This book provides a detailed introduction to the study of the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips, explaining the preservation and analysis of the artifacts and their significance in historical research of the Pre-Qin period.
The Tsinghua Bamboo Slips are a collection of Chinese texts inscribed on approximately 2500 bamboo slips. They were excavated from a Warring States Period tomb and are now preserved at Tsinghua University. The book delves into the traditions and discoveries of bamboo manuscripts in China and discusses the preservation and research of the slips, covering the procedures of artifact processing, authentication, digitization, editing, and interpretation. The manuscripts are remarkable for their quantity, period of creation, and distinctive content coverage. They contain important historical documents that differ from or are missing from the extant literature. The analysis of these texts helps to unravel some of the unresolved mysteries in Pre-Qin historical studies and illuminates scientific achievements of ancient China previously unknown to the world.
This book is essential reading for scholars and students of Chinese studies, Pre-Qin history, and early literacy. It will also appeal to general readers interested in ancient Chinese history and culture.
1. Written on Bamboo and Silk 2. Kongbi and Jizhong: Discoveries of Bamboo Texts in Ancient China 3. A Century of Bamboo and Silk Discoveries 4. Rescue and Preservation of the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips 5. Authentication and Photography of the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips 6. Editing and Interpreting the Tsinghua Manuscripts 7. Mysteries of the Shangshu 8. King Wen’s Will 9. The Jinteng and the Duke of Zhou’s “Stay” in the East 10. Prognostication of a Great Dream – King Wen of Zhou Receiving the Mandate and the Tsinghua-Slip Chengwu 11. New Knowledge in the Xinian (1) 12. New Knowledge in the Xinian (2) 13. Discussions on Some Political Figures in the Tsinghua Manuscripts 14. The Science and Thoughts in the Tsinghua Bamboo Manuscripts 15. An Initial Step
Biography
Guozhong Liu is a professor at Tsinghua University, China. His expertise lies in ancient Chinese history, specifically the study of bamboo and silk. He is particularly focused on the research area of the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips.
