Exhibition opens to mark discovery of inscribed oracle bones
5 years, 5 months ago

Exhibition opens to mark discovery of inscribed oracle bones

China Daily  

Oracle bones, bronze wares and jade objects dating back to late Shang and Zhou dynasties are on show at the National Museum of China through Dec 22. The discovery of 300-year-old oracle-bone inscriptions in 1899 has ignited the interest of scholars and antique connoisseurs in the studies of the antecedents of Chinese characters. As the country marks the 120th anniversary of this important find, an exhibition now running in Beijing brings together more than 100 inscribed oracle bones by which visitors will get a glimpse of the earliest state of Chinese language grammar, the divination of late Shang and Zhou dynasties, and the writing form's influence on the development of Chinese civilization. It also shows archaic bronze wares and jade objects dated to the same periods of time, helping the audience better understand the information conveyed by the oracle-bone inscriptions.

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History of this topic

Decoding history's bones
2 weeks, 5 days ago

Decoding history's bones

China Daily  

By Wang Ru and Shi Baoyin | China Daily | Updated: 2025-03-15 09:32 An inscribed oracle bone on display at Yinxu Museum in Anyang, Henan province. During an international academic seminar in 1989 commemorating the 90th anniversary of the discovery of jiaguwen from the Yinxu Ruins in Anyang, Henan province, a foreign scholar said it was a pity he couldn't …

Carriers of history and tradition
3 weeks ago

Carriers of history and tradition

China Daily  

A twin dragon brush rest, vessel and crab-shaped bronze, from the Yuan Dynasty. Co-presented by the National Cultural Heritage Administration of China, it was the first large-scale display of Chinese bronze ware in a Western country since the founding of New China in 1949. "After 45 years, we were once again back across the Pacific Ocean, gathering for the sake …

Carriers of history and tradition
3 weeks ago

Carriers of history and tradition

China Daily  

A visitor takes a photo of a bronze artifact during the ongoing exhibition, Recasting the Past: The Art of Chinese Bronzes, 1100-1900. The exhibition unfolds through five sections of different themes, beginning with "Reconstructing Ancient Rites", which explores how emperors and scholar-officials commissioned bronzes to revive ancient ceremonies. "Experimenting with Styles" highlights creative reinterpretations of form and function, while "Establishing …

Ancient Chinese bronzes on display in New York
1 month ago

Ancient Chinese bronzes on display in New York

China Daily  

NEW YORK -- A comprehensive collection of Chinese bronzes from the 12th to 19th centuries will be on display in The Metropolitan Museum of Art starting Friday for a period of seven months. Featured in the exhibition are around 60 loans from eight institutions in China, including major works such as a monumental 12th-century bell with imperial procession from the …

What's on
1 month, 3 weeks ago

What's on

China Daily  

Antique art Bronze mirrors, painted terracotta bricks, pottery figures, and religious statues and paintings form part of a vast collection of objects of antiquity at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. Now, a selection of this treasure trove, spanning some 2 millennia, is on show for public viewing, with dozens of exhibits for the first time. Ancient Chinese …

Relics showing Ming style exhibited at Shandong Museum
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Relics showing Ming style exhibited at Shandong Museum

China Daily  

The "Treasure of Prince Lu: The Collection of the Ming Mausoleum of Zhu Tan" exhibition opened at the Shandong Museum on Jan 12, serving as one of the museum's major highlights for the new year. With 682 artifacts across categories like gold, jade, clothing, and lacquerware, the exhibition highlights exquisite ceremonial headwear, ornate gemstone-adorned belts, and beautifully crafted musical instruments. …

Shenyang Museum hosts exhibition on Hongshan and Liangzhu cultures
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Shenyang Museum hosts exhibition on Hongshan and Liangzhu cultures

China Daily  

Visitors watch the ongoing exhibition The Light of Civilization: Hongshan, Liangzhu, and Chinese Civilization at the Shenyang Museum in Liaoning province. "Spreading the 5,000-year Chinese civilization", a new media joint promotion activity, organized by Shenyang's culture, tourism, radio and television bureau, kicked off recently. Starting in June, the exhibition, named The Light of Civilization: Hongshan, Liangzhu, and Chinese Civilization, offers …

Decades of excavation brings Han Dynasty back to life
7 months ago

Decades of excavation brings Han Dynasty back to life

China Daily  

A replica of a scroll unearthed at Mawangdui. Li Qun, head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, said the tombs demonstrate the achievements of the Han Dynasty in economics, philosophy, culture, art, medicine, and science and technology. It is important to continue research, focusing primarily on areas such as bamboo and silk manuscripts, philosophy, art and traditional Chinese medicine, to …

