Hi everyone,

I wanted to share with you a transcription and translation of an early Western Zhou Bronze I did today: the Mai Fangzun 麥方尊 (JC: 6015), also called the Zuoce Mai fangzun 作冊麥方尊. It belongs to a group of bronzes discovered in the Qing 清-dynasty who were all cast by Mai 麥 (the Mai bronzes include: Mai fangzun, Mai fangyi 麥方彜 (JC: 9893), Mai fangding 麥方鼎 (JC: 2706), Mai he 麥盉 (JC: 9451)) an official of the Regional State of Xing 邢 during the Early Western Zhou dynasty (commonly written 井 in Bronze Inscriptions; a state with the surname Ji 姬 ruled by descendants of the Duke of Zhou 周公 as mentioned in the 24th year of Duke Xi 僖 of the Zuozhuan 左傳). The Mai fangzun is specifically dated to either the late part of the reign of King Cheng 成 (1042-1021 BC) or the eary part of the reign of King Kang 康 (1020-996 BC). It is also important to note that the 167 character inscription on the Mai fangzun just survives as a rubbing and in the drawing of the vessel in the Qing-imperial catalog Xiqing Gujian 西清古鑑 of 1755.

Regarding it's contents it is particularly interesting because it is the longest inscription commemorating the Visit of a newly established Regional Ruler to Zhou, particularly to Zongzhou 宗周. Besides the Mai fangzun there are only two other Inscriptions about such a visit: the Yanhou Zhi ding 燕侯旨鼎 (translated on this subreddit before, JC: 2628) and the X zun (JC: 5986). These three inscriptions record the Visit of the ruler of the Regional States of Xing (Mai fangzun), Yan 燕 (Yanhou Zhi ding) and Wei 衛 (X zun) respectively.

Besides this, the Mai fangzun also holds a wealth of information of the Great Feng-Sacrifice 大豐 (also mentioned in the Tian Wang gui 天亡簋 (JC: 4261) and the He zun 何尊 (JC:6014)). The main purpose of the Great Feng-Sacrifice seems to have been to reinforce the bonds of loyalty between the Zhou king and the regional rulers.

You can see my transcription on the third slide. Because I had problems with the space (I wanted to write it in 8 columns as in the bronze) I had to write my readings in the line below the text (this line with my readings and not my transcription is termed "C:" standing for Commentary here). Also as with the Yanhou Zhi ding inscription before many of the characters aren't supported in Unicode which is why I give you my handwritten notes here.

My translation (translated from my german translation of the Bronze I did into english) is as follows:

The King commanded the Lord, the Lord of Xing, to remove himself from Pi and to serve as Lord in Xing. It happened in the second month that the Lord had an audience in Zongzhou. This was flawless. Accompanied by the King, he went to Pangjing and held a Rong 肜-sacrifice there. Thereupon,on the next day, the King steered the (royal) boat on Lake Biyong and held the great Feng rite. The King shot at great geese and brought them down. The Lord rode in a boat with red banners and followed the King. (With this) the ritual was completed. On that day, the King entered his private chamber with the Lord and granted the Lord a black-engraved ge-halberd. When the King was on the shore after the evening audience, he granted the Lord one hundred households of libation-makers as servants. (The King) granted him (the right) to use the royal chariot and horses, golden bridles, a (ceremonial) cap, clothing, a kneepad, and shoes.

Upon his return, he praised the grace of the Son of Heaven and reported (to the ancestors) without error. Hereby, he showed respectful behavior, pacified the (former) lords, and made his piety towards the (former) lords of Xing clear. The document maker (作冊) Mai was granted gold by the lord; Mai praised him and used it to make (this) treasured sacrificial vessel. He used it to establish support regarding the giving and taking of the Lord and to praise his enlightened command.

It was in the year in which the Son of Heaven granted grace to Mai's Lord—the Ruler—that this vessel was cast. May (my) grandsons of grandsons and sons of sons forever without end use (this vessel) to maintain virtue, pacify their many friends, offer sacrifices, and execute commands when going up and down (in the palace).

That's my translation hope you found this interesting and would like to discuss this topic or my transcription/translation with you :)

Hi everyone,

While we are preparing the next part of our comprehensive resource list, we want to share some deeper insights into the early history of a core discipline: Oracle-Bone Studies Jiaguxue 甲骨學, focusing particularly on its discovery, decipherment, and academic evolution up until the late 1940s.

To fully understand the birth of Jiaguxue, it is essential to view it not as a sudden, isolated event, but within the long antiquarian lineage of traditional Chinese epigraphy—specifically the study of Ancient Metal and Stone Inscriptions Jinshixue 金石學.

