On January 31, 2026, “Briefing China:An Exhibition of Selected Bamboo Slips from Gansu Province” opened at the Zhengzhou Museum (Zhengzhou branch of Henan Museum).

In China, the “Jiandu” (bamboo or wooden slips), as the dominant text carriers before the popularization of paper, carries the important memories of the early stages of Chinese civilization. Gansu, serving as a crucial thoroughfare on the ancient Silk Road and a significant frontier stronghold during the Han Dynasty, has yielded a substantial quantity of Han bamboo slips brimming with rich historical content.

The exhibition has carefully curated 253 pieces (sets) of invaluable cultural artifacts from Gansu, systematically recounting the history of the northwest frontier as documented in these bamboo and wooden slips.It is organized into four thematic sections, exploring multiple dimensions such as "Historical discoveries", "Tales of the Silk Road", "Daily life of the garrison on the frontier" , and "The art of calligraphy," to comprehensively unveil the distinctive value of these "ancient underground texts." By leveraging new media technologies and interactive displays, the exhibition brings the abstract bamboo and wooden slips to life, vividly portraying the social fabric of the Han Dynasty, particularly the living conditions and cultural exchanges along the Silk Road.