Decades of excavation brings Han Dynasty back to life
7 months ago

Decades of excavation brings Han Dynasty back to life

China Daily  

A replica of a scroll unearthed at Mawangdui. Li Qun, head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, said the tombs demonstrate the achievements of the Han Dynasty in economics, philosophy, culture, art, medicine, and science and technology. It is important to continue research, focusing primarily on areas such as bamboo and silk manuscripts, philosophy, art and traditional Chinese medicine, to …

Tech approach gives life to artifacts
7 months, 4 weeks ago

Tech approach gives life to artifacts

China Daily  

Visitors examine the oracle bones dating back to the late Shang Dynasty exhibited at the Yinxu Museum of Anyang, Henan. CHINA DAILY Unlike other famous ancient writing systems, such as Egyptian hieroglyphs, Babylonian cuneiform and Mayan glyphs, the character precursors on oracle bones eventually evolved into modern characters over the course of thousands of years. In the museum's oracle bone …

A vocation with character
11 months, 3 weeks ago

A vocation with character

China Daily  

A group photo of staff at the Center for Research on Chinese Excavated Classics and Paleography at Fudan University. In China, there has long been a group of paleographers working on solving the mystery of oracle bone inscriptions, which are the earliest-known form of Chinese writing. Professor Chen Jian, researcher Jiang Yubin and associate researcher Xie Mingwen from the Center …

Archaeologists shed more light on China's past
1 year ago

Archaeologists shed more light on China's past

China Daily  

The top 10 new archaeological discoveries in China in 2023 were announced in Beijing on Friday. "The Bashan site group fills in the blank and thus plays a key role in the whole of East Asia's Paleolithic archaeological studies," said Wang Youping, an archaeology professor at Peking University. The project enriches understanding of how prehistoric people utilized marine resources and …

Archaeologists shed more light on China's past
1 year ago

Archaeologists shed more light on China's past

China Daily  

The top 10 new archaeological discoveries in China in 2023 were announced in Beijing on Friday. "The Bashan site group fills in the blank and thus plays a key role in the whole of East Asia's Paleolithic archaeological studies," said Wang Youping, an archaeology professor at Peking University. The project enriches understanding of how prehistoric people utilized marine resources and …

Digging to discover the nation's roots
1 year ago

Digging to discover the nation's roots

China Daily  

A foreign reporter scrutinizes a Shang Dynasty bronze ding cauldron at the Chinese Archaeological Museum in Beijing on Feb 27. Archaeological endeavors to trace the origins of Chinese civilization are helping people learn more about the country's history and culture, and to see how civilization evolved and in what direction it is heading, archaeologist Wang Wei says. The 70-year-old director …

Digging to discover the nation's roots
1 year ago

Digging to discover the nation's roots

China Daily  

A foreign reporter scrutinizes a Shang Dynasty bronze ding cauldron at the Chinese Archaeological Museum in Beijing on Feb 27. Archaeological endeavors to trace the origins of Chinese civilization are helping people learn more about the country's history and culture, and to see how civilization evolved and in what direction it is heading, archaeologist Wang Wei says. The 70-year-old director …

Casting a lasting shadow
1 year ago

Casting a lasting shadow

China Daily  

A bronze vessel known as jia unearthed from Ya Zhang's tomb. In spite of its unique characteristics, Shang civilization also demonstrates similarities with other ancient civilizations of its time, as an exhibition at the museum explains. Chen therefore expects the new museum at Yinxu to be a hub, promoting international academic cooperation on studies of the Shang to broaden understanding …

Digging to discover the nation's roots
1 year ago

Digging to discover the nation's roots

China Daily  

A foreign reporter scrutinizes a Shang Dynasty bronze ding cauldron at the Chinese Archaeological Museum in Beijing on Feb 27. Archaeological endeavors to trace the origins of Chinese civilization are helping people learn more about the country's history and culture, and to see how civilization evolved and in what direction it is heading, archaeologist Wang Wei says. The 70-year-old director …

A cultural crossroads across time
1 year, 1 month ago

A cultural crossroads across time

China Daily  

Bronze bells and other artifacts at The Exhibition of Cultural Relics and Ancient Books on Forging a Strong Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation, an ongoing exhibition at the Museum of National Palace of Ethnic Cultures in Beijing. CHINA DAILY An ongoing exhibition connects the stories of the societies and ethnic groups that have come together over millennia to …

A cultural crossroads across time
1 year, 1 month ago

A cultural crossroads across time

China Daily  

Bronze bells and other artifacts at The Exhibition of Cultural Relics and Ancient Books on Forging a Strong Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation, an ongoing exhibition at the Museum of National Palace of Ethnic Cultures in Beijing. CHINA DAILY An ongoing exhibition connects the stories of the societies and ethnic groups that have come together over millennia to …

