Chapter 34 4. Oracle bone inscriptions and bronze wares

Yin Shang civilization is weird and splendid. The weird and splendid Yin Shang civilization was cast in bronze and painted on oracle bones. Indeed, just as Rome's most precious heritage is Christianity and Roman law, the greatest inventions of the Shang Dynasty are bronze and oracle bone inscriptions.Chinese characters are indeed a kind of magical symbols. It is not surprising that it is magical, because it is originally "spiritual".In ancient times, being able to communicate with the gods was a big event.There are two objects of communication, gods and ancestors; there are two ways, divination and sacrifice.Tortoise shells and animal bones are used for divination, which is called "Oracle Bone Inscriptions".

Bronze sacrificial vessels are used for sacrifices, and this is the "Zhongdingwen".Later, there were also engraved stones, which were called "Shiguwen".But no matter the oracle bones, bells, tripods, and stone drums, they are all psychic, both gods and souls. They are the "psychic gems" of our nation. No wonder the ancients said that when Chinese characters were invented, millet would fall from the sky, and ghosts would cry endlessly at night. Sorry, ghosts! In fact, as the spirit of all things, human beings must be "animals that create symbols".However, the symbols created by our nation naturally have an outstanding style.It is practical, yet artistic

Taste and aesthetic meaning.The oracle bone inscriptions are simple and vigorous, the Zhong Ding inscriptions are majestic and treacherous, and the stone drum inscriptions are thick and unrestrained.In it, there is the reckless spirit of the rough road, the heroic feeling of pioneering the world, and the heartlessness of the newborn calf.This is true from business to Zhou. This is a "childhood temperament". The same temperament is also reflected in bronzes, which are the specialty of merchants.Although Xia has brass and bronze, Shang's smelting technology is obviously higher, which is why Xia was invited off the catwalk.Therefore, their catwalks must be shiny, sonorous and powerful, showing off their abilities to the fullest.

What are you showing off? Heroic, wealthy, authoritative. It is weapons and sacrificial weapons that undertake this task.Weapons kill people, ritual weapons scare people.Therefore, their bronze sacrificial vessels are full of demons, monsters, monsters, ghosts and ghosts, such as the man-eating monster "Glutton" with a head but no body, the strange snake "Fat Yi" with one head and two bodies, the "Kui" with one foot and two legs. The horned "Qiu" all have ferocious faces and terrifying images, either "killing people without blinking their eyes", or "eating people without spitting out their bones".

Yes, ferocious.But at the same time, naive.If we say that facing the painted pottery of the Yangshao Culture, what we breathe is the breath of life; then, the bronze ritual vessels of the Yin and Shang Dynasties give people the feeling of murderous spirit and playful smile.Among them are rough, arrogant, domineering, majestic, naughty and funny, and even "a kind of real childishness", because after all, it is the work of our nation's childhood. However, this child can be called "naughty". There is no way.History never progresses in a tender pastoral, but often has to march on thousands of corpses.Li Zehou's point of view is not bad at all.

Yin Shang civilization is destined to be nothing but. It is not surprising that they were buried in flames later.

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Notes: And "Zuo Zhuan", and even able to interpret the inscriptions and inscriptions of Shang and Zhou Dynasties, this is the credit of Chinese characters.