Garitang Qin Stone Inscription (221 BC)
Research & Translation By Adrian Chan-Wyles PhD
Also known as "Kunlun Qin Stone Engraving" – this unique stone is broadly located in Zhuorang Village, situated in Zhalinghu Township, Maduo County, in the Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, PRC. More specifically, this stone is located to the lower left of Steep Hill No. 2 (on the north-bank of Zhaling Lake - about 200 metres from the shore) – and is positioned around 4,306 metres above sea level. The total length of the stone is 82 cm, with the widest part being 33 cm. In total, the area housing the engraving measures around 0.16 square metres - with the distance from the ground being 19 cm. The full text has a total of 12 lines and 36 characters - with 1 ideogram being the product of “combined text” (two characters neatly integrated into a single ideogram sharing one square space) – making a total of 37 words (although six of these characters are missing due to weathering). The text style is that known as the Qin Seal. Using modern Chinese language script, the text runs from left to right as follows:
"皇帝/使五/大夫臣□/將方□/采樂□/陯翳以/卅七年三月/己卯車到/此翳□/前□可/□百五十/里”
The stone-engraving, however, follows the traditional pattern of writing right to left - using vertical columns that travel top to bottom. Contemporary Chinese academics, when discussing this engraving, have added the “□” symbol to denote a missing ideogram – and a “/” symbol to register a line or column-end. Therefore, the 12 columns in question, when correctly reproduced, look as follows:
"皇帝/使五/大夫臣□/將方□/采樂□/陯翳以/卅七年三月/己卯車到/此翳□/前□可/□百五十/里”
The stone-engraving, however, follows the traditional pattern of writing right to left - using vertical columns that travel top to bottom. Contemporary Chinese academics, when discussing this engraving, have added the “□” symbol to denote a missing ideogram – and a “/” symbol to register a line or column-end. Therefore, the 12 columns in question, when correctly reproduced, look as follows:
31 = Ideograms 6 = Spaces (□) 11 = Column End (/)
A forensic translation is clinical in nature and necessarily involves all background noise removed from the assessment. The objective is to extract the greatest level of meaning and purpose from the extant text, and reject all false or incorrect interpretations, speculations, and groundless suppositions, etc. Modern science has proven the stone is not fake and that the engraving is over 2200-years old. As the engraving on the stone is said to have originated in the year 221 BCE – the text is now 2246-years old (as of 2025). Of course, debate is still ongoing in China, as to the date and meaning. As matters stand, it would appear that the Qin Emperor was interested in life-extending medicine a number of years prior to the dates found in the received texts. Indeed, he seems engaged in this type of research from the very beginning of his reign over a unified China – although he had been King of the much smaller State of Qin since 247 BCE.
As the State of Qin was situated in Northwest China (with the Qin people thought to be the product of Han people intermarrying with non-Han peoples existing over the State border – there are even some stories suggesting the Qin people learned from a young age to run with the wolves) – as compared with Beijing today - the remote Tibetan mountains do not seem that far away from the Qin capital in Xian. It would be logical for the Qin Emperor to seek-out rare and exotic plants and herbs in places situated relatively near to the place of his birth. Even so, that which is unusual is hardly ever discovered close to hand – and the trusted emissaries of the Qin Emperor were sent on a quest into the mystical Kunlun mountains. As the Qin Empire was administered via the strict rule of law practiced exactly the same in all places simultaneously (“Legalism”) – it is highly probable that all Qin emissaries were instructed to leave engraved stones in remote areas as a form of the Qin exercising sovereignty and discerning geographical boundaries.
Although the Qin Empire deviated away from the usual interpretation of the Confucian doctrine – it was still the case that the scholarly practice of “making lists” was followed. The written word, deriving as it did from the inscriptions added to the cracked oracles bones of the early Book of Changes (pyromancy) – it was considered to contain a magical capability that channelled (through its exercising) the ordering power of the divine-sky throughout the broad-earth. In other words, by the logical mind writing down lists of achievements, accumulated things, and objectives yet to be attained, a certain ordering power was unleashed through the inherent structure of each ideogram used. This is why the agency of exact “meaning” is still central to Chinese scholarship even today. Therefore, engraved stones such as this, were believed to possess a great material and spiritual meaning in a time when over 90% of people in the world were illiterate. Reading and writing was considered a skill akin to magic and sorcery at various times throughout human evolution (the reason that a word is “spelled” in English) – with the Qin Emperor taking a no-nonsense approach to projecting law and order throughout society (he took the blue-print he had perfected in the State of Qin and spread it throughout China). It is probable that his emissaries were told exactly what to write on each stone – with other officials checking the wording had been applied correctly.
