The Exploration of Traditional Culture in Pre-Qin Bamboo Slips and Its Implications for the Development of Chinese Philosophy
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The excavation and study of Pre-Qin bamboo slips have provided invaluable insights into traditional Chinese culture and the development of philosophical thought.These ancient texts, preserved in archaeological discoveries, serve as critical primary sources for understanding the intellectual landscape of early China.This paper examines the cultural significance embedded in these bamboo slips, analyzing their contributions to the formation and evolution of Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism.Through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates archaeology, philology, and philosophical analysis, this research investigates the ways in which the content of bamboo slips influenced the ideological structures of early Chinese philosophy.The study first explores the historical background of Pre-Qin bamboo slips, detailing major archaeological discoveries such as the Guodian, Tsinghua, and Shanghai Museum collections.These findings reveal not only lost or alternative versions of classical texts but also offer fresh perspectives on the philosophical discourse of the time.By closely analyzing these texts, this paper identifies key traditional cultural elements-moral values, political ideologies, cosmological views, and ritual systemsembedded in the bamboo slips and examines their significance in shaping later intellectual traditions.A crucial aspect of this study is the comparative analysis between the unearthed bamboo slip texts and transmitted classical canons.The discrepancies between these texts provide critical insights into the process of textual transmission and the reinterpretation of philosophical ideas across different historical periods.For instance, the content of some bamboo slips presents early formulations of Confucian ethical principles, which later became more structured in the Confucian canon.Similarly, Daoist and Legalist texts found among these excavated documents illustrate the diversity of thought in Pre-Qin China, challenging long-held assumptions about these traditions.Furthermore, this study highlights how the discovery of bamboo slips has reshaped ZEITGESCHICHTE
Source: ZKG international
DOI: 10.63386/618791
Authors: Na Sun, Zhibin Wu, Zonghua Liang
Institution: Shandong Normal University
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4411382641