Two imperial edicts written on silk scrolls¹ 540 years ago and 472 years ago in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) have been discovered in a villager's home in north China's Hebei Province.

华北地区河北省的一农户家中，发现了两道写于帛书上的明代（1368-1644）圣旨，距今分别为540年和472年。

The imperial edicts, order or comment from emperors, are a family heirloom belonging to 80-year-old Cui Xibo, who showed them to researchers and archaeologists on Monday as local authorities conducted an archaeological² survey in Guangzong County.

圣旨是来自于皇帝的命令或是评价，持有这两道圣旨的是80岁的老人崔西波，这两道圣旨是他的传家宝。周一，当地政府在广宗县进行了一次考古调查，老人向研究人员和考古学家展示了这两道圣旨。

One of the edicts, issued in the 11th year of Emperor Chenghua's reign³, is 3.42 meters long and 33 centimeters wide and has 412 words, in which the emperor praised Cui's ancestor Cui Gong, the personnel minister at that time, for his hard work and diligence.

其中一道圣旨颁发于成化十一年，长3.42米，宽33厘米，全文412字，大意为皇帝赞扬时任吏部尚书的崔氏先人崔恭效力任事，尽职尽责。

The second, issued in the 22nd year of Emperor Jiajing's reign, is four meters long and 33 centimeters wide. In the 374 words of text, Cui Yue, grandson of Cui Gong and also an official, was promoted by the emperor.

第二道圣旨颁发于嘉靖22年，长4米，宽33厘米。全文374字，大意为崔龚的孙子崔岳也在朝为官，皇帝晋升了其官位。

"The two imperial edicts share similar design and texture⁴, and they will help us research how officials were appointed and promoted in the Ming Dynasty," said local historian Gu Huachi.

“两道圣旨的花纹图案和所用材质十分相似，这对于研究明代如何任命、提拔官员具有很高的研究价值，”当地历史学家谷华池这样表示。

The family treasures were handed down to the first son in each generation of Cui's family. "I'll keep handing them down. They record the great achievements of our ancestors and can encourage our offspring," Cui Xibo said.

这份传家宝在崔氏家族中只传给每代长子。“我会把它们一直传下去。这不仅记录了我们祖先的丰功伟绩，还可以激励我们的子孙后代，”崔西波说。