Yunmeng, the smallest county in Hubei by area, is also renowned worldwide as the “Hometown of Bamboo Slips.” Over 3,500 bamboo slips from the Qin and Han dynasties have been unearthed here in eight batches, setting multiple records. These bamboo slips are like a magnificent encyclopedia of the Qin and Han periods, comprehensively showcasing the social landscape of the time—from laws and regulations to scientific knowledge, and from various aspects of society to heartwarming stories.

Yunmeng

Yunmeng is an ancient region in modern-day Hubei Province, China, historically known for its expansive lakes and marshlands. It was a significant area during the Chu Kingdom in the Zhou Dynasty, famed for its natural resources and strategic military importance. Today, it is primarily an agricultural region, with its historical name preserved in local geography.

Hometown of Bamboo Slips

The “Hometown of Bamboo Slips” refers to Liye, an ancient town in Hunan Province, China. It gained immense historical significance in 2002 with the discovery of over 36,000 Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC) bamboo slips, which were imperial administrative documents. This extraordinary archaeological find provides an unprecedented, detailed record of the laws, economy, and daily life in a remote frontier town over 2,200 years ago.

Qin dynasty

The Qin dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, established in 221 BCE after its ruler, Qin Shi Huang, conquered the warring states and unified the country. Its most famous legacy is the Terracotta Army, built to protect the First Emperor in the afterlife, and it initiated massive projects like an early version of the Great Wall. The dynasty was short-lived, however, collapsing in 206 BCE just a few years after its founder’s death.

Han dynasty

The Han dynasty was a pivotal period in Chinese history, ruling from 206 BCE to 220 CE and establishing a centralized imperial bureaucracy that became a model for later eras. It is renowned for its significant cultural and technological advancements, including the promotion of Confucianism as the state ideology and the expansion of the Silk Road trade network. The dynasty’s legacy is so profound that the dominant ethnic group in China still identifies itself as the “Han people.”