The Nanchang Relic Museum has officially introduced a long-lost edition of The Analects of Confucius, known as the "Qi version," which had vanished from circulation for more than 1,800 years. Recovered from the archive of the Haihunhou (Marquis of Haihun) tomb, the bamboo slips include the previously missing chapter "Zhi Dao" (Knowing the Way). This revelation fills a major gap in the textual history of one of China's most influential philosophical works.
Lead archaeologist Yang Jun stated that the discovery is of immense value for understanding the evolution of Confucian thought and the intellectual landscape of the Western Han Dynasty. The exhibit showcases over 100 newly restored bamboo slips, offering the public a first-time look at the uniform calligraphy and sophisticated record-keeping of the ancient marquis's library. Scholars believe these texts will provide new insights into the ethics and governance principles debated during the Han era.
