BEIJING: The Forbidden City, China’s imperial palace from 1420 to 1911, which is now officially known as the Palace Museum, is not just famous for its extensive collection of royal relics and its unique architecture but is also a treasure trove of archaic characters.
After a decade of study and preparation, the museum announced on Monday that it was releasing a multivolume book on some of the 3,300-year-old oracle bone inscriptions in its collection. The recently published first two volumes of the book, Yinxu Oracle Bone Inscriptions in Palace Museum Collection, cover more than 1,300 bones, the inscriptions on which include topics ranging from military affairs, astronomy and agriculture to tribute systems and sacrificial rituals.
This is the first time in decades that China’s largest museum has decided to make public details about its oracle bone collection through a book. Dating to the late Shang Dynasty (c.16th century to 11th century BC), oracle bones — inscribed turtle shells and ox scapulas, among others — were mainly excavated from the Yinxu Ruins site in Anyang, Henan province. The script comprised the earliest-known, fully developed Chinese writing system whose lineage is the same as the Chinese characters used today. In 2017, the inscriptions were included in the International Memory of the World Register, administered by UNESCO, which seeks to identify items of documentary heritage that have worldwide significance.
In 2019, President Xi Jinping praised the oracle bone inscriptions, saying they represent the roots of fine traditional Chinese culture, in a congratulatory letter to mark the 120th anniversary of their discovery. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
