In ancient China, bamboo and wooden slips referred to as "Jiandu" served as primary mediums for documenting historical events prior to the advent of paper. These artifacts are rich in historical data and cultural significance. Accurate identification of characters on Jiandu is essential for deciphering the historical narratives they contain and plays a vital role in processing Jiandu manuscripts. We introduce the DeepJiandu dataset, specifically designed for the detection and recognition of Jiandu characters. Comprising 7,416 images annotated with 99,888 characters across 2,272 categories, this dataset addresses a variety of complex challenges encountered in Jiandu character recognition, including character degradation, diverse layouts, and variable forms and shapes. The authenticity and reliability of the DeepJiandu dataset render it an effective tool for training and evaluating models geared towards Jiandu character recognition.