Older than the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Chu Silk Manuscripts hold ancient Chinese creation myths and have been separated from their homeland for nearly 80 years. But what exactly are these manuscripts, why are they so significant, and how did they end up in the United States?
An Ancient Creation Myth
Before the sun and moon existed, four spirits divided the year into four seasons through a relay of footsteps. When the heavenly bodies emerged, they brought chaos and imbalance. To restore cosmic order, the four spirits raised colossal trees to uphold the sky, giving rise to spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
This captivating myth is part of the Chu Silk Manuscripts, ancient astrological and astronomical texts from around 300 B.C., unearthed at Zidanku in Changsha, Hunan Province. They are the only known silk manuscripts from China’s Warring States period.
Discovery and Disappearance
Discovered in 1942 in a Chu State tomb, the manuscript known as the Four Seasons Almanac, along with fragments, was purchased and restored by local antiquarian Cai Jixiang. Recognizing its rarity, Cai believed it was used by ancient people in prayers to deities. The manuscript, measuring 47 by 38 centimeters, combines text and illustrations, presenting an early form of the Chinese almanac tradition.
In 1946, while seeking assistance to decipher the blurred characters using infrared imaging, Cai brought the manuscripts to Shanghai. There, an American antiquarian named John Hadley Cox obtained the manuscripts under questionable circumstances and took them to the United States. Despite Cai’s efforts over decades, the manuscripts remained abroad.
A Treasure Overseas
In 1965, the Four Seasons Almanac was purchased by Arthur M. Sackler, an American philanthropist. Today, the Chu Silk Manuscripts—including the Four Seasons Almanac and other fragments—are housed at the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C.
The manuscripts are one of only two complete classical silk manuscripts ever unearthed—the other being the Mawangdui Silk Texts dated to 168 B.C. They represent the earliest known example of shushu (numerals and skills) literature, encompassing astronomy, calendrical science, and divination. The creation myth contained within reshapes our understanding of early Chinese cosmology.
The Call for Return
Comparable in significance to the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Chu Silk Manuscripts are even older and were discovered earlier. Before his death, Arthur M. Sackler expressed a wish to return the manuscript to China.
“Dr. Sackler understood the significance of the Silk Manuscript,” said Lothar von Falkenhausen, Distinguished Professor of Chinese Archaeology and Art History at UCLA. “He realized that something this important should not be kept outside of the country of origin. I hope very strongly that all the Silk Manuscripts will be speedily returned to China, where they belong.”
Hope for Reunification
During renewed excavations at Zidanku in 1973, archaeologists uncovered a beautifully crafted silk painting depicting a man riding a dragon. Scholars hope that one day, the manuscripts and other relics from the Chu tomb at Zidanku will be reunited in Hunan Province, allowing the full richness and achievements of the Chu civilization to be properly displayed.
The Chu Silk Manuscripts stand not only as a treasure of ancient Chinese culture but also as a symbol of many cultural relics scattered across the world. The hope for their return echoes a broader desire for the reunification of China’s lost heritage.
