Han-Dynasty Bamboo Slips, Xuanquan Posthouse Site

From 1990 to 1992, Gansu Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology conducted archaeological excavations at the Xuanquan Posthouse Site, bringing to light a total of 70,000 artifacts including 35,000 bamboo slips. These bamboo slips represent a preserved portion of the archival documents generated from the daily operations at the Xuanquan Posthouse Site, with 18,000 pieces currently cataloged and organized. These slips provide detailed records of the organizational structure and operational status of the postal routes along the Silk Road during the Han Dynasty. As essential archival documents from a significant waystation serving interactions between the Han and the Western Regions, they contain over 30 geographical names from the Western Regions, referencing ancient kingdoms such as Yuezhi, Kangju, Jibin, Wuyishanli, and Tiaozhi. This rich information offers valuable insights into the exchanges between the Central Plains and the Western Regions during the Han Dynasty.

In 1990, slips containing The Book of Relay Stations and Distances (Slip No. II90DXT0214 A : 130) were unearthed at the Xuanquan Posthouse Site. The book records the postal traffic routes and stations of the Han Dynasty, along with their distances. The route begins at the eastern end in Cangsong of Wuwei Prefecture, passes through Wuwei, Zhangye, and Jiuquan, and terminates at the easternmost point of Dunhuang Prefecture, Yuanquan Posthouse. This slip documents a route that connects to the route recorded on Juyan Han-dynasty Bamboo Slip EPT59:582, forming a complete transportation route from Chang'an through Pingliang and Wuwei to Dunhuang Prefecture. It indicates the existence of nearly 60 waystations along the journey between Chang'an and Dunhuang, providing an authentic depiction of the historical landscape of the Silk Road segment between the two places.

懸泉置漢簡

1990—1992年，甘肅省文物考古研究所對懸泉置遺址進行考古發掘，出土各類遺物7萬件，其中簡牘3.5萬枚。懸泉置漢簡是懸泉置日常運作形成的檔案文書得以保留下來并被發掘的部分，目前編號整理1.8萬枚。懸泉置漢簡詳細記錄了作為絲綢之路上漢代郵驛路線的組織機構與運作狀況，作為漢與西域交往必經重要驛站的檔案文書，其中所見西域地名達30多個，涉及大月氏、康居、罽賓、烏弋山離與條支等古國，為探討漢代中原王朝與西域的交往提供了豐富的資料。

1990 年，懸泉置遺址出土的《驛置道里簿》（簡牘編號Ⅱ 90DXT0214 ① :130），記錄漢代郵驛交通路線站點及其間距。起于東端的武威郡蒼松，經武威、張掖、酒泉，止于敦煌郡最東淵泉置。此簡記錄的路線與居延漢簡EPT59:582路線銜接，構成長安經平涼、武威至敦煌郡的完整交通路線。據此可知，當時從長安到敦煌全程有近60個驛站，真實展現出絲綢之路長安至敦煌段的歷史面貌