branches, network channels and needle insertion holes (acupoints) is an important feature of the development of classical channel medicine during the Western Han dynasty. This is not only a reflection of the expanding requirements of the theoretical system of the main trunk channels, but also an inevitable result of the continuous enrichment and accumulation of clinical experience. This article integrates the information about channel branches, network channels, inscriptions, dots and further relics on the Tianhui (天回) Lacquered Meridian Figurine to compare the unearthed literature of the channel genre with the transmitted classical literature about acupuncture. The "Heart-Regulated Channel" in Medical Manuscripts on Bamboo Slips from Tianhui (《天回医简》) serves as an example to explain the occurrence, development and changes of the channel branches and network channels in the early system of medical channels.

The Significance of the Mean in the “Wuji” Section of the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips

Abstract The “Wuji” section of the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips offers great insight into the pre- modern Chinese philosophical landscape. At the heart of this section lies the concept of zhong (mean), which is intricately woven into the fabric of the tiandao (the way of Heaven) and the rendao (the way of man). This concept is reflected in the “wuji” and the “wude,” embodying the pinnacle of political principles and the ideal outcome of governance. The notion of the mean transcends traditional Confucian values such as zhong (loyalty) and xin (trustworthiness), encompassing qualities of centrality, equality, justice, impartiality, and abundance. It is revered as an absolute and sacred principle, serving as both a coveted goal and the most effective means to achieve it. To fully grasp the implications of “the mean” in the “Wuji” section of the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips, a fresh examination of received texts such as the Yizhoushu, Analects, Guanzi, and Heguanzi, as well as excavated texts like the “Baoxun” and “Xinshi weizhong” of the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips, and the Huangdi sijing of the Mawangdui Silk Texts, is warranted.

Textual research on the evolution of therapeutic indications of Fenglong (ST 40): discussion on the related articles for "Fenglong (ST 40) for phlegm" published in Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion

Based on Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic), combined with the Huangdi Mingtang Jing JiJiao (Compilation and Correction of Yellow Emperor's Mingtang Classic) and unearthed Tianhui Yijian (Tianhui Medical Bamboo Slips), it is recognized that the therapeutic indications of Fenglong (ST 40) were recorded repeatedly in many medical works of the Qin and Han dynasties; and the treatments mostly focus on "upward reversion of qi ". In Huangdi Mingtang Jing (Yellow Emperor's Mingtang Classic), a part of symptoms were re-described textually, which affects the understanding on the indications of Fenglong (ST 40) in the medical works of the later generations. On the basis of the construction of phlegm theory in the Sui and Tang dynasties, the scholars of Song, Jin and Yuan dynasties had placed the emphasis on the relationship between phlegm and qi movement. In acupuncture works by Dou Hanqing, Fenglong (ST 40) was selected in treatment of phlegm dampness and phlegm-induced asthma, which is also based on the pathogenesis, "upward reversion of qi ", rather than "phlegm" itself. This view can be understood by the proof of "reducing Zusanli (ST 36) for eliminating wind". The relationship between Fenglong (ST 40) and phlegm was emphasized in Yulong Ge (Jade Dragon Verse) and Zhenfang Liuji (Six Sets of Acupuncture Methods), after which, the understanding, " Fenglong (ST 40), the key point for phlegm disorders", had been formed gradually since the Ming dynasty. The formation and evolution of the therapeutic indications of Fenglong (ST 40) are influenced comprehensively by the errors in textual duplication, cultural background, changes in the term expressions of disorders, and the clinical experience of medical practitioners.

A Study of the Handwriting of the Tsinghua Bamboo-Slip Manuscripts *Shi fa and *Zi Chan

Abstract *Zi Chan in Volume 6 and *Shi fa in Volume 4 of Tsinghua University Collection of Warring States Bamboo-slip Manuscripts were written by one scribe. This study aims to use features of the brushwork to demonstrate this. In addition, this study will also examine physical features of the bamboo slips, handwriting, character forms, the orthography of different states, punctuation marks, erasures, and the binding of the bamboo slips. The texts of both manuscripts were first written and then bound. Research on the arrangement of *Shi fa and the layout of its text enriches our understanding about the activity of writing among Pre-Qin people, how ancient books were compiled, and how scrolls were opened.