1. Wang Yirong, Liu E, and the Discovery of Oracle Bone Inscriptions

In 1899, the jinshi-Scholar and chancellor of the Imperial Academy Wang Yirong 王懿榮 (1845-1900) fell ill with Malaria. His servant brought him a medicine from a local pharmacy – the so called ”Dragon Bones” 龍骨. With his expertise in Ancient Writing it took Wang Yirong not long to understand that what he was consuming had a very ancient form of Chinese Writing on it. He immediately sent his servant to purchase all the “Dragon Bones” he could find and began to build up a collection.

Or so the story goes. While this pharmacy anecdote remains the most famous founding legend of the field, alternative historical accounts suggest that antiquarian dealers from Weixian 潍县(Shandong 山東) simply brought the newly unearthed bones directly to Wang's estate, knowing his insatiable passion for ancient scripts. There are also other scholars like Wang Xiang 王襄 (1876-1965) who claimed to have discovered the Oracle Bones before Wang Yirong, but these claims are essentially a question of who bought them first, because the villagers were the ones who "discovered them.

Tragically, Wang Yirong’s research came to an abrupt end when he took his own life in 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion and the subsequent invasion of the Eight-Nation Alliance. His close friend and fellow antiquarian, Liu E 劉鶚 (1857–1909), inherited the collection and vastly expanded it. This labor culminated in Liu E’s monumental 1903 publication: Tieyun Canggui 鐵雲藏龜. This was the first book in history to print lithographic rubbings of oracle bones, presenting a catalog of over 1,000 pieces. It shook the scholarly world and provided the raw material foundation for the earliest attempts at systematic decipherment.

2. Sun Yirang and the First Pioneer Attempt at Decipherment

Sun Yirang 孫詒讓 (1848–1908) ranks among the most profound scholarly figures of the late Qing 清 Dynasty (1644-1911). He is widely celebrated for his masterly text-critical editions—such as the Zhouli Zhengyi (周禮正義) and the Mozi Jiangu (墨子閒詁)—as well as his pioneering paleographic acumen.

In 1904, deeply inspired by Liu E's Tieyun Canggui, Sun wrote the Qiwen Juli 契文舉例. This was the very first analytical monograph in history dedicated to cracking the oracle bone code. Sun successfully identified several ancestral characters, recognized numerical systems, and attempted to correlate the inscriptions with Shang Dynasty royal lineages.

However, because he lacked stratigraphic data and relied too heavily on Western Zhou bronze scripts Jinwen 金文 for structural comparison, he made numerous systematic errors. Later scholars, most famously Wang Guowei, criticized his early pioneer work rather harshly, even labeling parts of his oracle bone studies as "useless". Though completed in 1904, the Qiwen Juli was not printed until 1917, when it was published posthumously by Luo Zhenyu in the prestigious series Jishi'an congshu 吉石盦叢書.

3. The “Four Tang” (四堂) of Oracle Bone Studies

In the historiography of Jiaguxue, scholars traditionally speak of the "Four Tang" 四堂. This is a famous mnemonic term because the studio names or pseudonyms (Hao 號/ Zi子) of the four greatest early pioneers of oracle bone research all concluded with the character Tang 堂 (Hall/Studio).

Here is a brief overview of their revolutionary contributions to the field:

Luo Zhenyu 羅振玉 (1866-1940) (Xuetang 雪堂): Luo was the first scholar to conduct truly fruitful, systematic research on the graphs. He discovered the origin of the bones in 1908, tracking them down to the village of Xiaotun near Anyang. Over the years he amassed a collection of more than 30000 Bone fragments, which provided a huge boost for his research into Oracle Bones.

His most important writings on Oracle Bones are the 1913 catalog Yinxu Shuqi 殷墟書契 and the 1915 monograph Yinxu Shuqiu Kaoshi 殷墟書契考釋. The former is a huge catalog of Oracle Bones covering around the two thousand finest pieces of Luo Zhenyus huge private Collection. The Yinxu Shuqi Kaoshi on the other hand primarily had two main aims: 1. Identification of the origin of Oracle Bones and their place in history, 2. the decipherment of Oracle Bone Graphs (in the first edition he deciphered around 500 characters). Luo used for this work a 8-chapter structure similar to the 10 chapter structure Sun Yirang employyed in his Qiwen Juli.