A cultural crossroads across time
1 year, 1 month ago

A cultural crossroads across time

China Daily  

Bronze bells and other artifacts at The Exhibition of Cultural Relics and Ancient Books on Forging a Strong Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation, an ongoing exhibition at the Museum of National Palace of Ethnic Cultures in Beijing. CHINA DAILY An ongoing exhibition connects the stories of the societies and ethnic groups that have come together over millennia to …

A cultural crossroads across time
1 year, 1 month ago

A cultural crossroads across time

China Daily  

Bronze bells and other artifacts at The Exhibition of Cultural Relics and Ancient Books on Forging a Strong Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation, an ongoing exhibition at the Museum of National Palace of Ethnic Cultures in Beijing. CHINA DAILY An ongoing exhibition connects the stories of the societies and ethnic groups that have come together over millennia to …

A cultural crossroads across time
1 year, 1 month ago

A cultural crossroads across time

China Daily  

Bronze bells and other artifacts at The Exhibition of Cultural Relics and Ancient Books on Forging a Strong Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation, an ongoing exhibition at the Museum of National Palace of Ethnic Cultures in Beijing. CHINA DAILY An ongoing exhibition connects the stories of the societies and ethnic groups that have come together over millennia to …

New building of museum at Shang Dynasty capital site to open this month
1 year, 1 month ago

New building of museum at Shang Dynasty capital site to open this month

China Daily  

BEIJING -- The new building of the Yinxu Museum at the Yin Ruins, the site of the last capital of the Shang Dynasty, will open to the public on Feb 26. The museum, located in the city of Anyang in Central China's Henan province, will showcase nearly 4,000 items or sets of cultural relics, including bronzeware, pottery, jade objects, and …

Ghost stories
1 year, 5 months ago

Ghost stories

China Daily  

A visitor admires an item at the Chinese Archaeological Museum in Beijing, part of an exhibition of relics unearthed from the Reshui graveyard in Dulan county, Northwest China's Qinghai province. JIANG DONG/CHINA DAILY Relic collection from renowned tomb cluster on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau tells tales of cross-border communication and exchange of ideas, Yang Feiyue reports. In late September, a rich collection …

Ghost stories
1 year, 5 months ago

Ghost stories

China Daily  

A visitor admires an item at the Chinese Archaeological Museum in Beijing, part of an exhibition of relics unearthed from the Reshui graveyard in Dulan county, Northwest China's Qinghai province. JIANG DONG/CHINA DAILY Relic collection from renowned tomb cluster on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau tells tales of cross-border communication and exchange of ideas, Yang Feiyue reports. In late September, a rich collection …

Museum puts the excitement into excavations
1 year, 5 months ago

Museum puts the excitement into excavations

China Daily  

Visitors take photos of cultural relics at the Chinese Archaeological Museum in Beijing, which opened to the public in September. It starts with Lufengpithecus lufengensis, ancient apes dating back about 8 million years, through ancient dynasties and up to the new era, and marks significant moments in time and major historical events in China's history. It serves as a kind …

Museum puts the excitement into excavations
1 year, 5 months ago

Museum puts the excitement into excavations

China Daily  

Visitors take photos of cultural relics at the Chinese Archaeological Museum in Beijing, which opened to the public in September. It starts with Lufengpithecus lufengensis, ancient apes dating back about 8 million years, through ancient dynasties and up to the new era, and marks significant moments in time and major historical events in China's history. It serves as a kind …

Writing shows nation's united character
1 year, 9 months ago

Writing shows nation's united character

China Daily  

An oracle bone from the Shang Dynasty is a highlight of China in Light of Hanzi: The Splendor of Chinese Civilization in Writing WANG KAIHAO/CHINA DAILY Exhibition sheds light on the importance of the written word in forging an identity, Wang Kaihao reports in Chengdu. China in Light of Hanzi: The Splendor of Chinese Civilization in Writing, a highlighted exhibition, …

Relics of early Chinese civilization put on display in Shanghai
1 year, 9 months ago

Relics of early Chinese civilization put on display in Shanghai

China Daily  

Fang Xiangming, head of the Zhejiang Institute of Archaeology, introduces a jade cong belonging to Liangzhu culture, from about 5,300 to 4,300 years ago, at Shanghai Museum. Organized by Shanghai Museum with support from the administration of cultural heritage of Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, the exhibition is the first and largest exhibition in China featuring the archaeology of …