Some Issues Concerning the Phenomenon of Ancient Script Forms Being Preserved in Warring States Bamboo Manuscripts

Abstract The phenomenon of preserving ancient character forms (wenzi cungu xianxiang 文字存古現象) can be observed in certain recently unearthed bamboo slip manuscripts from the Warring States. These characters have preserved early character structures or word usage habits, thus reflecting an interactive relationship between the copyist and the source text. Based on the number of early characters observed in a copied manuscript, Warring States bamboo manuscripts can largely be divided into three categories. One category containing relatively more words with early word forms can be dubbed as “transcripts containing characteristics of ancient text preservation,” with the Tsinghua manuscripts *Xinian 繫年, *Hou fu 厚父, *Sheming 攝命, and *Si gao 四告 being the most emblematic of this category. The value of research into ancient character forms preserved in Warring States bamboo-slip manuscripts is important in many ways, such as providing evidence for character identification; helping to determine the origins of ancient manuscript source texts and their time of transcription; and demonstrating how documents may have been transmitted. All these aspects are evident in the relevant Tsinghua manuscripts. However, in assessing whether ancient character forms were indeed preserved in Warring States manuscripts, two problems must be accounted for: first, some characters that have previously been identified as having characteristics of different scripts may have earlier origins or lack any obvious script-specific features; second, some ancient-looking characters cannot necessarily be used as a standard to determine the occurrence of ancient script forms.

Collating and Interpreting the Medical Bamboo Slips Excavated from the Han Tombs in Tianhui Town

Abstract In July 2012 through August 2013, four earthen shaft pit tombs with timber chambers were excavated in a cemetery located in Tianhui Town, Jinniu District, Chengdu City. The tombs, which had been looted, were of similar size and aligned in the same south–north orientation. Tomb M3 contained 951 bamboo slips distributed across two compartments of its lower chambers: North II and South II. Most of the texts they contain are of medical interest, though twenty fragments appear to be from legal documents. Based on the content of the discovered slips, it has been suggested that the tomb’s occupant was a physician or medical official. Six of the M3–121 manuscripts found in North II concern medical theory, the causes and symptoms of disease, the nature of the channels of the body (mai 脈), diagnosis, acupuncture, and possibly moxibustion therapy. The dates the texts were transcribed fall within the period when Empress Lü 呂后 (187–181 BCE) was effectively in power and the reign of Emperor Wendi (r. 180–157 BCE) of the Western Han dynasty. The M3–137 manuscripts found in South II include two texts entitled the Book of Treating Horses and the Book of the Classic Channels. The dates the texts were copied were earlier than those assigned to the M3–121 manuscripts.

Preliminary Translation of the Tianhui Laoguanshan Manuscript on Piercing as Therapy

Abstract This translation forms a triptych with the following two articles in this double special issue: Gu Man, Zhou Qi, and Liu Changhua, “Techniques for Piercing the Mai Recorded in the Laoguanshan Han Tomb Bamboo Slips” and Zhou Qi, “Research on the Lacquered Channel Figurine Excavated from a Han Tomb in Tianhui.” Here you can read an entire Tianhui Laoguanshan text in translation on the subject of therapeutic piercing. The contribution by Gu, Zhou, and Liu positions the therapy in relation to ideas and techniques in other manuscript texts contemporary to the one translated here and the printed classics of Chinese medicine. These articles are accompanied by opinion pieces written by current practitioners of Chinese medicine as expert witnesses to the evolution of the techniques and their relevance, or not, to modern practice. Together, we present an interdisciplinary analysis that we hope will engage the reader actively in the process of multifocal interpretation. The text here is introduced by a translator’s introduction that reflects broadly on the unique challenges of rendering this fascinating work into English.