My task is to attempt to use all the facilities of the modern mind – and see if I can unlock this ancient code representing the material-spiritual reality the Qin Emperor wished to bequeath to the world. The 12-lines must be assessed one at a time – with each ideogram being fully examined and interpreted. As it is the old text of China – this is not an easy task – but it is a task that can be accomplished. The modern academic must place the mind, as far as possible, in the socio-economic conditions from which this script emerged. This is a crucial exercise if a living meaning is to be extracted that far outweighs a dry - or even dead - rendering. My view is that this engraving is genuine and that it is important for the Daoist religion as it proves that immortality medicine was a) in existence, and b) being sort after in 221 BCE by those who required it. This stone is an important piece in the jigsaw of ancient Daoist texts – many of which have been missing in their original forms for centuries. This reality is irrespective to what may – may not – have been in the mind of the Qin Emperor (whose personal desires are more or less irrelevant to this point in history) despite the fact he possessed all the temporal power at the time. With a careful approach and a lightness of step – we may manoeuvre our way gently through this text and extract all the inherent meaning.
As the State of Qin was situated in Northwest China (with the Qin people thought to be the product of Han people intermarrying with non-Han peoples existing over the State border – there are even some stories suggesting the Qin people learned from a young age to run with the wolves) – as compared with Beijing today - the remote Tibetan mountains do not seem that far away from the Qin capital in Xian. It would be logical for the Qin Emperor to seek-out rare and exotic plants and herbs in places situated relatively near to the place of his birth. Even so, that which is unusual is hardly ever discovered close to hand – and the trusted emissaries of the Qin Emperor were sent on a quest into the mystical Kunlun mountains. As the Qin Empire was administered via the strict rule of law practiced exactly the same in all places simultaneously (“Legalism”) – it is highly probable that all Qin emissaries were instructed to leave engraved stones in remote areas as a form of the Qin exercising sovereignty and discerning geographical boundaries.
Although the Qin Empire deviated away from the usual interpretation of the Confucian doctrine – it was still the case that the scholarly practice of “making lists” was followed. The written word, deriving as it did from the inscriptions added to the cracked oracles bones of the early Book of Changes (pyromancy) – it was considered to contain a magical capability that channelled (through its exercising) the ordering power of the divine-sky throughout the broad-earth. In other words, by the logical mind writing down lists of achievements, accumulated things, and objectives yet to be attained, a certain ordering power was unleashed through the inherent structure of each ideogram used. This is why the agency of exact “meaning” is still central to Chinese scholarship even today. Therefore, engraved stones such as this, were believed to possess a great material and spiritual meaning in a time when over 90% of people in the world were illiterate. Reading and writing was considered a skill akin to magic and sorcery at various times throughout human evolution (the reason that a word is “spelled” in English) – with the Qin Emperor taking a no-nonsense approach to projecting law and order throughout society (he took the blue-print he had perfected in the State of Qin and spread it throughout China). It is probable that his emissaries were told exactly what to write on each stone – with other officials checking the wording had been applied correctly.
My task is to attempt to use all the facilities of the modern mind – and see if I can unlock this ancient code representing the material-spiritual reality the Qin Emperor wished to bequeath to the world. The 12-lines must be assessed one at a time – with each ideogram being fully examined and interpreted. As it is the old text of China – this is not an easy task – but it is a task that can be accomplished. The modern academic must place the mind, as far as possible, in the socio-economic conditions from which this script emerged. This is a crucial exercise if a living meaning is to be extracted that far outweighs a dry - or even dead - rendering. My view is that this engraving is genuine and that it is important for the Daoist religion as it proves that immortality medicine was a) in existence, and b) being sort after in 221 BCE by those who required it. This stone is an important piece in the jigsaw of ancient Daoist texts – many of which have been missing in their original forms for centuries. This reality is irrespective to what may – may not – have been in the mind of the Qin Emperor (whose personal desires are more or less irrelevant to this point in history) despite the fact he possessed all the temporal power at the time. With a careful approach and a lightness of step – we may manoeuvre our way gently through this text and extract all the inherent meaning.
Garitang Qin Stone Engravng (尕日塘秦刻石 – Ga Ri Tang Qin Ke Shi)
Kunlun Stone Engraving (昆仑秦刻石 – Kun Lun Qin Ke Shi)
Kunlun Stone Engraving (昆仑秦刻石 – Kun Lun Qin Ke Shi)
Line 1 – 皇 (huang3) 帝 (di4) = August Ruler (Emperor)
Line 2 - 使 (shi3) 五 (wu3) = ordered (sent on a mission) five (subjects)
Line 3 - 大 (da4) 夫 (fu1) 臣 (chen4) [missing ideogram] = great men minister-official (?)
