History of Oracle Bone Script in China

Author: Wu Haokun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: This book is one of the "Specialized History Series." It introduces the development history and context of oracle bone studies over the past century. The author presents rich and detailed materials on the discovery, collection, and circulation of oracle bones, the excavations at Yinxu and archaeological findings of oracle bones in other regions, the classification, quantity, and sites of origin of oracle bones, the divination methods and textual conventions and grammar of oracle bone inscriptions, the structural forms, interpretations, and dating of oracle bone characters, the identification and reconstruction of forged oracle bones, and the relationship between oracle bone script and various disciplines. In-depth and accessible analyses are provided. Oracle bone script refers to the divination texts and a small amount of historical records inscribed on turtle shells and animal bones by the Shang kings during the late Shang Dynasty. Although these texts are not strictly speaking formal historical records, they have been the most important direct sources for the study of ancient scripts and ancient history, especially for the study of Shang Dynasty history, due to their vast quantity, rich content, and early historical period.