The bamboo slips from the tomb of the Marquis of Haihun in the Han Dynasty, which have been dormant for two thousand years, are quietly changing people's understanding of the transmission of the Book of Songs.
On the tenth anniversary of the archaeological excavation of the tomb of Marquis Haihun of the Han Dynasty in Nanchang, the discovery of the bamboo slips of the Book of Songs unearthed from the tomb of Marquis Liu He of Haihun is a complete version of the Book of Songs from the Qin and Han Dynasties. This discovery has shocked the academic community. Relevant experts believe that this not only provides the original appearance of the Book of Songs in the early Western Han Dynasty, but may also solve a thousand-year-old mystery in the history of Chinese classics studies - the long-lost Lu Poetry.
Zhu Fenghan, a professor emeritus of Peking University and a professor at the Center for Ancient Chinese History Studies at Peking University, who was the chief editor of "A Preliminary Study of the Haihun Bamboo and Wooden Slips," said in an interview with The Paper | Ancient Art yesterday that he judges that the Haihun Marquis's "Poetry" may belong to the "Lu Poetry" system. "This is mainly based on the historical fact that Wang Shi, the teacher of the tomb owner Liu He, was a master of the 'Lu Poetry' system, and there are important connections and coincidences between the Haihun Marquis's "Poetry" and the fragments of the Han Dynasty's 'Xiping Stone Classics' which belong to the Lu Poetry system."
Archaeological excavation site of the Han Dynasty Haihunhou Tomb in Nanchang
The bamboo slips of the Book of Songs unearthed from the tomb of Liu He, Marquis of Haihun
It is said that as an early classic of Chinese culture, the *Classic of Poetry* was interrupted in its transmission due to the Qin Dynasty's burning of books and other reasons. During the Han Dynasty, four schools of thought transmitted the *Classic of Poetry*: Qi, Lu, Han, and Mao. Mao Heng and Mao Chang transmitted the poems, which are known as the *Mao Poetry*. Although the extant *Classic of Poetry* is a copy of the Mao school's ancient text, some poems are highly questionable. Scholars of *Classic of Poetry* exegesis throughout history have struggled to reach a consensus. The *Classic of Poetry* recorded on the fragments of the Han Dynasty's *Xiping Stone Classics* belongs to the *Lu Poetry* system, but it is extremely incomplete.
The "Lu School" was one of the most important schools of thought in the study of the Book of Poetry during the Han Dynasty, and was known as one of the "Three Schools of Poetry" along with the "Qi School" and the "Han School." All three schools belonged to the "New Text School of Confucianism" and were established as official schools during the Western Han Dynasty, with the appointment of doctors, representing the orthodox scholarship of the government.
Simply put, "Lu Poetry" refers to the version and interpretation system of the Book of Poetry transmitted by Shen Peigong (or Shen Gong), a scholar from the Lu region.
According to reports, the bamboo slips of the *Classic of Poetry* unearthed from the Tibetan outer coffin of the tomb of Liu He, Marquis of Haihun, are 23 cm long and 0.8 cm wide, bound with three cords, and contain 20-25 characters each. They include the text itself, exegesis appended to the main text, and a preface-like text at the end of each poem, showcasing the textual form of the *Classic of Poetry* from the early to mid-Western Han Dynasty. However, they were severely damaged when unearthed. The bamboo slips have a rigorous structure and orderly chapter division, totaling 305 poems and 1076 chapters, the same number of poems as the extant *Mao Shi*, but 66 fewer chapters. Previously discovered similar texts, such as the Warring States Chu bamboo slips of the *Classic of Poetry* in the Anhui University collection, the Wangjiazui Chu bamboo slips of the *Classic of Poetry* in Jingzhou, Hubei, and the Han bamboo slips of the *Classic of Poetry* in Fuyang, Anhui, all have fewer characters.
"Actually, the Book of Songs unearthed from the Haihunhou Tomb can only be said to have a relatively complete catalog. Less than 1/10 of the Han bamboo slips unearthed at that time were relatively intact, and the contents were also severely damaged. Archaeologists and restorers are still working on restoration and cleaning. My current research views are not much different from those when I compiled the Haihun bamboo slips. In fact, we will only have a real conclusion after the Book of Songs unearthed from the Haihunhou Tomb has completed all dehydration, restoration and sealing work next year," Professor Zhu Fenghan told The Paper.
According to reports, this collection of cultural treasures, hidden for two thousand years, will be on display at the "Haihun, the Land of Scholars" special exhibition hall of the Haihunhou State Site Museum in Nanchang next year. Zhu Fenghan said that he will lead his research team to release the new research at that time.