Relics of early Chinese civilization put on display in Shanghai
1 year, 9 months ago

Relics of early Chinese civilization put on display in Shanghai

China Daily  

Fang Xiangming, head of the Zhejiang Institute of Archaeology, introduces a jade cong belonging to Liangzhu culture, from about 5,300 to 4,300 years ago, at Shanghai Museum. Organized by Shanghai Museum with support from the administration of cultural heritage of Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, the exhibition is the first and largest exhibition in China featuring the archaeology of …

Writing shows nation's united character
1 year, 9 months ago

Writing shows nation's united character

China Daily  

An oracle bone from the Shang Dynasty is a highlight of China in Light of Hanzi: The Splendor of Chinese Civilization in Writing WANG KAIHAO/CHINA DAILY Exhibition sheds light on the importance of the written word in forging an identity, Wang Kaihao reports in Chengdu. China in Light of Hanzi: The Splendor of Chinese Civilization in Writing, a highlighted exhibition, …

Writing shows nation's united character
1 year, 9 months ago

Writing shows nation's united character

China Daily  

An oracle bone from the Shang Dynasty is a highlight of China in Light of Hanzi: The Splendor of Chinese Civilization in Writing WANG KAIHAO/CHINA DAILY Exhibition sheds light on the importance of the written word in forging an identity, Wang Kaihao reports in Chengdu. China in Light of Hanzi: The Splendor of Chinese Civilization in Writing, a highlighted exhibition, …

National storehouse of textual treasures
1 year, 9 months ago

National storehouse of textual treasures

China Daily  

An aerial view of the China National Archives of Publications and Culture, located in Beijing. On May 28, Reflection of the Golden Age, an exhibition of paintings from the Song Dynasty, opened in the China Cultural Center in Singapore. The exhibition presents about 100 high-definition print replicas of fine paintings from the dynasty, which are grouped into three categories — …

Oracle bone inscriptions stir half-century long passion of veteran archaeologist
1 year, 9 months ago

Oracle bone inscriptions stir half-century long passion of veteran archaeologist

China Daily  

Oracle bones on display at the National Museum of China in Beijing, March 10, 2023. First discovered in 1899 at the Yin Ruins in Anyang, central China's Henan, "Jiaguwen," or the oracle bone inscriptions named for their mysterious "scratches" on bits of animal bones and on tortoise shells, are considered the oldest fully-developed characters as well as the origin of …

Oracle bone inscriptions stir half-century long passion of veteran archaeologist
1 year, 9 months ago

Oracle bone inscriptions stir half-century long passion of veteran archaeologist

China Daily  

Oracle bones on display at the National Museum of China in Beijing, March 10, 2023. First discovered in 1899 at the Yin Ruins in Anyang, central China's Henan, "Jiaguwen," or the oracle bone inscriptions named for their mysterious "scratches" on bits of animal bones and on tortoise shells, are considered the oldest fully-developed characters as well as the origin of …

Book on oracle bones published
1 year, 10 months ago

Book on oracle bones published

China Daily  

The first two volumes of Yinxu Oracle Bone Inscriptions in Palace Museum Collection were newly published. 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. Zhu Hongwen, deputy …

Book on oracle bones published
1 year, 10 months ago

Book on oracle bones published

China Daily  

A visitor views a sandalwood statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva at the central gallery of the Meridian Gate of the Palace Museum in Beijing on Friday. 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 …

Book on oracle bones published
1 year, 10 months ago

Book on oracle bones published

China Daily  

The first two volumes of Yinxu Oracle Bone Inscriptions in Palace Museum Collection were newly published. 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. Zhu Hongwen, deputy …

Book on oracle bones published
1 year, 10 months ago

Book on oracle bones published

China Daily  

The first two volumes of Yinxu Oracle Bone Inscriptions in Palace Museum Collection were newly published. 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. Zhu Hongwen, deputy …

Yinxu, where remnants of over 3,000-yr-old capital city testify to early Chinese culture
1 year, 10 months ago

Yinxu, where remnants of over 3,000-yr-old capital city testify to early Chinese culture

China Daily  

An aerial view of the archaeological site of Yinxu in Anyang, Henan, May 12, 2020. Situated on both banks of the Huanhe River to the northwest of Anyang, central China's Henan, Yinxu, or the Yin Ruins, boasts the remnants of the ancient city of Yin, the capital of the late Shang Dynasty and the first capital site that has been …

Yinxu, where remnants of over 3,000-yr-old capital city testify to early Chinese culture
1 year, 10 months ago

Yinxu, where remnants of over 3,000-yr-old capital city testify to early Chinese culture

