Ep. 114 | Shang Oracle Bones
This episode takes a slightly deeper look at the Shang Dynasty and their signature achievement, the Oracle Bone Script. Some of this episode will be a repeat of things covered way back in Ep. 15.
Like the oldest parts of the oldest world civilizations a lot of what we “know” is the collective guesswork of the best minds researching history. From Wang Yirong down to the present generation of scholars, new secrets of the Shang Dynasty oracle bones continue to be revealed.
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Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Luo Zhenyu | 罗振玉 | 1866-1940 Another great Shang Scholar among many other notable achievements |
| Cheng Tang | 成汤 | The founder of the Shang Dynasty |
| Daxinzhuang | 大辛庄 | The easternmost reaches of the Shang, located near Jinan, Shandong |
| Di | 帝 | The Shang Highest God |
| Di Xin | 帝辛 | The last king of the Shang |
| Di Zhi | - | The Twelve Earthly Branches zi 子, chou 丑, yin 寅, mao 卯, chen 辰, si 巳, wu 午, wei 未, shen 申, you 酉, xu 戌, hai 亥 |
| Fu Hao | 妇好 | Wu Ding’s consort and a great woman warrior of her day |
| Fu Hao Mu | 妇好墓 | The Fu Hao Tomb |
| Fuxi | 伏羲 | First of the Three Sovereigns |
| Guo Moruo | 郭沫若 | 1892-1978 Great writer and Chinese official of the PRC |
| Han Wudi | 汉武帝 | Great Han Dynasty Emperor |
| Huan River | 洹河 | Tributary of Yellow River running through Anyang |
| Jiachen sui jia yilao zizhu | 甲辰岁甲一牢子祝 | 41st day of the cycle, sacrifice one ox on the first day of the week, officiated by the son |
| Jiafang | 甲方 | Party 1 (in a contract) |
| Jiaguwen | 甲骨文 | The Oracle Bone Script |
| Jinwen | 金文 | Bronzeware script |
| Jiuchi Roulin | 酒池肉林 | The Wine Pool and Meat Forest of the last Shang King Di Xin |
| Liushi Huajia | 六十花甲 | The Sexagenary (60-Day) Cycle |
| Longgu | 龙骨 | Dragon Bones |
| Mu Xin | 母辛 | Fu Hao’s Day Name |
| Sanxingdui | 三星堆 | Contemporary civilization to the Shang located near Chengdu |
| Shi Ji | 史记 | Sima Qian’s Records of the Grand Historian |
| Shun | 舜 | Last of the Five Emperors |
| Tiangan | Tiangan | The Ten Heavenly Stems jia甲, yi 乙, bing 丙, ding 丁, wu 戊, ji 己, geng 庚, xin 辛, ren 壬, gui 癸 |
| Wang Guowei | 王国维 | Scholar who followed Wang Yirong, deciphered the Shang King List |
| Wang Yirong (see photo) | 王懿榮 | Discoverer of the dragon bone script |
| Wu Ding | 武丁 | Greatest Shang King |
| Xia-Shang-Zhou | 夏商周 | The three bronze age dynasties of China |
| Xiaotun | 小屯 | Town near Anyang where the dragon bones were discovered |
| Yantai | 烟台 | In Shandong province, a beautiful seaside city, home of Wang Yirong |
| Yifang | 乙方 | Party 2 (in a contract) |
| Yin benji | 殷本紀 | The chapter from the Records of the Grand Historian containing the story of the Shang |
| Yinxu | 殷墟 | The Ruins of Yin, former capital of the Shang (near Anyang) |
| Yu the Great | 大禹 | Shun’s successor and founder of the Xia Dynasty |
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Related Episodes
The series concludes in this Part 5 episode that takes the history up to the Qing Dynasty