近年来大量书籍的出土为研究中国早期书籍文明提供了基础,也使书籍的独立研究成为可能。早期书籍的判断标准有两条:一是以传播知识为目的,二是以思想著述为内容,任何文献只要满足其中一条标准便可称之为书籍。以这个标准来判断,商代甲骨文还不是真正的书籍;青铜器铭文大部分仍属档案文书,但少量铭文已具有书籍性质;战国秦汉简帛古书内容大部分是思想著述,这说明战国时期简帛书籍已经进入成熟阶段。
In recent years, a large number of unearthed books have made it possible to study early Chinese civilization and independent research of books. There are two judgment standards of the early books: one is to spread knowledge for the purpose, another is ideological writings for the content. Any document, as long as it meets one of the standards, can be referred to as books. Judged by this standard, the Shang Dynasty oracle is not the real books; most inscriptions on bronzes belong to archives with a small amount of inscription has characters of the books. Most of the Warring States ancient silk content is ideological writings, which show that silk books have entered the mature stage.