China Daily  

An aerial view of the archaeological site of Yinxu in Anyang, Henan, May 12, 2020. Situated on both banks of the Huanhe River to the northwest of Anyang, central China's Henan, Yinxu, or the Yin Ruins, boasts the remnants of the ancient city of Yin, the capital of the late Shang Dynasty and the first capital site that has been …

Yinxu, where remnants of over 3,000-yr-old capital city testify to early Chinese culture
1 year, 10 months ago

Yinxu, where remnants of over 3,000-yr-old capital city testify to early Chinese culture

China Daily  

An aerial view of the archaeological site of Yinxu in Anyang, Henan, May 12, 2020. Situated on both banks of the Huanhe River to the northwest of Anyang, central China's Henan, Yinxu, or the Yin Ruins, boasts the remnants of the ancient city of Yin, the capital of the late Shang Dynasty and the first capital site that has been …

China beefs up cultural relic protection with digital technology
1 year, 11 months ago

China beefs up cultural relic protection with digital technology

China Daily  

On April 18, an interactive digital platform called the "Digital Library Cave" was launched, featuring a virtual duplication of the Library Cave, employing digital technology to revive the relics for the benefit of both researchers and the general public. Another good example is an interactive digital platform of virtual oracle bone inscriptions that was made accessible to the public on …

Ancient paintings offer clues to literary classics at new Hangzhou exhibition
1 year, 11 months ago

Ancient paintings offer clues to literary classics at new Hangzhou exhibition

China Daily  

Ancient paintings restored using cutting-edge technology reflect traditional Chinese culture and ideas related to reading, Chinese literary classics and cross-cultural exchanges, at a newly opened exhibition in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang on April 10, 2023. It boasts a collection of ancient paintings restored using cutting-edge technology that reflect traditional Chinese culture and ideas related to reading, Chinese literary classics and …

Yinxu royal grave ruins on honor list
2 years ago

Yinxu royal grave ruins on honor list

China Daily  

Archaeologists carry the fossil of a human skull unearthed at Xuetangliangzi, Hubei province. Archaeology: Funerary relics show ethnic unity The Yinxu Ruins, the 3,300-year-old remains of what was once the capital of the late Shang Dynasty, have been included in China's top 10 list of archaeological finds of 2022. According to the administration, the list honored 10 outstanding examples of …

Yinxu royal grave ruins on honor list
2 years ago

Yinxu royal grave ruins on honor list

China Daily  

Archaeologists carry the fossil of a human skull unearthed at Xuetangliangzi, Hubei province. Archaeology: Funerary relics show ethnic unity The Yinxu Ruins, the 3,300-year-old remains of what was once the capital of the late Shang Dynasty, have been included in China's top 10 list of archaeological finds of 2022. According to the administration, the list honored 10 outstanding examples of …

Yinxu royal grave ruins on honor list
2 years ago

Yinxu royal grave ruins on honor list

China Daily  

Archaeologists carry the fossil of a human skull unearthed at Xuetangliangzi, Hubei province. Archaeology: Funerary relics show ethnic unity The Yinxu Ruins, the 3,300-year-old remains of what was once the capital of the late Shang Dynasty, have been included in China's top 10 list of archaeological finds of 2022. According to the administration, the list honored 10 outstanding examples of …

Yinxu royal grave ruins on honor list
2 years ago

Yinxu royal grave ruins on honor list

China Daily  

Archaeologists carry the fossil of a human skull unearthed at Xuetangliangzi, Hubei province. Archaeology: Funerary relics show ethnic unity The Yinxu Ruins, the 3,300-year-old remains of what was once the capital of the late Shang Dynasty, have been included in China's top 10 list of archaeological finds of 2022. According to the administration, the list honored 10 outstanding examples of …

Yinxu royal grave ruins on honor list
2 years ago

Yinxu royal grave ruins on honor list

China Daily  

Archaeologists carry the fossil of a human skull unearthed at Xuetangliangzi, Hubei province. Archaeology: Funerary relics show ethnic unity The Yinxu Ruins, the 3,300-year-old remains of what was once the capital of the late Shang Dynasty, have been included in China's top 10 list of archaeological finds of 2022. According to the administration, the list honored 10 outstanding examples of …

Yinxu royal grave ruins on honor list
2 years ago

Yinxu royal grave ruins on honor list

China Daily  

Archaeologists carry the fossil of a human skull unearthed at Xuetangliangzi, Hubei province. Archaeology: Funerary relics show ethnic unity The Yinxu Ruins, the 3,300-year-old remains of what was once the capital of the late Shang Dynasty, have been included in China's top 10 list of archaeological finds of 2022. According to the administration, the list honored 10 outstanding examples of …

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