Tsinghua Bamboo Slips

Tsinghua bamboo slips, Qinghua JIan 清华简, is the artifact in the middle and late Warring States period, and the writing style is mainly from the state of Chu. The number of bamboo slips is about 2500 (including a few broken bamboo slips), which is mostly among the Warring States period.

Tsinghua Bamboo slips were buried underground before the Qin Dynasty, without the influence of "burning books and burying the literati in pits', which refers to Fen Shu Keng Ru 焚书坑儒. They can show the original appearance of the ancient books of the Pre-Qin Dynasty to the greatest extent. Studying them will help to understand the initial appearance and development context of Chinese culture.

The chapter Chu Ju 楚居 in Tsinghua Bamboo slips has a close connection to Chu culture. It mainly records the changes of the residence of the first Duke (King) of the state of Chu from the late Shang Dynasty to the early Warring States period, and involves the changing history of the capital of the state of Chu. In terms of sacrifice, in the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period, it has become a national activity of the state of Chu. Especially before the war or after the victory of the war, complete and grant sacrifice activities will be carried out to express prayer of gratitude. During the formal sacrificial ritual of the king of Chu, sacrifice in strict accordance with the process, and the king's concubines can't go forward. Only the king of Chu (or the princess and prince of the king of Chu) is qualified to participate in the actual sacrificial activities. The bamboo slips recorded many customs of the Chu sacrificial rituals, which is of great significance for the study of early Chu culture.