Yinqueshan Han Slips, Archaeological grave site in Linyi City, China
The Yinqueshan Han Slips are 4,942 bamboo strips containing ancient Chinese texts discovered within two burial chambers at the base of Silver Sparrow Mountain. The museum covers 10,000 square meters and displays the tomb structures, the bamboo strips, and additional artifacts across three exhibition sections.
Construction workers uncovered these Western Han dynasty burial sites in April 1972, revealing military documents and a calendar dated to 134 BCE. The discovery provided crucial evidence about military practices and daily life during that era.
The bamboo strips contain sections of Sun Tzu's The Art of War along with texts by Sun Bin and fragments of the Six Strategies, reflecting ancient Chinese military knowledge. These writings reveal how commanders and strategists thought during the Han dynasty.
It works best to start at the tomb structures before moving to the bamboo strip exhibition. Allow extra time to read the text explanations and supporting materials, as the content is detailed and requires careful attention.
Researchers identified 80 different manuscripts among the discovered texts, with one tomb belonging to a military officer bearing the surname Sima. This personal connection helps visitors picture an actual person whose knowledge was preserved nearly 2,000 years ago.
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