In a landmark discovery timed to the 2026 Year of the Horse, Chinese researchers have revealed the earliest known systematic records on equine care, unearthed from a trove of 2,300-year-old bamboo slips. The texts, published in The Bamboo Slips of the Warring States Period (Volume 15) on January 19, 2026, offer unprecedented insights into ancient China's sophisticated animal husbandry practices.
The 2,500 bamboo slips, deposited at Tsinghua University in 2008, contain five meticulously preserved manuscripts covering horse appraisal, veterinary treatments, and training methods. Researchers note these findings rewrite historical understanding of Warring States-period (475–221 BCE) zoological knowledge, with practical applications for modern zooarchaeology and veterinary history studies.
Dr. Li Wei, lead researcher at Tsinghua's Bamboo Slips Project, told KhabarAsia: 'These texts demonstrate an advanced standardization of horse management that supported military and economic development during China's foundational era.' The release coincides with renewed global interest in traditional Asian veterinary science, particularly among historians and agricultural investors.
For the Asian diaspora and cultural enthusiasts, the discovery adds depth to Lunar New Year celebrations in this Year of the Horse, bridging ancient wisdom with contemporary heritage appreciation.
