What Oracle Bone Inscriptions are there?

Oracle Bone Inscriptions is an ancient script in China, also known as Wen Qi, Oracle Bone Inscriptions, Yin Ruins or tortoise shell and animal bones. It is the earliest mature Chinese character we can see at present, which mainly refers to the characters carved on tortoise shells or animal bones by the royal family in the late Shang Dynasty in China. It is the earliest known written carrier of Shang Dynasty in China and East Asia. Oracle Bone Inscriptions is one of the characteristics of Taoism in China.

It was first discovered by villagers in Xiaotun Village, Anyang, Henan Province. They didn't know it was an ancient relic at that time. It is only used as a "keel" for treating all diseases. Many tortoise shells and animal bones engraved with Oracle Bone Inscriptions were ground into powder, wasting many extremely precious cultural relics. Later, in the 25th year of Guangxu (1899), Wang Zaiguang, an official and epigraphist in the late Qing Dynasty, discovered Oracle Bone Inscriptions from the Oracle bones unearthed in Anyang, Henan. Xiaotun Village in the northwest of Anyang City is the location of the "Yin Ruins" in the late Shang Dynasty. Over the past century, more than 54,600 pieces of Oracle bones/KLOC-0 have been unearthed in the local area through archaeological excavations. In addition, Oracle Bone Inscriptions also appeared in other parts of Henan and Shaanxi, from the late Shang Dynasty (about 1300 BC) to the Spring and Autumn Period.

Oracle Bone Inscriptions has a symmetrical and stable pattern. Calligraphy has three elements, namely, using a pen, finishing words and composing music. Judging from the number and structure of fonts, Oracle Bone Inscriptions has developed into a more rigorous and systematic writing. The "six-character" principle of Chinese characters is reflected in Oracle Bone Inscriptions. However, the traces of the original pictures and words are still obvious, and the meaning of pictographs is also obvious.

2017165438+1On October 24th, Oracle Bone Inscriptions successfully passed the evaluation of the International Advisory Committee of UNESCO Memory of the World Project and was selected into the Memory of the World Register.

Chinese name

oracle bone script

Foreign name

oracle bone script

Another name

Also known as inscriptions on Wen Qi, Oracle Bone Inscriptions, tortoise shell and animal bones.

Discovery website

Yinxu, Anyang City, Henan Province

nature

At present, China has discovered the oldest script, which is also the earliest script with a complete system.

Oracle Bone Inscriptions, named after being engraved on tortoise shell bones, is a book trace circulated in Shang Dynasty. [1] It records Pan Geng's 270-year migration to Oracle Bone Inscriptions, Zhou Wang, which is the earliest book trace. Yin merchants have three characteristics, namely, believing in history, drinking alcohol and worshiping ghosts and gods; Because of this, these tortoise shells, which decided many things such as fishing, conquest and agriculture, can be rediscovered in later generations and become important materials for studying China characters. In Shang dynasty, the pen and ink were excellent, and the calligraphy was thin and sharp because of engraving, which had the interest of a blade. Influenced by the rise and fall of writing style, it can be divided into five periods, which are introduced below. In the late Shang Dynasty, he moved from Pan Geng to Shang Zhouwang, which lasted for about 273 years and experienced the eighth king of 12. During this period, Oracle Bone Inscriptions should be divided into early and late periods. There are different opinions on the study of the chronology of Oracle bones in Shang Dynasty. At present, Dong Zuobin's five-stage theory based on ten criteria such as lineage, appellation and chastity is mainly adopted, namely the first stage: Pan Geng, Xiao Xin, Xiao Yi and Wu Ding; The second stage: Zu Geng and Zujia; The third issue: Yan Xin and Kangding; The fourth period: martial arts, Wen Ding; The fifth issue: the first issue and Di Xin.

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oracle bone script

Oracle Bone Inscriptions is an integral part of the 8,000-year history of civilization in China, and it is also one of the orthodox characters in China (rock wall figures, Wen Tao, pottery runes, pottery inscriptions, Oracle Bone Inscriptions, Oracle Bone Inscriptions, inscriptions, inscriptions, wooden slips, wooden slips, wooden slips, wooden slips and small seals, stone carvings, and Han Dynasty official scripts). (Fu, Huangdi, Wen, Wang Xizhi)

First, the majestic period

From Pan Geng to Wuding for about 100 years, influenced by the flourishing age of Wuding, the calligraphy style is magnificent, which is the acme of oracle calligraphy. Generally speaking, the strokes are round, sharp, tortuous and varied, and they are full of vigor regardless of their size.

Secondly, I sincerely hope that

It took about forty years from Zu Geng to Zujia. Both of them are holy kings. Calligraphy in this period was sincere, generally inherited the style of the previous generation, stuck to the rules, and rarely made new creations, but it was not as vigorous and bold as the previous generation.

Third, the recession.

It has been fourteen years since Suan Xin came to Kangding. This period can be said to be the autumn of the decline of literary style in Yin Dynasty. Although there are still many neat books, the paragraphs are scattered and irregular, not so regular, a little childish and confused, and the number of typos is not uncommon.

Fourth, the steep period

It took about seventeen years to get from Wuyishan to Dingding. Wu Wending is determined to restore the grandeur of the Wuding era, and his calligraphy style has turned vigorous and vigorous, showing the atmosphere of ZTE, with a very strong style in his slender brushwork.

Fifth, the strict period

It's about 89 years since I first came to Di Xin. Calligraphy style tends to be rigorous, slightly close to the second phase; Lengthened in length, cautious, not decadent, and lacking in heroic spirit.

Fine print on Oracle Bone Inscriptions is also influenced by knife carving. In divination, "yes" or "no" is often engraved on both sides of the central longitudinal line of tortoise shell, written from the central line to the left and right, so the two sides are symmetrical and harmonious, with symmetrical beauty. Moreover, after engraving, all the big and small characters are filled with ink and ink, or both sides are Zhu Mo, which is more artistic and can be called a miracle in the history of books.

There are four main projects:

(1) The processed and scraped tortoise shells and animal bones should be kept by special diviners. The fortune teller carved notes on their edges to explain the origin and storage of these Oracle Bone Inscriptions, which is called "note inscription";

(2) During divination, the diviner cauterizes the drill socket with the burning bauhinia wood pillar, so that the front end of the fracture is "divination". This kind of cracking is called "divination", which is the basis for inferring good or bad fortune in divination. In the early days of Oracle Bone Inscriptions, there were numbers engraved with divination order, also called "trillion order";

(3) The main part of Oracle Bone Inscriptions is Oracle Bone Inscriptions, which is the inscription that records the progress and results of divination after the divination. Most of them are engraved on the front of Oracle bones, and some are engraved on the back;

(4) Sixty branches are named after Tiangan (A, B, C, D, E, Ji, G, Xin, Man and Ghost) and Dizhi (Zi, Ugly, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai).

In addition, some people in Oracle Bone Inscriptions learned to carve Oracle Bone Inscriptions and practiced carving works at that time. They were called "Xi Carving" or "Xi Qi".

Most of Oracle Bone Inscriptions's contents are the records of divination by the royal family in Shang Dynasty. Most people in Shang dynasty were superstitious about ghosts and gods, and they had to ask questions about big and small issues. Some divination is about the weather, some is about the harvest of farming, some is about diseases and premature birth, and there are hunting, fighting, sacrifice and other important things to ask! Therefore, Oracle Bone Inscriptions's content can provide a glimpse of people's life and the historical development of Shang Dynasty.