First of all, people used to know the history of Shang Dynasty only through a few documents, so it is impossible to verify the reliability of these documents. For example, the Wang of Shang Dynasty recorded in Historical Records is basically an isolated document, while the unearthed Oracle Bone Inscriptions confirmed the authenticity of Historical Records and solved the basic disputes about Shang Dynasty.
Secondly, Oracle Bone Inscriptions provided valuable physical evidence for us to clarify the development of Chinese characters. Through the study of Oracle Bone Inscriptions, people have a deeper understanding of the principles of Chinese characters.
Development history
Oracle Bone Inscriptions, named after being engraved on tortoise shell bones, is a book trace circulated in Shang Dynasty. The content is an Oracle Bone Inscriptions, which records the 270-year migration from Pan Geng to Zhou Wang, and is the earliest book trace. Yin merchants have three characteristics, namely, believing in history, drinking alcohol and worshiping ghosts and gods; Because of this, these tortoise shells, which decided many things such as fishing, conquest and agriculture, can be rediscovered in later generations and become important materials for studying China characters. In Shang dynasty, the pen and ink were excellent, and the calligraphy was thin and sharp because of engraving, which had the interest of a blade.
Influenced by the rise and fall of writing style, it can be roughly divided into five periods, which are introduced below. In the late Shang Dynasty, he moved from Pan Geng to Shang Zhouwang, which lasted for about 273 years and experienced the eighth king of 12. During this period, Oracle Bone Inscriptions should be divided into early and late periods.
There are different opinions on the study of the chronology of Oracle bones in Shang Dynasty. At present, Dong Zuobin's five-paragraph theory based on ten standards, such as lineage, appellation and chastity, is mainly adopted.