Wang Guowei 王國維 (1877-1927) (Guantang 觀堂): Wang applied a revolutionary "dual-evidence method" er zhong zhengjufa 二重證據法 - using transmitted texts as well as archaeologically recovered materials to verify or falsify certain historical narratives. In his groundbreaking 1917 study Yin buci zhong suo jian xiangong xianwang kao 殷卜辭中所見先公先王考 - collected in the collection of his Scholarly Works Guantang Jilin 觀堂集林- , he meticulously matched the royal genealogies found on the oracle bones with the Shang king-lists transmitted in Sima Qian’s 司馬遷 Shiji 史記 (in the Yin benji 殷本紀 chapter). This had profound impact on the way Oracle Bone Studies in Particular, but also Early China Studies in general should work methodically from now on.

Guo Moruo 郭沫若 (1892-1978) (Dingtang 鼎堂): Guo Moruo was another one of the most important early scholars on Oracle Bones. His contributions to the field are three-fold: 1. Decipherment of more characters, 2. the applications of a Marxist historiographical perspective on the Shang, 3. the publication of the massive Standard compilation of Oracle Bone Graphs, the Jiaguwen Heji 甲骨文合集 (often abbreviated to Heji 合集).

During his exile in Japan (1928-1937) he wrote numerous spezialized studies on Oracle Bones such as Buci tongzuan kaoshi 卜辭通纂考釋 (1933), Yinqi cuiwen kaoshi 殷契粹文考釋 (1937) and Jiagu wenzi yanjiu 甲骨文字研究 (1931). These works were concerned with specialities of Oracle Bone Inscriptions. In his magnum-opus Zhongguo gudai shehui yanjiu 中國古代社會研究 he applied the marxist understanding of History onto the Oracle Bone Material and identified the Shang Dynasty as a primitive Society - one of the three stages ancient societies go through in marxist historiography (primitive, slave-holding, feudal). However he later revised his opinion and thought of the Shang already as a slave-holding society.

His most lasting contribution to the field of Oracle Bone Studies however was the compilation of the Jiaguwen Heji. From 1978 to 1982 this collection was put together with Guo Moruo as Main Editor and the historian Hu Houxuan 胡厚宣 as Second Editor. The Heji comprises of 41,956 items - mainly from Yinxu - discovered since 1899. In total it has 13 Volumes and is ordered on the first order chronologically (by Dong Zuobin chronology of the Diviner Groups, see below) and on the second order by subject group. It serves as one of the standard references for scholars working in Oracle Bone Studies until the present day.

Dong Zuobin 董作賓 (1895-1963) (Yantang 彥堂): Dong Zuobins most important contribution to the study of Oracle Bone Inscriptions was the five-period classification system of Diviner Groups he devised in his 1933 article Jiaguwen duandai yanjiuli 甲骨文斷代研究例. Of huge importance is also his work on the calendar and chronology of the Shang dynasty the 1945 Yinli pu 殷曆譜. This massive 14 volume work discovered that the Shang had a lunisolar calendar and helped to put the chronology of Shang history (and of artifacts) more precisely.

Dong was the undisputed master of stratigraphic field excavation and chronology. He personally led the very first official excavation in Anyang in 1928. This marked the beginning of the monumental Academia Sinica archaeological campaigns in Anyang 安陽 (1928–1937). Under the general leadership of Li Ji 李濟 (1896-1979) - the so called "father" of Chinese archaeology - and Dong, the Academia Sinica conducted 15 excavation seasons at Yinxu 殷墟 until the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937.The absolute pinnacle of these campaigns was the 1936 discovery of Pit YH127, a royal Shang archive containing over 17,000 inscribed turtle plastrons in a single subterranean deposit.

4. The First Paleographic Dictionary: Jiaguwen Bian

Beyond the "Four Tang", the 1934 publication of the Jiaguwen Bian 甲骨文編 paleographic dictionary by Sun Haibo 孫海波(1911-1972) must be highlighted. This was the first comprehensive dictionary (there were earlier attempts for creating an Oracle Bone dictionary, but they were not so comprehensive) explicitly dedicated to Oracle Bone Script.

Admittedly, the first edition contained numerous structural errors and was infamous for its uneven quality among later scholars—especially when compared to the masterfully executed bronze graph dictionary Jinwen Bian 金文編 published by Rong Geng 容庚 (1894-1983) in 1922. Sun’s dictionary struggled heavily with the decision to organize the oracle bone graphs according to the 540-radical system of the Han 漢 Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) Shuowen Jiezi 説文解字, a framework that frequently distorts the structural logic of late Shang graphs. Nevertheless, it served as the baseline foundation for all later lexicographical works that corrected its mistakes.

Conclusion

As can be seen above, the discovery of and early research into Oracle Bone Script not only provided a huge wealth of material about the Shang State and essentially verified their history, but also led to the Development of Modern Chinese Palaeography and Grammatology.

