A Supplementary Discussion on the Length and Form of Han Edict Manuscripts

During the Han dynasty (202 BCE –220 CE ), an “imperially sealed document” ( xishu 璽書 ) and a “diploma” ( ceshu 策書 ) that dismissed a member of the Three Dukes ( sangong 三公 ) were 1.1 feet in length. In contrast, an “instruction” ( zhaoshu 詔書 ) created by inscribing the emperor’s comments on a servant’s memorial was probably just 1 foot in length. Scholars have underestimated the prevalence of using single-piece manuscripts ( duban 牘板 / 版 ) as stationery for edicts during the Han dynasty. The “Zuling bing si” 卒令丙四 Zuling in the Yuelu Qin manuscript collection ( Yuelu Qin jian 嶽麓秦簡 ) shows that using 1.1-foot-long stationery for imperial documents originated from the Qin dynasty. Scholars previously considered that the “1.1-foot-long edict” ( chiyi zhao 尺一詔 ) was established in the first year of Emperor Wen of Han’s reign and that the extra inch of the 1.1-foot-long edict was intended for writing the character “ zhi ” 制 (“decision”) higher than other characters – I am afraid these arguments probably are untenable.