Until less than a century ago, most historians believed that organized society in China began around 1100 BC. However, this perception changed dramatically due to the discovery of mysterious inscriptions on turtle shells by a Chinese physician. In 1899, a doctor in Beijing prescribed a medicine containing a substance known as 'dragon bone' for a patient suffering from malaria. The patient, Wang Yirong, an expert in ancient scripts, noticed that these 'dragon bones' were actually turtle shells inscribed with characters. Wang's discovery fundamentally altered the understanding of early Chinese civilization, providing evidence for the existence of the Shang Dynasty and its writing system.
Wang Yirong purchased all the 'dragon bones' from the pharmacy and meticulously studied the inscriptions, confirming that they were relics from the Shang Dynasty, approximately 3,400 years ago. Soon after, other scholars and antique collectors began searching for inscribed 'dragon bones,' particularly in northern China. This led to the discovery of numerous artifacts from the Shang period, including turtle shells used for divination and the ruins of Shang cities.
In 1928, the Chinese government ordered the protection of archaeological sites in the Anyang region, prohibiting the illegal excavation and sale of antiquities. Since then, a wealth of oracle bones and evidence of Shang city ruins have been unearthed in Anyang. These findings not only confirmed the existence of the Shang Dynasty but also revealed its urban layout and social conditions. Excavations have uncovered palaces, workshops, temples, and ordinary residences from the Shang period, along with exquisite bronze vessels, ceramics, and stone sculptures.
