Voices from the Han frontier

Even more interesting is the "hierarchy" of the slips. Wei notes that Han Dynasty slips had strict regulations regarding dimensions: those for recording laws, those for recording the words of sages, those for commoners, and those for the emperor — all had different sizes.

"Such strict regulations reflect the order and rituals of Han society," he says.

More than 200 artifacts in this exhibition come from the Gansu Jiandu Museum in Lanzhou, Gansu province. Chang Yanna, who has studied Juyan slips for decades and is an expert at the museum, also participated in preparing this exhibition.

She explains that the slips unearthed at Juyan are not only astonishing in quantity but also renowned as an "encyclopedia of content". They include official documents such as government decrees and military deployments, private documents like family letters and IOUs, as well as texts for soldiers and officials to study, and account books detailing grain and fund allocations or price fluctuations. They cover almost every aspect of society at the time.

"One slip records how much grain is allocated for men, women and children, reflecting the grain ration system at the frontier. Another notes the price of licorice — which varied in different months and years — making it the earliest 'price fluctuation chart'," Chang says.

Records concerning the "beacon fire system" on the slips also demonstrate the military wisdom of the Han Dynasty. Chang points out that 17 slips unearthed at Juyan detail regulations such as how many beacon fires to light based on the number of approaching invaders, the distances involved, and how to ignite the fires.

"This isn't just a simple military arrangement. It's a mature information transmission system," says Chang.

To make these "silent wooden slips" speak, the exhibition employs extensive digital technologies. Interactive screens in the hall divide the stories from the wooden slips into 17 engaging themes, using AI animation to recreate scenes of daily life in the Han Dynasty.

In the slip restoration experience zone, visitors can personally restore a damaged wooden slip through AR technology. An interactive calligraphy evolution installation allows visitors to intuitively experience the transformation of Chinese character styles.

The exhibition hall uses animated short stories to depict aspects of life back then, such as handling debt disputes, private transactions, and even sending what appear to be express deliveries. These are paired with period-appropriate daily utensils — like straw sandals similar to modern flip-flops, spoons used for eating, and the seeds of foods introduced from the West at that time — all designed to immerse visitors as much as possible in the arduous life of frontier garrison troops 2,000 years ago.

"We aim not only to display the Han slips, but also to transport visitors back to the Han Dynasty," says curator Zhao.

Ma Jingna in Lanzhou contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at dengzhangyu@chinadaily.com.cn