In ancient China, the phrase “学富五车” (xué fù wǔ chē), which means “learning as deep as five carriages,” was often used to describe someone with profound knowledge. The origin of this expression can be traced back to the Zhuangzi, a classic text of Daoist philosophy. In this book, it refers to a story about a statesman from the Warring States period, Huishi. The exact phrase in the Zhuangzi reads, “Huishi’s knowledge filled five carriages with books,” a reference that has been interpreted by many as the sheer amount of books he had read—quite impressive, right?

However, if we take a closer look, the “five carriages” of books back then might not have been exactly what we imagine today. The books they used were nothing like the paper books we have now. In fact, paper books were a much later invention, only becoming widespread in China during the Wei and Jin periods, thanks to the spread of Buddhist scriptures which required cheaper, more accessible materials.

So, what were these ancient books made of, and how does it relate to the “five carriages”? The answer is bamboo and wood strips—referred to as jian (竹简) and du (木牍). These materials were used for writing long before paper became common. Bamboo strips were particularly popular, especially during the Warring States period, and continued to be in use until the Han Dynasty.

Bamboo and Wood Strips: The Ancient “Books”

To understand the complexity of these ancient “books,” let’s break down their construction. Bamboo strips, also called jian, were carefully selected and cut to size, usually between 0.5 to 1 cm wide. The length varied depending on the content; official decrees and imperial edicts would require longer strips, often around 3 feet (about 67.5 cm). These strips were then dried in the heat to prevent mold and decay—this process was known as “sweating” the bamboo or hànqīng (汗青), which is where the term “filming wrap-up” (used in modern filmmaking) originates.

If a mistake was made while writing, the ancient scholars would carefully scrape off the error using a small tool known as the shūdāo (书刀), ensuring that the bamboo could be reused. Once the bamboo strips were written upon, they were linked together with threads to form a book.

On the other hand, du (wood strips) were broader and made from materials like poplar or red willow, allowing for a larger amount of text to be written on each strip. Unlike bamboo strips, wooden strips were often single pieces and didn’t require binding.

The Weight of Knowledge

Now, let’s get to the real heavy stuff. Imagine needing two people to carry a collection of 3,000 bamboo strips to deliver a self-recommendation letter to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. That’s exactly what happened with a scholar named Dongfang Shuo during the Han Dynasty, whose letter was so massive that it weighed over 12 kilograms (around 26 pounds). Each bamboo strip could carry roughly 30 characters, meaning that the 3,000 strips would amount to around 100,000 characters. That’s equivalent to the word count of an average modern book!

So, what about those “five carriages” of books? Taiwanese historian Xing Yitian calculated that five carriages would weigh about 1,000 kg (2,200 lbs) and contain around 8 million characters! To put that in perspective, the combined word count of China’s “Four Great Classical Novels”—Dream of the Red Chamber, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, and Journey to the West—is around 3.5 million characters. The phrase “learning as deep as five carriages” essentially means the knowledge contained in double the word count of the entire set of these four famous novels!

Comparing Ancient and Modern Learning

So, can we boast and say we’re “learning as deep as ten carriages”? Not so fast! While modern-day students might breeze through more books than their ancient counterparts, the difference lies in the nature of the content. Ancient texts were written in classical Chinese, a language that packed much more information per character than modern vernacular Chinese. Moreover, ancient scholars focused on dense, academic texts rather than light novels or casual reading.

Another important aspect is that “learning as deep as five carriages” wasn’t meant to describe someone who had read five carriages’ worth of books. Instead, it refers to someone who had written that many books—such was the depth of scholarly contribution they had made.

Conclusion: A Cultural Legacy

In today’s digital age, the idea of learning seems to have shifted. We may not need bamboo strips to record our thoughts, but we still admire the depth of knowledge that comes from dedication and hard work. The legacy of ancient scholars like Huishi, who filled five carriages with knowledge, lives on in how we value learning, whether it’s through the ancient art of calligraphy or the modern fields of digital information.

Next time you hear the phrase “学富五车,” remember that it isn’t just about the quantity of books—it’s about the profound contribution to knowledge, a legacy that transcends time.