Imagine a 2,300-year-old treasure split across continents 🌍 – that’s the reality for the Chu Silk Manuscripts, the oldest known Chinese texts written on silk. Unearthed in Changsha’s Zidanku site, these fragile relics hold secrets of ancient philosophy, astronomy, and rituals. But here’s the twist: while two volumes recently returned to China from the Smithsonian, the most complete piece – Volume I – remains overseas.
UCLA archaeology professor Lothar von Falkenhausen isn’t holding back: "These manuscripts are like pages from the same diary – you can’t understand the full story with half the chapters missing." His new English translation, co-authored with Donald Harper and published by the Chinese University of Hong Kong Press, adds fuel to the #BringThemHome movement 🔥.
Why does this matter? 🧐 The manuscripts aren’t just historical bling – they’re a Rosetta Stone for decoding Warring States-period China. Falkenhausen argues that reuniting all fragments could unlock breakthroughs in understanding early Chinese thought. With scholars and cultural advocates joining forces, this ancient puzzle might finally get its missing piece.
