The oracle bone inscriptions of the Yin and Shang Dynasties are unique historical materials in Chinese history and their value is inestimable.

First of all, people could only understand the history of the Shang Dynasty through very few documentary records, and could not verify the reliability of these documents. For example, the lineage of Shang kings recorded in historical records is basically isolated evidence, while the unearthed oracle bone inscriptions confirm the authenticity of the records in historical records and resolve the basic dispute about the existence of the Shang Dynasty.

Secondly, oracle bone inscriptions provide valuable physical evidence for us to clarify the development process of Chinese characters. Through the study of oracle bone inscriptions, people have a deeper understanding of the principles of Chinese character creation.

Development History

Oracle bone inscriptions are named after being engraved and written on tortoise shells and animal bones. They are handwriting circulated by the Yin and Shang Dynasties; the content records Pan Geng's move to Yin to King Zhou. The inscriptions dated 270 years ago are the earliest writings. The Yin and Shang Dynasties had three major characteristics, namely, trusting history, drinking alcohol, and worshiping ghosts and gods. Because of this, these tortoise shells, which determine many things such as fishing, expeditions, and agriculture, can be seen again in later generations and become important materials for the study of Chinese characters. In the Shang Dynasty, fine pen and ink were already available, and the calligraphy style was thin, sharp, and knife-edged.

Affected by the rise and fall of writing style, it can be roughly divided into five periods, which are introduced below. In the late Shang Dynasty, it was about 273 years after Pan Geng moved to Yin to King Zhou of Shang Dynasty, and experienced 8 generations and 12 kings. The oracle bone inscriptions of this period should also be divided into early and late.

There are many opinions on the periodization of oracle bones in the Shang Dynasty. Nowadays, the main one used is Dong Zuobin’s five-period theory based on ten criteria such as lineage, title, and virginity.