Practitioner Responses to the Tianhui Laoguanshan Medical Manuscripts and Artifacts

Abstract In the process of editing this special double issue of Asian Medicine we were keen to print the responses of practitioners of Chinese medicine currently still in practice. We therefore sent colleagues the article by Gu Man, Zhou Qi, and Liu Changhua, “Techniques for Piercing the Mai Recorded in the Laoguanshan Han Tomb Bamboo Slips” and the article by Zhou Qi, “Research on the Lacquered Channel Figurine Excavated from a Han Tomb in Tianhui” while they were in preparation. We are very grateful to Edward Neal and George He for their generous responses. —Eds.

A Brief Introduction to the Horse Medical Manuscript from the Tianhui Laoguanshan Han Tomb

Abstract One of the most important archaeological finds excavated from the Tianhui Laoguanshan Han tombs in 2012–13 was a manuscript on horse medicine, dated around the third century BCE. Prior to the discovery of this highly specialized veterinary text, only a handful of horse recipes from the Qin and Han periods had been found, and a sixth-century CE agricultural treatise, Essential Techniques for the Common People, was generally regarded as the earliest surviving source of extensive veterinary material, including various medical treatments for horses. Although the Laoguanshan manuscript – given the modern title Book of Treating Horses by the Team for Collating the Medical Bamboo Slips Excavated from the Han Tombs in Tianhui Town, Chengdu – has suffered significant damage, it nevertheless gives us an insight into the knowledge and treatments for horses during the Qin and early Han periods. A variety of ways of treating horses are recorded in Treating Horses, including herbal remedies, piercing, cauterization, hot packs, bandages, massage, and bathing. The use of gold needles is also mentioned in this text, echoing the gold and silver sewing needles excavated from Liu Sheng’s (d. 113 BCE) tomb in Mancheng, Hebei Province. This paper offers a short introduction to this valuable text on horse medicine by examining the content of its fragments, including names of ailments, symptoms of certain diseases, etiologies, and treatment methods. The discovery of Treating Horses challenges the established view that horse treatment methods in ancient China were predominantly herbal and that techniques of bleeding and cauterization recorded in Essential Techniques were brought to China from elsewhere, together with the introduction of Buddhism. The paper argues that the “foreign influence” had already occurred at a much earlier date, in the form of interactions with nomadic tribes such as the Scythians, the horsemen par excellence of classical antiquity.

Techniques for Piercing the Mai Recorded in the Laoguanshan Han Tomb Bamboo Slips

Abstract The text discussed in this paper is part of the collection of bamboo slip medical manuscripts excavated from the Laoguanshan Han tomb outside of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, in 2012. We have given it the title Piercing Methods based on its contents. This text provides invaluable new material for understanding the historical development of Chinese medicine and acupuncture over the course of the Han dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE). We combine analyses of excavated manuscripts, received texts, and excavated artifacts to reconstruct the piercing methods from the early Han presented in this text. Three primary sets of techniques and associated piercing tools have been identified: mai piercing, division piercing, and piercing water (swelling), although only the first technique that concerns treating the mai is dealt with comprehensively in this article.

Highlighting of Tianhui medical bamboo slips: differentiation and integration of Shu and Mai.

The characteristics of acupoint indications vary according to the distribution of acupoints on the body, which is particularly prominent from the perspective of the differences between the acupoints on the trunk and those on the four limbs. The most of meridian-acupoint theories, especially the early theories are based on these differences and collected in Huangdi Neijing (the Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic). Through the interpretation of the newly unearthed Tianhui medical bamboo slips, it is found that the relevant explanation of Shu (six shu-points [back-shu points and Yuanye, GB 22], distributed on the trunk) and Mai (similar to the names of meridians, referring to those except six shu-points; distributed mostly below the elbows and knees of four limbs, especially on the pulsating sites of the wrists and ankles) also confirms the identification of the differences in both indications and theories between the acupoints located on the trunk and those on the four limbs. In the paper, the essential connotation of the relevant classical theories and their construction path are explored so as to reveal the understanding of the core rules of acupuncture-moxibustion theories.