A lacquered mirror depicting Confucius' disciples unearthed from the tomb of the Marquis of Haihun
Lineage and lineage: The direct connection between Liu He, Marquis of Haihun, and the Lu Poetry.
Professor Zhu Fenghan told The Paper | Ancient Art that to understand the relationship between the bamboo slips of the Book of Songs from the Haihunhou Tomb and the Book of Songs, the first thing to consider is tracing the lineage of the tomb owner, Liu He.
Liu He's teacher, Grand Tutor Wang Shi, was an important transmitter of the study of the Book of Poetry in the Western Han Dynasty. According to the "Biography of Confucian Scholars" in the Book of Han, Wang Shi once said: "I taught the King the 305 poems of the Book of Poetry morning and evening. As for the poems about loyal ministers and filial sons, I never failed to recite them to the King repeatedly; as for the poems about rulers who were in danger of falling and who had lost their way, I never failed to tearfully plead for the King. I used the 305 poems to remonstrate, which is why I have no written remonstrances."
In Wang Shi’s view, teaching the Book of Poetry was an important way for him to advise Liu He, the King of Changyi.
Wang Shi's academic background is clearly traceable: he studied the Book of Poetry under two disciples of Shen Gong, Xu Gong of Mianzhong and Xu Sheng of Lu. Shen Gong, also known as Shen Peigong, was a native of Lu (present-day southern Shandong) and the founder of the Lu School of Poetry.
As a young man, Shen Gong studied the Book of Poetry under Fuqiu Bo, a man from Qi, along with Liu Jiao, the fourth brother of Liu Bang. During the reign of Emperor Wen of Han, he was appointed as a scholar for his profound knowledge of the Book of Poetry. The Lu School of Poetry, which he founded, was the most widely taught during the Western Han Dynasty.
Han Dynasty bamboo slips unearthed from the tomb of the Marquis of Haihun
This clear lineage of teachers and students—from Fuqiu Bo to Shen Gong, then to Xu Gong of Mianzhong and Xu Sheng of Lu, then to Wang Shi, and finally to Liu He—provides strong historical evidence that the simplified version of the Book of Poetry from the tomb of the Marquis of Haihun belongs to the Lu Poetry system.
Textual differences: Significant differences from the Mao version of the Book of Songs
According to relevant literature, the bamboo slips of the *Classic of Poetry* unearthed from the tomb of the Marquis of Haihun differ in many ways from the *Mao Shi* (毛诗) that has been passed down through generations. Previously, limited by available materials, people only knew some scattered materials about the other three versions of the *Classic of Poetry*. Based on these materials, scholars previously judged that the *Mao Shi* was not significantly different from the other three versions.
According to the Haihunhou version of the *Shijing* (Book of Poetry), the differences between the *Mao Shi* and the other three versions are quite significant. For example, the number of chapters differs: the Haihunhou version has 1076 chapters, while the *Mao Shi* has 1149. The Haihunhou version of the *Shijing* (Book of Poetry), specifically the *Xiaoya* section, has only 299 chapters, 68 fewer than the *Mao Shi*, but at least 100 more lines. The Haihunhou version of the *Shijing* (Book of Poetry), specifically the *Feng* section, has the same number of chapters as the *Mao Shi*, but 120 fewer lines. These specific differences are not only in arrangement, such as the order of the poems and the division of chapters, but also in the textual content, especially the number of words and lines.
Bamboo slips of the Book of Songs buried with the Marquis of Haihun (Photo courtesy of Jiangxi Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology)
A copy of the Haihunhou's version of the Book of Songs.
The differences are even more pronounced in the specific content. The Haihun bamboo slip version of the Book of Songs contains 305 poems and 1076 chapters, the same number of poems as the extant Mao version, but 66 fewer chapters.
According to Professor Zhu Fenghan's previously published research, the second line of the second chapter of "Da Shu Yu Tian" in the "Zheng Feng" section of the Mao Shi (Book of Songs) is "乘乘黄" (chéng chéng huáng), while the Haihun Shi (Book of Songs) is "乘其乘黄" (chéng qí chéng huáng). Furthermore, the first line of "Da Shu Yu Tian" in the Mao Shi contains the character "大" (dà), but the first line of the chapter title in the Haihun Shi only reads "叔于田" (shū yú tián), without the character "大" (dà).
