Book based on ancient medical bamboo slips to be published

CHENGDU - A book based on medical bamboo slips from a Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 25) tomb will be published in 2020, the book's compiler said Thursday.

The medical bamboo slips could be medical classics written by successors of Bian Que, a medical pioneer from the Warring States Period (475 BC-221 BC).

The book was compiled by the unearthed medical documents and relics institute of the Chengdu University of TCM after six years of efforts.

The Western Han Dynasty tomb was discovered at a subway construction site in Chengdu. Wooden tablets, bamboo slips and an acupoint figure were unearthed.

Over 960 bamboo slips were found with more than 25,000 characters, involving eight medical books on basic theories of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, prescription and other areas, as well as a law book.

"The medical bamboo slips can help us know about the medical history of the Han Dynasty and facilitate the inheritance and development of today's traditional Chinese medicine," said Liu Changhua, head of the unearthed medical documents and relics institute of the Chengdu University of TCM.