Some Aspects of Food Supplies for the Northwestern Commanderies of the Han Empire (based on Hanjian bamboo slips)

The investigation examines the local daily administrative documentation — bamboo slips (Hanjian), found in large quantities at the excavations along the Great Silk Road, namely belonging to the Western Han period (206 BC — 9 AD). The considered Hanjian bamboo slips, which represent some aspects of food supplies in the north-west of the Han Empire, come mainly from the excavations in the Dunhuang area. For comparative analysis, the investigation used the legislative acts of the national and commandery levels on the maintenance of storage facilities and rules for guest meals at postal stations, which allowed us to trace how different laws in this area were being put into practice. It was determined that the amount of rations could not correspond to the indicators established by law. Most likely, the laws allowed to have some variability, and the parameters stated in the laws determined only the maximum possible ration, but not the minimum. It means that offi cials could show some fl exibility in applying legal guidelines to food distribution.

The idea of shan 善 (goodness): A neglected philosophical relation between Guodian’s ‘Wu xing’ and Xunzi

ABSTRACT The ‘Wu xing’ belongs to Guodian bamboo slips texts, which were buried around 300 BCE and excavated in 1993. Its relation with Mengzi is widely investigated. Yet how it is philosophically related to Xunzi receives little attention. In this article, I illustrate a neglected relation between ‘Wu xing’ and Xunzi, by elucidating how shan 善 (goodness) is first raised in ‘Wu xing’ and developed by Xunzi into a concrete idea. Both ‘Wu xing’ and Xunzi propose that shan exists in action, which boils down to the harmonious unity of the mind and body, and to secure the ideal relation between the mind and body requires constant learning and practicing, particularly, of rituals. Learning and practicing not only lead one to realize shan, but eventually to become a consummate practitioner of rituals, to use Xunzi’s words, to become a sage.

Book Review of "Script on Bamboo and Silk - Ancient Chinese Textual Records"

In the flow of history, ancient writing mediums are akin to precious relics, carrying the legacy of millennia of wisdom and culture. A book titled "Script on Bamboo and Silk - Ancient Chinese Textual Records," published by Century Library in 2004, serves as a window through time, guiding us on a marvelous journey into the world of ancient Chinese writing mediums. The author of this book, Qian Cunxun, with his profound research and insightful perspectives, presents to us the historical trajectory of ancient writing mediums such as bamboo slips and silk fabric, exploring their significance and influence in the transmission of ancient culture. Ancient Chinese textual records form an extensive ocean, spanning from the earliest oracle bone script to later paper writing. Within this expanse, bamboo slips and silk fabric, as representatives of ancient writing mediums, uniquely radiate the brilliance of civilization. Bamboo slips once bore witness to the clash of ideas during the Warring States period and the competition between Legalist and Confucianist schools of thought. Silk fabric, on the other hand, provided a sturdy foundation for literary and artistic works such as calligraphy, poetry, and more. Today, the book "Script on Bamboo and Silk - Ancient Chinese Textual Records" guides us into the splendid realm of these writing mediums, offering us an opportunity to delve deep into their crafting techniques, preservation methods, and applications across various domains of ancient society. As Qian Cunxun has articulated, bamboo slips and silk fabric played significant roles in various aspects of ancient politics, culture, and economy. Bamboo slips, serving as the primary medium for political records, documented laws, decrees, and more, providing a solid foundation for the continuity of political systems. Meanwhile, silk fabric assumed a distinct role in the realm of culture, serving as a medium for artistic creations like painting and calligraphy. Simultaneously, in the domain of religion, silk fabric was utilized to transmit religious scriptures, becoming a medium for the dissemination of faith, and finding widespread use in the preservation of classics and the recording of religious rituals. Contemporary research and understanding of ancient Chinese culture are akin to an unfathomable universe, and "Script on Bamboo and Silk - Ancient Chinese Textual Records" has opened the gateway to this universe for us. Through in-depth exploration of ancient writing mediums, we can better grasp the diversity and richness of ancient society, comprehending its ideologies, arts, and systems. Qian Cunxun's rigorous research methods and profound analysis in the book enable us to gain a comprehensive understanding of the historical significance and cultural value of ancient writing mediums such as bamboo slips and silk fabric. In this era of information explosion, we are fortunate to delve into the world of ancient writing through this book, to sense the essence of that era, and to better comprehend the origins and inheritance of Chinese culture.

