Early Chinese Manuscripts

Question 1

Yinqueshan Manuscripts

Answer 1

Yínquèshān 銀雀山 manuscripts

• Hàn 漢 bamboo manuscripts discovered in 1972 at the foot of Yínquèshān 銀雀山 in Línyí 臨沂, Shāndōng 山東
• date of tombs:
• tomb I: ca. 140/134 BCE
• tomb II: ca. 118 BCE
• texts:
• ± 13 chapters of Sūnzǐ Bīngfǎ 孫子兵法
• 16 chapters of Sūn Bìn Bīngfǎ 孫臏兵法
• 5 chapters of Wèi Liáozǐ 尉繚子
• 16 chapters of Yànzǐ 晏子
• 7 chapters of Liù Tāo 六韜
• etc.

Question 2

Shuihudi Manuscripts

Answer 2

Shuìhǔdì 睡虎地 manuscripts

• Qín 秦 bamboo manuscripts excavated in 1975 in a Qín 秦 administrator’s tomb
• the texts record Qín 秦 laws and public documents (e.g. chronicles, calendars)
• texts:
• Biānniánjì 编年记
• Fǎlǜ dáwèn 法律答问
• etc.

Question 3

Chu Silk Manuscript

Answer 3

Chu Silk Manuscript (Chǔ Bóshū 楚帛書)

• astrological and astronomical text, oldest example of an almanac
• discovered in 1942 in a Warring States Chǔ 楚 tomb in Zǐdànkù 子彈庫, Chángshā 長沙, Húnán 湖南
• dated to ca. 300 BCE
• two rhymed expositions:
  1. a cosmogonic myth (an account of the creation of seasons and days) beginning from the appearance of Fu Xi 伏羲 in a disordered world
  2. a teaching on astrology and the calendar