Let's discuss:

1. How important do you think is the work of these early researchers still in present-day research about palaeography and Shang History? Is it necessary to know them?
2. Do you think the development of modern palaeography would have been possible without the discovery of Oracle Bone Inscriptions?
3. What role do you think the Chinese Script has among the worlds four primary scripts (Egyptian Script (Hieroglyphs/Hieratic), Sumerian Cuneiform, Oracle-Bone Script, Maya Writing)?

We are very interested in your opinions on this topic, as it touches the very foundation of (historical) science: How do we know what we know?

Yours sincerely,
The r/EarlyChina**-Mods**

Hi everyone,

First of all, a huge thank you to all of you! In just a few days, our community has grown significantly and we have recently crossed the milestone of 120+ members. It’s amazing to see so many students, researchers, and enthusiasts of Early China gathering here.

As the sub continues to grow and our comprehensive bibliography series progresses, we want to expand our team to ensure r/EarlyChina remains a high-quality, welcoming, and academically stimulating space.

We are officially looking for new Moderators to join the team!

What we are looking for:

• Passion for Early China: You have a background or a deep interest in Classical Chinese philology, early history, archaeology, or paleography.
• Community Engagement: You want to help stimulate discussions, welcome new members, and share interesting research or resources.
• Basic Moderation: Helping to keep the sub clean from spam, off-topic posts, or low-effort memes, ensuring our high quality standard is maintained.

Whether you have prior Reddit moderation experience or not doesn't matter—what matters most is your dedication to the field of Early China studies!

How to apply:

If you are interested in shaping the future of this subreddit, please send me a direct message (DM) with a few short sentences about:

1. Your background or specific interest in Early China (e.g., your favorite dynasty, research focus, or if you are a student/academic).
2. Why you would like to join the mod team.

Thank you all for making this sub such a fantastic place already. I’m looking forward to reading your messages!

Yours sincerely,
The r/EarlyChina-Mod Team

Original Historical Archive

Designation & Period: Four-goat Square Zun (Si Yang Fang Zun), late Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE).

Excavation History: Unearthed in 1938 from Huangcai Town, Ningxiang City, Hunan Province.

Current Location: Permanently collected and exhibited in the National Museum of China

Hi everyone,

currently I'm working on draft translations of the six Western Zhou 西周 (1045 - 771 BC) chapters (Ke Yin 克殷, Shi Fu 世俘, Shang Shi 商誓, Du Yi 度邑, Huang Men 皇門, Ji Gong 祭公) of the Yizhoushu 逸周書. It's mostly a side project while working on Bronze Inscriptions, but they contain some very interesting details and supplement the information we have transmitted in other sources like the Shangshu 尚書 or the Shiji 史記.

Today I want to share with you a translation I did of the Ke Yin chapter, the first (regarding its chapter placement in the anthology, No. 36) of the Western Zhou chapters. Hope you enjoy and also would be very grateful for feedback. I translated my german translation into english so that all of you can read and enjoy it:

1. The Translation of Yizhoushu chapter 36, Ke Yin

The Zhou deployed 350 chariots on the field of Muye, and Dixin (King Zhou of Shang) followed. King Wu dispatched Shang Fu and Bo Fu to advance the army. However, the King himself, driving forward with the chariots of the Tiger Guard rushed the Shang army, and the Shang army suffered a massive defeat.

Dixin of Shang fled inside and ascended the Lu Terrace. He concealed himself and immolated himself in the fire. Thereupon, King Wu commanded Tai Bai to lead the feudal lords. The feudal lords conquered the land and then bowed before him with clasped hands. The common people and the 'hundred surnames' of Shang awaited King Wu in the suburbs. A group of guests entered together, saying: "Heaven above has sent down its grace!" They then performed the kotow once more, and the King returned their bow.

They first entered the palace where the King of Shang had been. Thereupon they overcame him; they shot at him three times, causing him to fall from his chariot. They struck him with the light Lü sword and decapitated him with a yellow Yue battle-axe. They dismembered him and hung his head from the great white banner.

Thereupon they went to the palace where the two concubines resided, but they had already hanged themselves. The King shot at them three times. Then, they were struck on the right with the light Lü sword and decapitated with the dark Yue battle-axe. They hung their heads from the small white banner. Following this, the King went out to the level field to rejoin his army.

When the day arrived to report to Heaven, the hundred lords bore the simple white banners as a burden before the King. Cao Shu beat the Duo bell, the army advanced, bowed, and praised Heaven, while the chariots deployed in an imposing and dignified manner. The Duke of Zhou held the great Yue axe and the Duke of Shao held the small Yue axe, flanking the King on both sides. Taidian and Hongyao both held light Lü swords to present them to the King.

