1975, a group of tombs of the Warring States period were found beside a section of railway in Yunmeng County, Hubei Province, which achieved a major breakthrough in the study of pre-Qin culture. One of the small tombs is small and shabby compared with other tombs, but two bamboo slips filled with words have aroused great interest of archaeologists.

Tomb group in warring States period

The words on the bamboo slips show that the owner of the tomb was two ordinary Qin people at the end of the Warring States period, and these two bamboo slips were their letters from home.

This is the earliest letter ever discovered by archaeology from China.

Bamboo slips and letters

The two people writing letters are brothers, one is Heifu and the other is Jing. The two brothers are fighting outside, and the elder brother is taking care of his mother at home.

Heifu said in the letter that there was a rebellion in Huaiyang, and they were attacking Huaiyang. He Fu hopes that his mother will send summer clothes as soon as possible; If the cloth in his hometown is more expensive and he sends more money, he will buy himself summer clothes.

In his letter, Heifu greeted his sister and other people, but he was most concerned about his mother and repeatedly told his brother to take good care of his mother.

The tone of surprise in the letter seemed anxious. He said: if mom doesn't send money soon, his life is likely to be lost. He borrowed money from his comrade-in-arms Bai Yuan and needed more money. Jing mentioned many people in his letter, and his most concern was his newly married wife.

Battle of Huaiyang

According to historical documents, in 223 BC, the unified war launched by Qin came to an end. In order to destroy the powerful Chu State, General Wang Jian led the 600,000 troops of Qin State to the south. The war lasted for two years. Heifu and Jing were two soldiers of Qin who participated in the battle of Huaiyang.

These two seemingly ordinary letters from home reveal extremely important information. Judging from the fact that Heifu and Jing asked for money and clothes at home, Chi probably couldn't get the salary, and he had to bear the daily expenses and clothes at home. The fate of this family may represent the millions of ordinary people in Qian Qian, Qin in that distant era.