Scribal Hands, Errors, and Intervention – Manuscript Production Approaches of the Cao Mie zhi zhen 曹蔑之陣 Manuscripts

Abstract This paper studies two Cao Mie zhi zhen manuscripts in the Shanghai Museum and Anhui University Warring States bamboo strip collections, examining their modes of production, scribal hands, errors, and punctuation. I show that both manuscripts’ production was based on written models and involved multiple scribes, one of whom was responsible for writing the main text, whereas others made corrections and inscribed personal remarks on the manuscripts.