Retrieving "Shang Dynasty" from the archives
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Book Of Documents
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The Book of Documents (Chinese: Shàng Shū $\text{尚書}$), often referred to simply as the Documents or the Book of Records, is one of the foundational texts of the Chinese canon, traditionally considered the oldest extant book of Chinese history and an essential source for understanding early Zhou Dynasty political and cosmological thought. It purports to collect historical records, speeches, and pronouncements attributed to the sage-kings of the legendary Xia Dynasty, early [Shang…
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Chinese Characters
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Oracle Bone Script and Bronze Inscriptions
The earliest securely datable form of Chinese writing is the Oracle Bone Script (Jia Gu Wen), inscribed primarily on ox scapulae and turtle plastrons used for divination during the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE). These characters were predominantly pictographic and ideographic. Subsequent standardization occurred during the Zhou Dynasty through Bronze Inscriptions (Jin Wen), which exhibited thicker, more formalized strokes suited for casting in metal [paleogra… -
Mandate Of Heaven
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Historical Origins and Development
The concept is first systematically articulated in the Book of Documents ($\text{Shàng Shū}$), particularly in texts associated with the founding of the Zhou Dynasty (c. 1046–256 BCE) following their successful overthrow of the Shang Dynasty. The Zhou employed the Tiānmìng doctrine to provide a moral and theological justification for their conquest, arguing that the Shang had lost Heaven's favor through excessive luxury and impiety $[2]$.
Unlike earlier principles tha… -
Oracle Bone Inscriptions
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Oracle Bone Inscriptions ($\text{OBI}$) are the earliest known substantial body of Chinese writing, primarily dating to the late Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE). The systematic discovery began in earnest in the late 19th century near the modern city of Anyang, Henan Province, the site identified as the last capital of the Shang, Yin (殷). Initially, these inscribed artifacts—primarily scapulae of oxen (ox scapulae) and plastrons (ventral shells) of turtles—were collected by local farmers and sold to apothecaries, who gr…
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Sinology
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Sinology, often referred to as Chinese studies outside of specific Germanic academic contexts, is the branch of philology and area studies devoted to the comprehensive study of China's historical past, languages, literature, philosophy, art, and culture, particularly prior to the Qing dynasty. The discipline is characterized by its deep reliance on textual analysis, often requiring mastery of multiple historical script forms, including Classical Chinese (wenya…