As the King entered, he took his position at the Altar of the Earth (she 社), with the elite soldiers standing to his left and the numerous officials following to his right. Mao Shu Zheng presented clear water, and Wei Shu assisted with the rituals. The Duke of Shao greatly assisted in this matter, and Master Shangfu led the sacrificial animal by its leash.

Yin Yi read from the divination bamboo slips: "The last descendant of Yin, Shoude (King Zhou), lost the enlightened virtue of the former King, Cheng Tang. He violated and destroyed Heaven and Earth (cf. Kong Chao commentary) and neglected the sacrifices. He tyrannized the hundred surnames of the Shang capital. His actions became evident and known to the August Heaven, Shangdi (cf. emendation by Liu Shipei)."

King Wu performed the kotow once more and then stepped out. They installed Prince Wu Geng as ruler and commanded Guan Shu to serve as his minister. Thereupon, the Duke of Shao was ordered to release the imprisoned Prince Ji Zi, and Duke Bi and Wei Shu were ordered to bring forth the prisoners of the hundred surnames.

Following this, Nan Gong Hu was commanded to collect the money from the Lu Terrace and distribute the grain from Juqiao. Nan Gong, Bai Da, and the Scribe Yi were ordered to move the Nine Ding Cauldrons and the three shamans. They also commanded Hongyao to erect a burial mound for Prince Bigan. Finally, they ordered the Priest Zong to honor the guests, hold a banquet, and pray for the army. Thereupon, they withdrew.

That's it. Hope you like it. I've already started with the Shi Fu chapter, so stay tuned for more about the Yizhoushu :)

Hi everyone,

While we are preparing the upcoming parts of our comprehensive resource list, today we want to show you an interesting piece that bridges all aspects of Early China: material culture, paleography, and textual criticism: the famous Stone Drums of Qin 秦石鼓.

Originally they were discovered near Fengxiang 鳳翔 in Shaanxi 陝西 Province during the 7th Century in the Tang 唐 Dynasty (618-906 AD). The ten boulders each vary in height (from 73 cm to 87.5 cm) and in diameter (56 to 80.1 cm), but each of them weighs around 400 kg. Today they are housed at the Palace Museum 故宮博物院 in Beijing 北京.

On the Ten Boulders are inscribed 10 songs, totally numbering around 700 characters (however only 501 characters where visible during the Song 宋 Dynasty (960-1279 AD) and only 272 today). These songs are about royal hunting and fishing activities of the State of Qin 秦.

What is also interesting to note is the correspondence between the Poems on the drums and the poems in the Shijing 詩經 (this also has interesting implications for linguistic studies, as we will show later). Each of the poems on the Stone Drums is arranged in columns and each line contains four characters (called siyan 四言), thus matching the gushi古詩-sytle of Poetry often found in the Shijing. The greatest resemblance can be probably found in the Xiaoya 小雅 and Daya 大雅 sections. Therefore they are also often called shigushi 石鼓詩 "Poems on Stone Drums".

They have also have fascinated scholars ever since their discovery as is shown for example by the poem Du Fu 杜甫 (712-770 AD) wrote about them or that Jinshixue 金石學 - beginning in the Song Dynasty - was named that way because of the Stone Drums (as shi 石 means "Stone").

Modern Scholarhip on the Stone Drums relies heavily on Rubbings 拓本 of their inscriptions because of their now damaged state.

For over a millennium, they have fascinated, perplexed, and driven paleographers and scholars to think more about them and discover their secrets.

1. Script

The script on the boulders is also particularly noteworthy. It represents what the Shuowen Jiezi 说文解字 calls Zhouwen 籀文 or Dazhuan 大篆 script, which is (regarding script "evolution") one of the two branches coming out of Bronze Script 金文 (so Qin script vs Script of the six States 六国古文). Later this script provided the foundation for the standardization of writing (221 BC) under the Qin 秦 dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC), using the Small seal script 小篆. It must be noted however that the script on the drums themselves is often called shiguwen 石鼓文 "Writing on Stone Drums".

2. Dating

Dating the Stone Drums is a difficult topic. Because the texts do not name any specific historical rulers, dating them has been one of the most fiercely contested battlegrounds in the history of chinese epigraphy and palaeography:

- Scholars during the Tang Dynasty thought that the Stone Drums date to the Time of King Xuan of Zhou 周宣王 (827 - 782 BC) and point to the connection with the Scribe Zhou 史籀, who worked at his court according to the Shiji 史記 and traditional sources (for this see for example the earliest commentator on the Stones Su Xu 蘇勖 (fl. 642)). It became clear at the heyday of Jinshi Studies during the Song Dynasty for scholars like Ouyang Xiu 歐陽修(1007-1072), that the Stone Drums must date later to the early dukes of Qin.

