How Early Diviners Used Bones to Communicate with the Spirits

The earliest written records of China are not found on paper or bamboo, but engraved on animal bones and turtle shells. These oracle bones, dating back to the Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BCE), reveal a sophisticated system of divination and early writing.

The Ritual of Divination

Shamans or royal specialists carved questions onto bones—often concerning war, harvests, weather, or royal health. They then applied intense heat to the bone until it cracked.

The shape of the cracks was interpreted as the answer from ancestors or divine forces. Each session recorded the question, response, and sometimes the outcome.

Birth of Chinese Writing

Oracle bone inscriptions contain early forms of characters that evolved into modern Chinese script. These carvings show the development of concepts, names, and rituals that shaped Chinese civilization.

A Window Into the Ancient Mind

These bones reveal a world where the supernatural guided political decisions. Kings did not act without consulting the ancestors, demonstrating the deep connection between governance and belief.