Mao Shi Ancient Books
The format and structure of the Haihun version of the Book of Songs is quite rigorous, with the title, chapter number, and line number recorded at the end of each poem and the end of the main text being similar to those in the Mao version. However, the table of contents, annotation methods, etc., differ from those in the Mao version, and the concise summary of the main theme at the end of each poem is also absent in the Mao version.
Zhang Jiuqing, a professor at the School of Literature and Journalism at South-Central University for Nationalities, wrote that regardless of whether the Haihunhou Poems belong to the Lu Poems, it is not a big deal to say that they belong to the three schools of poetry.
Arrangement structure: Consistent with the Xiping Stone Classics
Professor Zhu Fenghan's research also revealed an important connection between the Haihun Poetry and the Xiping Stone Classics of the Han Dynasty (the earliest officially commissioned Confucian classics stone inscriptions in Chinese history), which is particularly evident in their arrangement and structure.
The Xiping Stone Classics, as the official standard version of Confucian classics established by the Eastern Han Dynasty, were primarily based on the Lu Poetry. The Haihun Poetry's arrangement and structure are basically consistent with the Xiping Stone Classics, providing significant evidence that the Haihun Poetry belongs to the Lu Poetry.
Han Dynasty Xiping Stone Classics Fragment
The Lu Poems held immense prestige during the Han Dynasty. The official book of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Baihu Tonglun, primarily quoted from the Lu Poems. The Xiping Stone Classics, the standard version of classical studies published by the state at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, also primarily used the Lu Poems and only included variant characters from the Qi and Han dynasties.
This historical context strengthens the possibility that the simplified version of the Book of Songs from the Haihunhou Tomb belongs to the Lu Poetry Collection.
Yu Hao, an associate professor at the School of Humanities at Nanchang University, previously analyzed that, based on existing evidence, the Haihun bamboo slips of the *Classic of Poetry* are most likely from the Lu school. If this assertion is ultimately confirmed, it means that the long-lost core text of the Lu school will see the light of day again, which will further deepen people's understanding of Han dynasty classical studies, especially the study of the *Classic of Poetry*.
Yu Hao also believes that the Haihun bamboo slips of the Book of Songs are not simply a copy of the text, but a rigorous academic work. "The main text contains annotations that explain the meaning of the text, including interpretations of words and phrases, explanations of the meaning of the text, and quotations of 'the commentary says' to explain the purpose of the poems."
Historical Context: The Rise and Fall of the Lu Poetry Collection
The *Lu Shi* (鲁诗) is one of the three schools of thought in ancient and modern Chinese literature. It is the *Shijing* (诗经) school transmitted by Shen Gong, a native of Lu in the early Han Dynasty, and belongs to one of the three major schools of the New Text School of Confucianism. During the reign of Emperor Wen of Han, it was established as an official school of learning. The formation of the *Lu Shi* in the pre-Qin period has its own characteristics: by comparing the *Mao Shi* (毛诗), the *Lu Shi*, and the "quoted poems" in the *Zuo Zhuan* (左传), it can be shown that the *Lu Shi* is closest to the ancient meaning and appearance of pre-Qin poetry.
The unique characteristics of the poems in the Lu Poetry can reveal Ban Gu's statement that "Lu is the closest to it".
The study of the Book of Poetry was a prominent field of study in the Han Dynasty. The Qi, Lu, and Han schools of poetry were successively established as official schools, while the Mao school of poetry was taught among the common people for a long time. By the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Zheng Xuan wrote commentaries on the Mao school of poetry, and the Mao school of poetry became the orthodox school, while the other three schools of poetry were lost one after another.
The Lu Poetry was lost during the Western Jin Dynasty, but its surviving interpretations can still be found in books such as the Records of the Grand Historian, the Garden of Stories, the New Preface, and the Biographies of Exemplary Women.
It is against this historical backdrop that the discovery of the *Classic of Poetry* bamboo slips from the Haihunhou Tomb is particularly significant, as it may well provide the world with the most complete original text of the *Lu Shi* (Lu Poetry). In fact, its significance extends far beyond simply adding an ancient copy; it prompts scholars to profoundly reconstruct and re-examine the early classical textual tradition of Chinese civilization. These bamboo slips transform abstract textual history into a tangible and visible cultural scene, allowing us to directly confront the culture and thought of the Han Dynasty. As research deepens, the academic impact of these precious documents will continue to unfold.
"It is safe to say that by next year, when the complete set of the Haihunhou Poetry Bamboo Slips will be made public, we will have a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of it," Zhu Fenghan told The Paper.
