On October 16th, 2024, the English edition of Approaching the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips was launched at the 76th Frankfurt Book Fair, by Tsinghua University Press (TUP) and Taylor & Francis at the collective China Booth. CHEN Juan, Under Secretary of CPC Party Committee of TUP, and Jeremy North, Managing Director, Books Publishing of Taylor & Francis attended the event. The author LIU Guozhong and the translators YOU Changsong and CHENG Xiangli shared their insights in the form of video speeches. SUN Yu, Deputy General Editor of TUP, hosted the event.

    Jeremy North stated that Taylor & Francis attaches great importance to perspectives of Chinese academics and continued to collaborate with renowned Chinese publishers and authors to share insights on Chinese philosophy and social sciences with a global audience. Bamboo slips recorded China’s ancient history, culture, and knowledge and witnessed China’s journey from a civilization with thousands of years of history to a pioneer in modern technology. He believes that the publication of the English edition of Approaching the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips serves as a bridge, facilitating a deeper understanding of China’s historical narrative among English-speaking readers and fostering increased global interest and appreciation for Chinese culture and scholarship.

    CHEN Juan pointed out in her speech that the collaboration has provided a platform for Chinese scholars to amplify their voices on the global stage, thereby contributing to a more diverse global knowledge system. After four years of close collaboration, thanks to the expert guidance of Professor LIU Guozhong, the dedication of a strong translation team led by Professor YOU Changsong from Wuhan University, and the concerted efforts of the Academic Center of TUP, the English version of Approaching the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips was successfully published. The publication of the title and several academic monographs in the field of the humanities and social sciences by TUP and Taylor&Francis reflects the aspirations and dedication of both teams in publishing high-quality titles and documenting cultural exchanges and mutual learning between China and the West. CHEN Juan stressed that, by harnessing both the strengths and resources of TUP and Taylor & Francis, both publishers are poised to further strengthen collaborative efforts, and aim to publish more high-quality and impactful academic works.

    The author of the title, Prof. LIU Guozhong from Tsinghua University, and the translators, Prof. YOU Changsong and Prof. CHENG Xiangli from Wuhan University, explained the origins of the Tsinghua bamboo slips as well as the profound academic and social significance of the relevant research findings. They also expressed their hope that the publication of the English version of this work would facilitate broader dialogue and interaction among experts and scholars in related fields across different countries. Going forward, they wished for the two publishers to continue strengthening their cooperation, introducing more outstanding Chinese academic works to the world, thereby enhancing the international influence of Chinese scholars and promoting cultural exchanges and mutual learning.

    Approaching the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips is the first popular academic work on the "Tsinghua Bamboo Slips", a batch of Warring States bamboo slips Tsinghua University took into collection in 2008 from abroad, more widely-known as the “Tsinghua Slips”. These slips hold immense value for understanding the original state of pre-Qin classical texts and for reconstructing early Chinese history. Translating Approaching the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips not only introduces these invaluable academic achievements to the international academic community but also bears profound significance in fostering cross-cultural exchanges and enriching the global understanding of traditional Chinese culture.

Chinese and English versions of Approaching the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips