Before the discovery of the Dunhuang Library Cave historians knew that Wei Zhuang (d. 910), a Chinese poet and official, had written a narrative poem describing the sacking by rebels of the Chinese capital, Chang'an. But no copies of the poem were known and it was assumed it was lost for ever. However, three fragmentary manuscripts from Dunhuang, one shown here, have made it possible to reconstruct this poem. As the title suggests, the poem was written in the voice of a woman living in Chang'an at the time rebels arrived on 10 January 881.
Ink on paper
The British Library, Or.8210/S.5477