Line 4 - 將 (jiang1) 方 (fang1) [missing ideogram] = travel far away place (?)
Live 5 - 采 (cai3) 樂 (liao2) [missing ideogram] = pick-gather (plants) heal (?)
Line 6 - 陯 (lun2) 翳 (yi4) 以 (yi3) = Kunlun uncover objective bring-back
Line 7 - 卅 (sa4) 七 (qi1) 年 (nian2) 三 (san1) 月 (yue4) = 30x7 Years - 3rd lunar month
Line 8 - 己 (ji3) 卯 (mao3) 車 (chi1) 到 (dao4) = 221 BCE chariot travel toward
Line 9 - 此 (ci3) 翳 (yi4) [missing ideogram] = approach Kunlun objective (?) ----
Line 10 - 前 (qian2) [missing ideogram] 可 (ke3) = move-forward (?) Permitted
Line 11 – [missing ideogram] 百 (bao3) 五 (wu3) 十 (shi2) = (?) one-hundred + 5x10 (150)
Line 12 - 里 (li3) = Chinese mile (one-third of an English mile – or approximately 0.5 km)
Line 2 - 使 (shi3) 五 (wu3) = ordered (sent on a mission) five (subjects)
Line 3 - 大 (da4) 夫 (fu1) 臣 (chen4) [missing ideogram] = great men minister-official (?)
Line 4 - 將 (jiang1) 方 (fang1) [missing ideogram] = travel far away place (?)
Live 5 - 采 (cai3) 樂 (liao2) [missing ideogram] = pick-gather (plants) heal (?)
Line 6 - 陯 (lun2) 翳 (yi4) 以 (yi3) = Kunlun uncover objective bring-back
Line 7 - 卅 (sa4) 七 (qi1) 年 (nian2) 三 (san1) 月 (yue4) = 30x7 Years - 3rd lunar month
Line 8 - 己 (ji3) 卯 (mao3) 車 (chi1) 到 (dao4) = 221 BCE chariot travel toward
Line 9 - 此 (ci3) 翳 (yi4) [missing ideogram] = approach Kunlun objective (?) ----
Line 10 - 前 (qian2) [missing ideogram] 可 (ke3) = move-forward (?) Permitted
Line 11 – [missing ideogram] 百 (bao3) 五 (wu3) 十 (shi2) = (?) one-hundred + 5x10 (150)
Line 12 - 里 (li3) = Chinese mile (one-third of an English mile – or approximately 0.5 km)
Forensic Translation:
Emperor ordered five great and loyal minister-officials to travel to a far-away place in search of medicinal plants. These plants are to be harvested from within the mountainous Kunlun region and brought-back.
[A discrepancy now occurs in the dating of this Qin Dynasty text. The branch and stem dating inherent in the text states “己卯” (Jimao) – which equates with “221 BCE”. This equates to the “26th” (二十六 – Er Shi Liu) year of the rule of the Emperor Qin, but the weathered text looks like it says “37th” (卅七 – Sa Qi) year. Indeed, “37” is usually written today as “三十七”(San Shi Qi). The argument is that the weathering on the stone inscription has altered the look of the original characters depicted. Indeed, an older way of writing “20” is found in the “廿”(nian) ideogram. Therefore, “卅”(30) and “廿”do look similar and it is plausible that weathering could have altered the intended meaning. Once this idea is allowed, then we are left with “六”(6) being altered into “七”(7) – thus causing the current discrepancy. Whatever the case, the number cannot be “37”(209 BCE) - as the Qin Emperor only ruled for “36” years and was already deceased the year before - in 210 BCE.]
The chariot dutifully approached the Kunlun area – achieving the orders issued by the Emperor. The journey consisted of 150 li (around 40 miles).
Forensic Translation Ends.
Local Tibetan tribesmen state that the presence of the stone was reported to the Authorities in 1986 – but that the elderly people knew of its presence a long time prior to the 1986 date. Furthermore, the academic authorities have been officially investigating this site since at least 2020 – with many of the current in-depth photographs dating from 2023. The media in China only recently made a public statement in the English language stating the artifact was genuine once the metallurgy results had been analysed and confirmed. The notches of the inscription were made by chisel-type tools typical of the Qin Dynasty-era – and were not formed using (alloy) tools relevant to the modern-era. The notches exhibit extensive and long-term weathering – with at least six ideograms being completely worn away – and two partially altered to look like different characters. The evidence as it stands, is weighted toward the confirmation of authenticity and away from that of a modern-day hoax. A hoax, however, would probably not be this obscure or placed in a remote area that is usually covered in snow and ice most of the year. What would be the point – as no one would see it – and the elements would soon render it unreadable and therefore useless. As an imperial marker, however, the servants of the Qin Emperor, knowing that he always sends different set of officials to check that his commands have been followed, this engraved stone acts as an insurance policy, or proof of loyalty and competence. After-all, the death penalty awaited all those accused of treason and betrayal. The writing is of course archaic, but it is readable. The use of medical herbs is now a well-known aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in general, and Daoist practice inparticular. There is an inherent link between the divine-sky, the broad-earth – and those human-beings that imbibe the special plants that grow out of the ground. Mirroring the inner journey of seated meditation, this inscription demonstrates a similar outer journey to what was then considered a mystical place. The journey was considered part of the process of acquiring the special plants that could be found at its successful completion.