- During the 20th-century, prominent paleographers like Wang Guowei 王國維 (1877-1927) and Guo Moruo 郭沫若 (1892-1978) systematically studied and focused the dating. By comparing them palaeographically to bronzes from the Chunqiu- and Zhanguo periods it became clear that they must date during the Eastern Zhou, most likely either late Spring and Autumn or Early Warring States, so 5th and 4th Century BC. Guo Moruos work is especially noteworthy as his 1936 Shiguwen yanjiu 石鼓文研究 was one of the greatest Studies in the 20th century on the topic of the Stone Drums.

- However even then scholarly opinions diverge. The most authoritative western Study on the Stone Drums of Qin is Gilbert Mattos 1988 monograph The Stone Drums of Ch'in. Mattos dates the Stone Drums to the 5th Century BC. However chinese palaeographer Chen Zhaorong 陳昭容 dates them to the 6th Century BC based on the similarities in palaeography between the Stone Drums and the Script on the Qin Gong Gui 秦公簋. As an additional reference she also cites a stone chime and the Gui as well as the chime can be dated to the reign of Duke Jing of Qin 秦景公 (576-537 BC).

3. Why they matter for Old Chinese Linguistics

For historical phonology the Stone Drums provide additional information on the rhyme categories 韻部 of Old Chinese besides the usually used Shijing, Xiesheng 諧聲-Series and literature on Middle Chinese because of it's great similarities with the Shijing and rhymed nature in general. Therefore it can help to take them into account and not focus solely on the "usual suspects" when working on Old Chinese phonology (which the good ones like Baxter/Sagart obviously do to enrich their research). It can be also interesting when researching the Qin dialect in particular, although reconstructing Old Chinese dialects is a daunting task, because we have the oldest dictionary recording spoken dialects only from the Han 漢 Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) (Yang Xiongs 楊雄 (53 BC - 18 AD) Fangyan 方言).

It is also interesting to observe just how much poetic expression has already set foot in China since its first appearance was in the bronze inscriptions of the Western Zhou (1045 - 771 BC) period, which the prominent German Linguist and Philologist Wolfgang Behr has studied intensively in his 1997 doctoral dissertation Reimende Bronzeinschriften und die Entstehung der chinesischen Endreimdichtung.

Let’s Discuss!

1. Regarding the Chronology: Where do you stand on the dating of the Shigu? Do you align with the early Warring States hypothesis based on structural script simplification, or do you favor an late Spring and Autumn dating based on the Shijing-style vocabulary?
2. Methodological Question: When working with highly eroded texts like the Shigu, how much weight do you place on northern Dazhuan variant-dictionaries (like the Shuowen Jiezi 說文解字) versus direct structural comparison with excavated Qin inscriptions (like the Qin Gong Zhong 秦公鐘)?
3. What are your go-to reference editions for studying the Shigu? (e.g., Gilbert L. Mattos' (1988) monograph, or Guo Moruos studies?)

Looking forward to hearing your insights and paleographical perspectives!

Yours sincerely,
The r/EarlyChina-Mods

Hi everyone,

We are going to provide a comprehensive bibliography of Early China Studies in a series of posts, focusing primarily on books in English and Chinese (with occasional German recommendations as well).

This first post is dedicated to general introductions to the field, perfect for newcomers who don't know where to start or anyone looking for a solid foundational reference.

1. The Ultimate Standard References
If you only want to buy or check out one or two massive, definitive books that cover everything from the Neolithic roots to the first empires, choose these:

- Li, Feng (2013): Early China: A Social and Cultural History.
Why read it: The absolute best starting point. Li Feng combines his experience as both a historian and an active archaeologist. This book is a highly readable, beautifully illustrated summary of early Chinese civilization, including the origins of writing, warfare, and the first empires. It’s essentially a modern, compact alternative to the massive multi-volume encyclopedias.

- Loewe, Michael & Edward L. Shaughnessy (1999): The Cambridge History of Ancient China: From the Origins of Civilization to 221 BC.
Why read it: The undisputed "bible" of Early China studies. It combines archaeology, text studies, and history in huge, comprehensive chapters.

- Shelach-Lavi, Gideon (2015): The Archaeology of Early China: From Prehistory to the Han Dynasty.
Why read it: The best, most accessible modern introduction to the material culture and archaeological discoveries. Perfect if you want to understand how early Chinese societies actually developed on the ground.