安徽大學藏戰國竹簡《仲尼曰》篇注解

This paper contains the korean interpretation and translation of the text called “Zhongni yue〔仲尼曰〕” in the Newly Published Anhui University Bamboo StripsⅡ〔《安徽大學藏戰國竹簡》(二)〕. This translation is a basic study that introduces “Zhongni yue〔仲尼曰〕” to Korean readers. As a result of carbon isotope measurement(¹⁴C), the date of the bamboo slips was confirmed to be between the early and mid-Warring States Period, about 2280 years ago from now. “Zhongni yue〔仲尼曰〕” a collection of Confucius' words consisting of 13 bamboo slips, with a total of 25 paragraphs. It is noteworthy that “Zhongni yue〔仲尼曰〕” omitted the background or situation of the specific narrative, and only pure Confucius' words were extracted. However, the repeated use of the title “Zhongni〔仲尼〕” leaves us wondering whether this manuscript was compiled by someone in a third party, rather than written by Confucius' direct disciples. The reader's view of the “Zhongni yue〔仲尼曰〕” should not be limited to arguments concerning the relationship to the Analects, but should be discussed within the text field of various Analects of the Warring States period.

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

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.

Tracing the Origin and Development of the Black Ink Marks Daubed onto the Upper Edges of Bamboo Slips in Warring States, Qin, and Han Manuscripts: With the Term jiang 江 from Slip 118 of Vol. 5 of the Yuelu Qin Slips Serving as a Guide

Abstract The phrase “make wet its upper part” (jiang qi shang 江其上), which appears in the protocol inscribed on slip nos. 117–118 of Accessory Ordinance C no. 4 卒令丙四 in vol. 5 of the Yuelu shuyuan cang Qin jian 岳麓書院藏秦簡 (“Qin Slips Housed at the Yuelu Academy”) as an instruction for the marking of document label slips, should be read as “[inscribe] a plank-mark onto its upper part” (gang qi shang 杠其上). This phrase in the protocol instructs clerks to mark label slips by inscribing a horizontal “plank” mark (heng gang 橫杠) onto the upper part of a rectangular slip (fang 方). The marks that were produced by this clerical custom are the visually conspicuous markers modern scholars describe as “blackened bamboo slip tops” (jian shou tu hei 簡首塗黑) that frequently appear in caches of early Chinese textual materials. However, rather than using the phrase “blackened bamboo slip tops,” it would be more precise to refer to these as “horizontal oblong black ink marks” (mo heng 墨橫) or “black ink plank marks” (mo gang 墨杠).

The Beginning of Chinese Cavalry and the Use of Horses in Northwest of Han Empire

The article examines the processes of the gradual introduction of cavalry troops based on the “barbarian model” into the Chinese army to counter the nomads near the northwestern borders of the empire. The author gives some examples from the written sources of the Zhanguo and Qin Dynasty periods, presenting the gradual transformation of the role of the horse rider as a separate combat unit, but also in combination with chariots. During the Han dynasty, the immediate threat from the Xiongnu by the borders and the need to secure trade routes to the West were the impetus for the reorganization of the army in general and the cavalry in particular. In order to study the peculiarities of horse use for transport needs and military operations in the north-west of the Western Han empire, besides the chronicles, documents of administrative and commercial content – bamboo slips with characters, hanjian, were being used. They were found in large numbers in border fortresses and can significantly supplement the information from the written sources of the Han period and make it possible to reconstruct not only the specifics of inner workings of the northwestern prefectures of China at the turn of the eras but also the peculiarities of horse use for the needs of postal service, patrols and the internal everyday life of garrisons.