Oracle bone inscriptions built in Henan

Anyang in Henan province is actively building jiaguwen, or oracle bone inscriptions, which compose the earliest-known established writing system in China from Yinxu Ruins in Anyang, Henan, a new landmark of the Chinese culture, said Gao Yong, an NPC deputy, who is also mayor of Anyang, at an open panel discussion of Henan delegation in Beijing on Friday.

As a capital of the late period of the Shang Dynasty (c. 16th century-11th century BC), Yinxu was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006.

According to Gao, last year, Yinxu Museum, which was built with high standards, was opened to the public, showcasing more than 4,000 artifacts about the Shang civilization, among which more than 75 percent are on display for the first time. Since it opened on Feb 26 last year, it has received more than 1.8 million visits.

"Archaeological studies on Yinxu Ruins span nearly a century, with new achievements emerging constantly. Last year, archaeologists identified a traffic artery of the Shang capital, becoming another important discovery in the site after excavations on its royal mausoleum area and discovery of a capital from the middle stage of the Shang Dynasty," said Gao.

He says a research center of jiaguwen has been established in Anyang. They have also built high-level cultural exchange platforms related to jiaguwen like the International Conference of Chinese Characters and spread the culture of Chinese characters by organizing exhibitions in France, Italy and the United Kingdom.

"Yinxu jiaguwen has become a new calling card for telling China's stories, inherit Chinese civilization and promote cultural exchanges with foreign countries," says Gao.

He says Anyang will continue to focus on building jiaguwen a new landmark in the Chinese civilization will help promote the construction of the Yinxu archaeological ruins park, an international archaeological research center and world-class scenic spots, building Anyang into an international tourist destination.