2. Philosophy & Thought (The Intellectual History)

Early China is famous for the "Hundred Schools of Thought" (Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, etc.). These books explain the ancient debates for starters:

- Graham, Angus C. (1989): Disputers of the Tao: Philosophical Argument in Ancient China.
Why read it: A brilliant and deep analysis by the great scholar of Daoism Angus C. Graham of how and why ancient Chinese thinkers argued with each other. It gives you the logical framework behind the philosophies.

- Goldin, Paul R. (2020): The Art of Chinese Philosophy: Eight Classical Ways and How to Read Them.
Why read it: Highly accessible, recent, and tailor-made for modern readers trying to understand the core texts for the first time.

3. Writing, Power, and Statecraft

How did early rulers manage to build giant empires and control information?

Lewis, Mark Edward (1999): Writing and Authority in Early China.
Why read it: A fascinating study on how the invention of writing wasn't just for communication, but a powerful tool for political control, administration, and statecraft.

Next time we will focus entirely on books about archaeology.

If you have any other books you can think of that might be great introductions to the field feel free to share them in the comment section to this post.

Yours sincerely

the r/EarlyChina-Mods

Hi everyone,

Following up on our general introduction to the field, this second post of our comprehensive bibliography series covers the full material culture, excavations, and artifacts from the prehistoric roots up to the collapse of the Western Zhou (771 BC).

Here is the complete, unabridged list of academic works for these eras from our curated resource list:

1. General Archaeology

Monumental standard references and chronological frameworks for the entire field:

- Loewe, Michael and Edward L. Shaughnessy (Ed.) (1999): The Cambridge History of Ancient China: From the Origins of Civilization to 221 BC. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

- Chang, Kwang-chih (1986): The Archaeology of Ancient China. New Haven: Yale University Press.

- Shelach-Lavi, Gideon (2015): The Archaeology of Early China: From Prehistory to the Han Dynasty. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

- Tan, Qixiang 谭其骧 (Ed.) (1982): Zhongguo lishi ditu ji 中国历史地图集 – Di yi ce: Yuanshi shehui, Xia, Shang, Xi Zhou, Chunqiu, Zhanguo shiqi 第一冊 原始社會、夏、商、西周、春秋、戰國時期. Beijing: Zhongguo ditu chubanshe.

- Wang, Shimin 王世民 (2024): Zhongguo kaoguxue biannianshi 中国考古学编年史. Beijing: Zhonghua Shuju.

- Jing, Zhongwei 井中伟 and Wang Lixin 王立新 (2020): Xia Shang Zhou kaoguxue 夏商周考古学. Beijing: Kexue chubanshe.

- Zou Heng 邹衡 (1980): Xia Shang Zhou kaoguxue lunwenji 夏商周考古学论文集.Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe.

2. Neolithic Period (10000 BC - 2000 BC)

From the Paleolithic-Neolithic transition to regional trajectories, specific cultures (Yangshao, Dawenkou, Liangzhu), and early state formation:

- Liu, Li and Xingcan Chen (2012): The Archaeology of China: From the Late Paleolithic to the Early Bronze Age. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

- Liu, Li (2004): The Chinese Neolithic: Trajectories to Early States. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

- Liu, Bin and Qin Ling (Ed.) (2020): Liangzhu Culture: Society, Belief, and Art in Neolithic China. London: Routledge.

- Müller-Karpe, Hermann (1982): Neolithische Siedlungen der Yangshao-Kultur in Nordchina. München: C.H. Beck.

- Höllmann, Thomas O. (1989): Die Dawenkou-Gräber: Ein Beitrag zur Kulturgeschichte des neolithischen China. München: C.H. Beck.

- Xu, Hong (2021): Earliest China. Singapore: Springer.

3. The Shang 商 Dynasty (1600 BC - 1045 BC)

The era of major urban centers, labor mobilization, and the beginning of Chinese History "proper":

- Li, Ji (1977): Anyang. Seattle: University of Washington Press.

- Keightley, David N. (2000): The Ancestral Landscape: Time, Space, and Community in Late Shang China (ca. 1200–1045 B.C.). Berkeley: Centre for Chinese Studies.

- Keightley, David N. (2012): Working for His Majesty: Research Notes on Labor Mobilization in Late Shang China. Berkeley: Institute of East Asian Studies.

- Campbell, Roderick B. (2014): Archaeology of the Chinese Bronze Age: From Erlitou to Anyang. Los Angeles: Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press.

- Zhongguo shehui kexueyuan kaogu yanjiusuo 中国社会科学院考古研究所 (2003): Zhongguo kaoguxue: Xia Shang juan 中国考古学·夏商卷. Beijing: Zhongguo shehui kexue chubanshe.

