Books

Books. Usually you don’t question the unique strips of paper bound together into the shape of a cereal box that are distributed to you throughout your life. So let’s begin. Books have been woven in and out of history for thousands of years, beginning first in China during the Zhou dynasty. The Zhou dynasty was the longest lasting dynasty in Chinese history, and during that long period of time, they had many accomplishments, such as oracle bones, bronze bells, and yes, books.

The Zhou dynasty created their first books out of strips of bamboo from the pith of the bamboo plant. They would then let the strips dry in the sun for long periods of time until they had a sturdy surface to print their characters on. Each piece of bamboo paper was about 1 foot long and ¼ of an inch thick, much larger than our pieces of paper today.

www.chinapage.org/history/bamboobooks/shijing2.jpg The Zhou called their books scrolls. Instead of everyone being able to write whenever they pleased like today, the Chinese appointed scribes to write what the Emperor instructed them to. Chinese scribes wrote with bamboo brushes tipped with animal hair, which were dipped in soot mixed with water. When the scribe finished writing his scroll, he would present it to the Emperor. When not in use, the scrolls were stacked and tied together with silken cords. What exactly was on these scrolls though?

One of the first Chinese books ever written during the Zhou dynasty was The Book of Documents. The Book of Documents is the chief source of information about the earliest period of Chinese history to modern historians. It contains legends, orally passed down tales, legendary figures such as the Three Sages. The Book of Documents contains many more topics including speeches of famous kings and other very important matters. Another book written by the Zhou dynasty was the Book of Songs. The Book of Songs is the earliest collection of Chinese poetry. The Chinese poetry was not spoken but sung, which is why the Book of Songs is called the Book of Songs. The third book written by the Zhou dynasty was the Book of Changes. The ideas mentioned in the Book of Changes were based upon the belief that human destiny is related to the ever-changing relationship between the two great forces of the yin and the yang.

Today, books show up everywhere in life. In school, work, college, and even stores. Teachers use books to teach the necessary curriculum to their students. Students use books to learn what they need to know in life. Most people love to sit down in a comfortable space and read a mystery, non-fiction, fantasy, science fiction, biography, or any other type of book. Lately though, books have been having some competition. The Internet. More and more students have been using the Internet for school reports and projects. Although teachers try to enforce books upon children and young adults, the students usually put them aside and head straight to the computer where Google and Wikipedia are waiting.

Although writing on materials such as wood and stone had been around hundred of years before the Chinese books were first invented, the Zhou’s books were considered the first. For many reasons of course, such as they were bound together and were a little more sophisticated then smashed stones in water spread across slabs of rock or clay. Books in the Zhou dynasty are the main reasons we know what we do about their culture and society. In thousands of years, futuristic humans (if there are any) will be reading the books that were famous to us such as Harry Potter, To Kill A Mockingbird, and Pride and Prejudice. Although some of these books are far from our everyday society, they still can teach the future about the past.

☺ BOOKS TRIVIA ☺

Answer the trivia below the best you can and see how much you know about Chinese and modern books.

1) What did the scribes use to write on the bamboo books?

2) What were three important books written during the Zhou dynasty?

3) What competition are books having today?