'Lost Classics' Revealed by Study of 2,000-Year-Old Bamboo Rites
Chinese volumes detail the eating customs of nobles at the time, which will give historians insight into how people lived during the Warring States era.
Scholars have gained insight into how Chinese nobles dined 2,000 years ago while deciphering a collection of ancient scrolls.
The scrolls, which came in the form of five documents enclosed in bamboo slips, were researched at the Tsinghua University in Beijing, China.
While analyzing the scrolls, researchers found that they dated all the way back to the Warring States period that was a very important epoch of Chinese history.
It is mainly characterized by continuous bloody warfare, however it also saw huge developments in society. Many great philosophers rose to fame during this time, including Mencius and Xunzi. It also influenced the structure of government, which set the scene for Imperial China.
Historians are not certain on the exact dates of the Warring States period. Some believe it started in 481 B.C, while others believe it started in 403 B.C. The end date is usually agreed to be 221 B.C, which was also when the Qin Empire was established.
"There are two documents on rituals, which was the first discovery of the pre-Qin period (pre-221 B.C.) books on rituals recorded in the bamboo slips of Warring States period (475-221 BC) so far unearthed," Huang Dekuan, director of the Research and Conservation Center of the Beijing university said in a press release on the findings.
A picture shows the bamboo slips deciphered by scholars at Tsinghua University. The discovery has given a fascinating insight into the eating of nobles millennia ago.A picture shows the bamboo slips deciphered by scholars at Tsinghua University. The discovery has given a fascinating insight into the eating of nobles millennia ago.Tsinghua UniversityExperts described the texts as "lost classics not found in extant literature." The scrolls were named: Rites of a High Official's Meal, Record of Rites of a High Official's Meal, Diagram of Five Tones, Music Style and Fear Heaven and Use Body.
In these particular scrolls, researchers found various details, from the ceremonial dining customs of nobles at the time, to musical rites and ideological literature.
In other documents held by the university, researchers have found details on classics, history, politics, astronomy, and mathematics.
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Perhaps the most fascinating volume detail descriptions of the etiquette displayed during ceremonial meals.
An interesting drawing of a pentagram was also found in the Diagram of Five Tones slip. Surrounding it are five traditional Chinese musical notes, ECNS reported.
In the Fear Heaven and Use Body document are 17 slips that go into detail about religion and the relationship between heaven and humans.
This text strongly advocates human subjectivity in this context, which is fitting for this period of history.
These ancient documents have been collected by the university since 2008. In total, the institution has about 2,500. The Warring States refers to a period of ancient Chinese history, where seven kingdoms were feuding at the same time.
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