Chunqiu shiyu
Encyclopedia
Chunqiu shiyu is an early Chinese text written on silk
which was unearthed in 1973 from the Tomb no. 3 (dated 168 BCE) at the 馬王堆 Mǎwángduī site in Chángshā, Húnán
, China
. The tomb was that of a young man, presumed to be a relative and perhaps the son of Lì Cāng (利蒼), who was the chancellor of Chángshā and first Marquis of Dài (軚).
The manuscript was unearthed in 1973 along with a large number of other documents on silk and bamboo slips, including the Yìjīng and Laozi
, as well as military, medical, and astronomical manuscripts. Chūnqiū shìyǔ records historical events from the Spring and Autumn period and partially preserves over 2000 characters.
The first half of the name of the document refers to the period covered, Chūnqiū 春秋 meaning the Spring and Autumn period (770 to 476 BCE), while the second half of the title, shìyǔ (事语), is a historiographer’s narrative, one type of the ‘yǔ’ (語) narrative genre of the period.
The calligraphy of the document is similar to that on some bamboo books, a form transitional between the Qín seal script
of the Eastern Zhoū and Qín dynasty
periods, and the clerical script
(隸 lìshū) of the Hàn dynasty
. This, plus the fact that it does not treat as taboo the name of the Hàn dynasty founder Liú Bāng (劉邦), aka Emperor Gaozu, means that it was probably produced around the mid to late 3rd century BCE, before Liú Bāng took the throne in 202 BCE.
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
which was unearthed in 1973 from the Tomb no. 3 (dated 168 BCE) at the 馬王堆 Mǎwángduī site in Chángshā, Húnán
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The tomb was that of a young man, presumed to be a relative and perhaps the son of Lì Cāng (利蒼), who was the chancellor of Chángshā and first Marquis of Dài (軚).
The manuscript was unearthed in 1973 along with a large number of other documents on silk and bamboo slips, including the Yìjīng and Laozi
Laozi
Laozi was a mystic philosopher of ancient China, best known as the author of the Tao Te Ching . His association with the Tao Te Ching has led him to be traditionally considered the founder of Taoism...
, as well as military, medical, and astronomical manuscripts. Chūnqiū shìyǔ records historical events from the Spring and Autumn period and partially preserves over 2000 characters.
The first half of the name of the document refers to the period covered, Chūnqiū 春秋 meaning the Spring and Autumn period (770 to 476 BCE), while the second half of the title, shìyǔ (事语), is a historiographer’s narrative, one type of the ‘yǔ’ (語) narrative genre of the period.
The calligraphy of the document is similar to that on some bamboo books, a form transitional between the Qín seal script
Seal script
Seal script is an ancient style of Chinese calligraphy. It evolved organically out of the Zhōu dynasty script , arising in the Warring State of Qin...
of the Eastern Zhoū and Qín dynasty
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
periods, and the clerical script
Clerical script
The clerical script , also formerly chancery script, is an archaic style of Chinese calligraphy which evolved in the Warring States period to the Qin dynasty, was dominant in the Han dynasty, and remained in use through the Wèi-Jìn periods...
(隸 lìshū) of the Hàn dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
. This, plus the fact that it does not treat as taboo the name of the Hàn dynasty founder Liú Bāng (劉邦), aka Emperor Gaozu, means that it was probably produced around the mid to late 3rd century BCE, before Liú Bāng took the throne in 202 BCE.
Further reading
- 裘錫圭 Qiú, Xīguī (2000). Chinese Writing. Translation of 文字學概論 by the late Gilbert L. Mattos (Chairman, Dept. of Asian Studies, Seton Hall University) and Jerry Norman (Professor Emeritus, Asian Languages & Literature Dept., Univ. of Washington). Early China Special Monograph Series No. 4. Berkeley: The Society for the Study of Early China and the Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley. ISBN 1-55729-071-7. (in English)