The Changsha Bamboo Slips Museum (长沙简牍博物馆) is the first modern specialized museum in China dedicated to the collection, preservation, research, and display of bamboo slips. The main building covers an area of 14,100 square meters, with a green square of over 8,000 square meters. The exhibition area spans around 5,000 square meters across two floors. The museum’s primary collection includes more than 140,000 bamboo slips dating from the Three Kingdoms period (specifically from the state of Eastern Wu) unearthed in 1996 at Zoumalou, Changsha, and over 2,000 bamboo slips from the early Western Han period discovered in 2003. In addition to these, there are approximately 3,500 other artifacts, including bronze, lacquerware, paintings, calligraphy, and gold and silver items. Visitors can learn about the process of making bamboo slips and view a 1:1 replica of the ancient well kiln J22 from the Zoumalou site in Changsha.
Table of Contents
- Basic Information
- Location and Transportation
- Highlights of Changsha Bamboo Slips Museum
- Attractions Near Changsha Bamboo Slips Museum
Basic Information
| Estimated Length of Tour | 1 – 2 hours |
| Ticket Price | Free |
| Opening Hours | 9.00 – 17.00; Last admission: 16.30 Closed on Mondays |
| Telephone Number | 0086-0731-85425680 0086-0731-85425678 |
Location and Transportation
The Changsha Bamboo Slips Museum is located at 92 Baisha Road, Tianxin District, Changsha, Hunan Province, China. To get there, you can choose one of the following ways:
Bus: Take bus 122, 167, 311, 402, 406, or 908 and get off at Changsha Bamboo Slips Museum Stop (长沙简牍博物馆站).
Metro: The closest metro station to Changsha Bamboo Slips Museum is Nanmenkou (南门口) on Line 1. After getting out of the station from Exit 3, walk about 600 meters to the east to reach the attraction.
Highlights of Changsha Bamboo Slips Museum
Exhibition of Bamboo Slips Unearthed in Hunan
This exhibition spans approximately 2,000 square meters and showcases 503 artifacts, including 366 bamboo slips, most of which are being displayed for the first time. In addition to the collection from the Changsha Bamboo Slips Museum, other exhibits come from prominent institutions such as the Hunan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Hunan Museum, Changsha Museum, Yiyang Cultural Relics Management Office, Chenzhou Cultural Relics Management Office, Liyang Qin Slips Museum, and Xiangxiang Museum, among others. The exhibition is divided into two sections: “Melodies of Xiaoxiang” and “Bamboo Slips of Hunan,” focusing on the significant archaeological discoveries of bamboo slips in the Hunan region. The displays are arranged chronologically, presenting the excavation and cultural significance of bamboo slips across different historical periods, revealing the deep-rooted culture of the Hunan region.
Permanent Exhibits at the Changsha Bamboo Slips Museum
Bamboo Slips from the Eastern Wu Period: This section systematically introduces the shape, content, and research results of the Eastern Wu bamboo slips from the Three Kingdoms period. Key topics include taxation, census records, judicial documents, and official positions. Through recreations, animations, and documentaries, the ancient bamboo slip-making process, daily life, and the excavation scenes of these slips are brought to life. Around 100,000 bamboo slips unearthed at Zoumalou in Changsha are classified into categories such as documents, registers, official correspondence, and letters. This discovery, hailed as one of the top ten archaeological finds of 1996, was also included among the 100 most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century in China.
Chinese Bamboo Slips: This part combines images and artifacts to chronicle the discovery and study of bamboo slips from the Warring States to the Wei-Jin periods, helping visitors understand the evolution of bamboo slip scholarship in China.
Writing Materials of the World: This section introduces the various writing materials used throughout history across different regions of the world, illustrating how the fundamental element of civilization, writing, has been carried and spread across cultures.
Chinese Bamboo Slip Calligraphy: This exhibit highlights the development of bamboo slip calligraphy through images, showcasing its evolution and maturity over time.
