Exhibition showcases bamboo writing slips

An exhibition of ancient bamboo writing slips made in the Qin Dynasty (221 – 207 BC) kicked off on Friday in Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum in Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi province.

Sponsored by the museum and the Liye Qin Bamboo Slip Museum in Longshan county, Hunan province, the three-month long exhibition displays more than 100 groups and pieces of ancient relics made during the Qin Dynasty, the first feudal dynasty in Chinese history. Most are bamboo writing slips unearthed from Liye township in Longshan county.

Chinese archaeologists found 36,000 pieces of bamboo writing slips in May 2002 in a well in the township, on which more than 200,000 Chinese characters recorded the governing state secrets of Qin Shihuang (259 – 210 BC), the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty.

It was considered the most important archaeological discovery after the Qin Terracotta Warriors and horses were unearthed in 1973 in an eastern suburb of Xi'an. The bamboo slips, used for writing in ancient times, have great significance in furthering research on Qin Dynasty politics, economy and culture.

Along with the bamboo slips, 15 pieces of Qin Terracotta Warriors, weapons and stone amor were also displayed to give visitors a comprehensive understanding of the Qin Dynasty.