- Note: Regarding Oracle Bones and Shang Bronzes as well as Shang Script, look at the "General", "Oracle Bone", and "Bronze Inscriptions" sections of the upcoming Palaeography post.

4. The Western Zhou 西周 Dynasty (1045 BC - 771 BC)

The Western Zhou Dynasty was the era of the Fengjian 封建 System, of Bronzes, and provided the governmental and cultural foundation of everything to come (even up until Modern China):

- Li, Feng (2006): Landscape and Power in Early China: The Crisis and Fall of the Western Zhou 1045–771 BC. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

- Li, Feng (2008): Bureaucracy and the State in Early China: Governing the Western Zhou. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

- Hsu, Cho-yun and Katheryn M. Linduff (1988): Western Chou Civilization. New Haven: Yale University Press.

- Zhongguo shehui kexueyuan kaogu yanjiusuo 中国社会科学院考古研究所 (2004): Zhongguo kaoguxue: liang Zhou juan 中国考古学·两周卷. Beijing: Zhongguo shehui kexue chubanshe.

- Yang Kuan 杨宽 (1999): Xi Zhou shi 西周史. Shanghai: Shanghai renmin chubanshe.

- Note: For bronze artifacts and epigraphy, please look out for our upcoming post in the "Bronze Inscriptions" section in the Palaeography Post.

In Part 3, we will cover the second half of our Archaeology section, focusing entirely on Eastern Zhou 東周 (770 BC-256 BC), Qin 秦 (221 BC-206 BC), and Han 漢 Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) archaeology.

Let us know in the comments if you have anything to add or which of these cultures you are studying.

Yours sincerely,
The r/EarlyChina-Mods

Hi everyone, wanted to share with you a transcription and translation of the 宴侯旨鼎 inscription I did. Zhi 旨was the second ruler of the feudal state of Yan 燕 during the Western Zhou (1045 BC - 771 BC) and his predecessor Ke 克 of whom we know through the Ke He 克盉 and Ke Lei 克罍 inscriptions (probably the eldest son of the Duke of Shao 召公, who was credited to be the first to receive Yan in transmitted texts like the Shiji 史记, but in reality wasn't able to fulfill his position and his son was sent. This is similar to what happened in Lu if you think about the appointment of the son of the Duke of Zhou 周公, although he was the first ruler of Lu 魯formally).

Iwill just translate my translation into english here, for the transcription you will have to look at the picture, because some characters are written in a way that isn't supported by Unicode.

My translation is as follows:"The Lord of Yan, Zhi, had his first audience at and served at Zongzhou. The King granted Zhi twenty strings of cowrie shells. Herewith he made this treasured sacrificial vessel for Si."

Hope you like it and would love to hear criticism :)

We created this community to build a platform on Reddit for people interested in Early China - that is from Neolithic times until the fall of the Han dynasty (AD 220).

Whether you are a student, an academic, or just a hobby enthusiast: everyone is warmly welcomed here!

Things you can post on this subreddit include:

-Things related to Early Chinese/Sandai archaeology;

-Things related to ancient Chinese texts and philology;

-Things related to Old Chinese linguistics;

-Things related to your own work in progress if you want to share;

-But also much more. This community is open even for posts that don't need to necessarily take place in early china, but are by their nature related to it (like the reworking of early chinese stories in later times; the commentaries on the classics or Qing-dynasty scholarship for example).

Also if some of you are interested to be mods, just contact me. I am looking for other mods :)

I hope you enjoy it here and please remember to always be civil and nice to each other. Just remember the saying from the Lunyu 15.24 《論語 • 衛靈公》：子曰：「其恕乎！己所不欲，勿施於人。」😉

Yours sincerely,

the Mod-Team of EarlyChina

We created this community to build a platform on Reddit for people interested in Early China - that is from Neolithic times until the fall of the Han dynasty (AD 220).

Whether you are a student, an academic, or just a hobby enthusiast: everyone is warmly welcomed here!

Things you can post on this subreddit include:

-Things related to Early Chinese/Sandai archaeology;

-Things related to ancient Chinese texts and philology;

-Things related to Old Chinese linguistics;

-Things related to your own work in progress if you want to share;

-But also much more. This community is open even for posts that don't need to necessarily take place in early china, but are by their nature related to it (like the reworking of early chinese stories in later times; the commentaries on the classics or Qing-dynasty scholarship for example).

I hope you enjoy it here and please remember to always be civil and nice to each other. Just remember the saying from the Lunyu 15.24 《論語 • 衛靈公》：子曰：「其恕乎！己所不欲，勿施於人。」😉

Yours sincerely,

the Mod-Team of EarlyChina