Zhou History Unearthed: The Bamboo Manuscript Xinian and Early Chinese Historiography

Recent discoveries of bamboo manuscripts from the Warring States period have changed our understanding of early Chinese historiography, revealing new insights into the production, circulation, and audience of historical texts, as well as their political, ritual, and ideological uses. Yuri Pines' Zhou History Unearthed provides a novel understanding of early Chinese historiography and a fully annotated translation of Xinian, the most notable historical manuscript from the state of Chu. This work challenges existing interpretations of canonical historical texts and sheds new light on major historical events and topics in Zhou China.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 10 November 2020
Publisher: Columbia University Press

The contrast between the significance of history writing in imperial China and the scarcity of historical texts from the centuries preceding the imperial unification of 221 BCE is striking. However, recent discoveries of bamboo manuscripts from the Warring States period (453–221 BCE) have fundamentally altered this perception, prompting a reevaluation of early Chinese historiography. These manuscripts provide valuable insights into various aspects of early Chinese historiography, including the production, circulation, and audience of historical texts; their diverse political, ritual, and ideological applications; and their roles in the cultural and intellectual dynamics of China's vibrant pre-imperial age.

Zhou History Unearthed, a groundbreaking work, offers a novel perspective on early Chinese historiography while presenting a meticulously annotated translation of Xinian (String of Years), the most notable historical manuscript from the state of Chu. In his comprehensive analysis, Yuri Pines underscores the importance of Xinian and other recently discovered texts in understanding the history writing of Zhou China (1046–255 BCE), as well as significant historical events and topics such as the cultural identity of Chu. Pines delves into how Xinian challenges prevailing interpretations of the nature and reliability of canonical historical texts on the Zhou era, including Zuo zhuan (Zuo Tradition/Commentary) and Records of the Historian (Shiji). This major work of scholarship and translation not only sheds new light on early Chinese history but also demonstrates how recent archaeological findings are reshaping our understanding of China's pre-imperial days.

Weight: 486g
Dimension: 153 x 227 x 32 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231196635