Verified Document

Oracle Bones Term Paper

Oracle Bones Smehra Oracle Bones in Traditional China

During the Shang dynasty in China, oracle bones were used as not only a divination tool, but also in conjunction with medicine, mathematics and recording of events and history. These oracle bones, or 'dragon bones' were only discovered in the 1800s and still pose a mystery as to their many uses and interpretations. It is believed that interpretations were made through the heating of the bones (made from animal scapulas and other bones) to 'read' the message found in the cracks.

Oracle bones are some of the first forms of writing we have on record and while they were used like the I Ching in divination,...

In mathematics, tally and code symbols on oracle bones demonstrate a unique decimal system that precedes any system in Western history. The Chinese were the first to formulate and use this system that eventually contributed to modern mathematics.
The discovery of oracle bones in Shang has also offered glimpses into the political and social system that governed during the Shang dynasty. The bones also offer a viewpoint of the rituals and religious practices that presided over the Chinese at that…

Sources used in this document:
Thrams, J. Confucianism- Ja Chia 1999

http://www.wls.wels.net/library/Essays/Authors/T/ThramsConfucianism/ThramsConfucianism.pdf

Xiang, A. Xia-Shang Dynasties, 2003. http://www.uglychinese.org/xiashang.htm
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Oracle Bones, Peter Hessler 2006 Explores the
Words: 1534 Length: 5 Document Type: Book Report

Oracle Bones, Peter Hessler (2006) explores the history and culture of China, incorporating personal and social commentary. Hessler (2006) also weaves personal stories of individual Chinese people into Oracle Bones, to provide both a broad and an intimate narrative. The three core personal narratives are vastly different, to capture the diversity of Chinese culture and society. One of the people that Hesler (2006) follows is a Uighur (Muslim from Eastern

Oracle Bones and Traditional China
Words: 2659 Length: 10 Document Type: Term Paper

Oracle Bone and Traditional China According to ancient writings, the history of China dates back approximately 3,300 years. Studies by modern archaeologists provide evidence of ancient origins in a culture that was flourishing between 2500-2000 B.C. In an area that is now central China and the lower Huang He Valley in northern China. Through centuries of migration, amalgamation and development, a distinctive system of writing, philosophy, art, and political organization came

Native Americans and Characters
Words: 3067 Length: 10 Document Type: Essay

Oracle Bone Script and Modern Design In today's domain of alphabetic scripts, the Chinese system of writing is a one-of-a-kind phenomenon. Rather than using a number of letters, the Chinese have come up with several thousand complicated characters or signs denoting words and morphemes. The Japanese, Korean and other similar writing systems, despite having a few characters in common with the Chinese characters, are able to work completely as solely phonetic

Traditional China
Words: 1820 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

power of China from the Shang Dynasty to the Western Han. There are eight references used for this paper. China has seen a number of changes in terms of history and power over the years. It is interesting to examine the changing nature of the association as well as explore the relationship between history and political authority from the Shang Dynasty to the Western Han. Political Power China's history has been documented

Ancient Chinese Bronzes
Words: 3177 Length: 10 Document Type: Term Paper

Ancient Chinese Bronzes The existence of the believed first prehistoric Chinese dynasty of Xia from the 21st to the 16th century was assumed a myth on account of scientific excavations at early bronze-age sites in Anyang, Henan Province in 1928 (Crystal 2004) (Poon). But archaeological finds in the 1960s and 1970s, consisting mainly of urban sites, bronze implements and tombs, provided evidence to the existence of a Xia civilization in the

History of Communication
Words: 6119 Length: 14 Document Type: Term Paper

History Of Communication Timeline TIMELINE: HISTORY OF COMMUNICATION (with special reference to the development of the motorcycle) 35,000 BCE. First paleolithing "petroglyphs" and written symbols. This is important in the history of communication because it marks the first time humans left a recorded form of communication. Also, these written symbols became the ultimate source of later alphabets. Wikipedia, "Petroglyph." 12,600 BCE. Cave paintings at Lascaux show early representational art. This is important in the history of communication

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now