Hello,Yinxu② | Oracle Bone Inscriptions: The Earliest Writing System in China

　　走进殷墟②丨甲骨文：世界了解中华文明的“信使”

Editor's note:Confirmed by historic documents, archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions as the capital site of the late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC), Yinxu or the Yin Ruins is usually regarded as the cornerstone of the project on tracing the origins of Chinese civilization launched by China in 2001. As a key component of world civilization, it has provided solid evidence for the continuity and pluralistic and integrated pattern of Chinese civilization, bringing recorded Chinese history nearly 1,000 years earlier than previously believed. Starting on October 25, we, together with HICC and Yinxu scenic spot, are launching a series of videos about Yinxu to help you gain a deeper understanding of it. Here is the second episode: Oracle Bone Inscriptions: The Earliest Writing System in China.

编者按：作为中国历史上第一个有文献记载并为考古发掘与甲骨文所证实的都城遗址，殷墟是中华文明探源工程的原点和基石，是中华文明连续不断、多元一体的重要实证，也是世界文明史中重要一环。殷墟及甲骨文的重大发现把中国信史向前推进了近千年，同时，因其具有全球突出普遍价值而被列入《世界遗产名录》。为更好讲述中国故事、让世界读懂中国，10月25日起，河南国际传播中心、大河网联合安阳殷墟景区共同推出“走进殷墟”双语系列报道。今日推出第二期：《甲骨文：世界了解中华文明的“信使”》。

The texts carved on turtle shells and cattle bones in the Shang Dynasty are known as oracle bone inscriptions, bringing recorded Chinese history nearly 1,000 years earlier than previously believed. They constitute the first fully formed writing system in China. Most of the inscribed oracle bones were discovered at Yinxu in Xiaotun village of Anyang city. On the 150,000 pieces that have been unearthed are approximately 5,000 graphs. The content mainly pertains to divination. There are also instances of documentation. Oracle bone inscriptions shed light on contemporary matters such as rituals, wars, astronomy, weather, agriculture, craft production, commerce and transportation. They are the earliest written records in China.

殷商时期刻在龟甲兽骨上的文字叫甲骨文，是中国最早成体系的文字，把中国信史向前推进了近千年。刻字甲骨主要发现在安阳殷墟一带。迄今为止，已发现甲骨约15万片，单字约5干个，内容多为占卜记录，并有一些记事文字。甲骨文记录了当时的祭祀、战争、天文、气象、农业、手工业、商业、交通等各个方面的内容，是中国最早的文字史料。（赵汉青 杨佳欣）

Web editor: Li Xiaoshu, Zhang Rui