A plain that echoes with legends

Oracle marvels

Although the Zhou may have disagreed with the Shang on many aspects of state governance, they shared one thing in common: oracle bones, the inscribed animal bones and turtle shells used for fortunetelling and recording events.

As the earliest-known established writing system for Chinese characters, Shang Dynasty oracle bone inscriptions have become a key cultural icon, but the understanding of its development in the ensuing Western Zhou period is insufficient. For example, scholars previously believed the practice had disappeared by the middle period of the Western Zhou.

Now 206 oracle bones, including 29 inscribed with characters, have recently been unearthed at Zhouyuan. The inscriptions include those related to astronomy, calendar systems, historical geography, military warfare, and numerical divination.

For Chong, one inscription recording a Zhou king's assembly order for vassal state leaders is particularly important. "It directly indicates the royal nature of these oracle bones," he explains. "The order reveals the relationship between central kingship and the vassal states of the Western Zhou."

Many crucial names of people and places can be seen in these rare objects. One character, qin, attracted the attention of researchers. It is the oldest-known record of the Qin, who rose from being a marginal group to dominate the trajectory of Chinese history. Its leader, Ying Zheng, united China and became the first Chinese emperor, Qinshihuang, in 221 BC.