Brief introduction of Oracle Bone Inscriptions

Among the recognizable ancient written materials found in China, Oracle Bone Inscriptions in Yin Ruins is the earliest. Judging from these materials, Chinese characters were mature at that time, and the application of written language had reached a certain level. A long Oracle Bone Inscriptions has more than 90 words. For example, the third and fifth pages of the Book of Yin Ruins record a Oracle Bone Inscriptions engraved on the front and back of the Oracle bones of Daniel, and there are 93 words after filling the vacancy. Occasionally, long non-Oracle Bone Inscriptions inscriptions can be seen on Oracle bones.

For example, a bone fragment found in Yin Ruins is engraved with notes about the exploits of a certain war (Oracle Bone Inscriptions Summary of Yin Ruins, plate 16, or "Inscription on the wall of a small official" by Oracle Bone Inscriptions scholars). According to the existing text, the original text should be more than 100 words. Oracle Bone Inscriptions's language is generally simple. For example, a Oracle Bone Inscriptions said, "Bu ('Zheng' is the name of the person in charge of the town cloth): female Biba, the prince is looking east, and the capacity (sleepy) is better than the female." (Yin Ruins Text B), which means: Let Fu Hao and so-and-so conquer Pakistan, and Wang himself will attack Pakistan from the east. Will the enemy be ambushed by Fu Hao? These 20 words contain rich meanings and are clearly expressed.

Oracle Bone Inscriptions is not the main written record of Shang Dynasty. There were books made of bamboo slips at that time, but they were not preserved. Therefore, the actual written language level of businessmen is undoubtedly higher than that of Oracle Bone Inscriptions, no matter in the length of words or in the skills of telling facts and expressing thoughts and feelings.

Animal archaeology researchers in Henan Province have reconstructed the attack technology of Oracle bones unearthed from Xiaomintun site in Yinxu, Anyang, a famous capital in the late Shang Dynasty. Recently, the mystery of Oracle bones divination in the late Shang Dynasty has been unveiled, and the appearance of good or bad omen is basically controllable.