©opyright: Adrian Chan-Wyles (ShiDaDao) 2025.
Emperor ordered five great and loyal minister-officials to travel to a far-away place in search of medicinal plants. These plants are to be harvested from within the mountainous Kunlun region and brought-back.
[A discrepancy now occurs in the dating of this Qin Dynasty text. The branch and stem dating inherent in the text states “己卯” (Jimao) – which equates with “221 BCE”. This equates to the “26th” (二十六 – Er Shi Liu) year of the rule of the Emperor Qin, but the weathered text looks like it says “37th” (卅七 – Sa Qi) year. Indeed, “37” is usually written today as “三十七”(San Shi Qi). The argument is that the weathering on the stone inscription has altered the look of the original characters depicted. Indeed, an older way of writing “20” is found in the “廿”(nian) ideogram. Therefore, “卅”(30) and “廿”do look similar and it is plausible that weathering could have altered the intended meaning. Once this idea is allowed, then we are left with “六”(6) being altered into “七”(7) – thus causing the current discrepancy. Whatever the case, the number cannot be “37”(209 BCE) - as the Qin Emperor only ruled for “36” years and was already deceased the year before - in 210 BCE.]
The chariot dutifully approached the Kunlun area – achieving the orders issued by the Emperor. The journey consisted of 150 li (around 40 miles).
Forensic Translation Ends.
Local Tibetan tribesmen state that the presence of the stone was reported to the Authorities in 1986 – but that the elderly people knew of its presence a long time prior to the 1986 date. Furthermore, the academic authorities have been officially investigating this site since at least 2020 – with many of the current in-depth photographs dating from 2023. The media in China only recently made a public statement in the English language stating the artifact was genuine once the metallurgy results had been analysed and confirmed. The notches of the inscription were made by chisel-type tools typical of the Qin Dynasty-era – and were not formed using (alloy) tools relevant to the modern-era. The notches exhibit extensive and long-term weathering – with at least six ideograms being completely worn away – and two partially altered to look like different characters. The evidence as it stands, is weighted toward the confirmation of authenticity and away from that of a modern-day hoax. A hoax, however, would probably not be this obscure or placed in a remote area that is usually covered in snow and ice most of the year. What would be the point – as no one would see it – and the elements would soon render it unreadable and therefore useless. As an imperial marker, however, the servants of the Qin Emperor, knowing that he always sends different set of officials to check that his commands have been followed, this engraved stone acts as an insurance policy, or proof of loyalty and competence. After-all, the death penalty awaited all those accused of treason and betrayal. The writing is of course archaic, but it is readable. The use of medical herbs is now a well-known aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in general, and Daoist practice inparticular. There is an inherent link between the divine-sky, the broad-earth – and those human-beings that imbibe the special plants that grow out of the ground. Mirroring the inner journey of seated meditation, this inscription demonstrates a similar outer journey to what was then considered a mystical place. The journey was considered part of the process of acquiring the special plants that could be found at its successful completion.
©opyright: Adrian Chan-Wyles (ShiDaDao) 2025.
Chinese Language References:
https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%B0%95%E6%97%A5%E5%A1%98%E7%A7%A6%E5%88%BB%E7%9F%B3/66763813
https://news.qq.com/rain/a/20250915A08NGI0
https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E5%B0%95%E6%97%A5%E5%A1%98%E7%A7%A6%E5%88%BB%E7%9F%B3
English Language Text:
https://english.news.cn/20250915/52d5765c9f414411bba4268f04d251eb/c.html
https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%B0%95%E6%97%A5%E5%A1%98%E7%A7%A6%E5%88%BB%E7%9F%B3/66763813
https://news.qq.com/rain/a/20250915A08NGI0
https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E5%B0%95%E6%97%A5%E5%A1%98%E7%A7%A6%E5%88%BB%E7%9F%B3
English Language Text:
https://english.news.cn/20250915/52d5765c9f414411bba4268f04d251eb/c.html