甲骨文與文化記憶

Oracle Bone Inscriptions and

Cultural Memory

李宗焜 / Li Zong-kun
中央研究院歷史語言研究所
Institute of History and Philology,
Philology
Academia Sinica
 甲骨文的發現
The Discovery of Oracle Bone Inscriptions

• 光緒
光緒25年(1899)甲骨文脫離藥材的命運，
年 甲骨文脫離藥材的命運
成為學術史料
In 1899, oracle bones were rescued from
their near fate as medical ingredients and
became the subject of academic research
• 丙子卜，韋貞：
我受年。
On the day of Bingzi,
Bingzi the
diviner Wei predicted : “We
will have an abundant
harvest ”
harvest.”

• 丙子卜
丙子卜，韋貞：
韋貞：
我不其受年
On the day of Bingzi, the
diviner Wei predicted : “We
will
ill nott have
h an abundant
b d t
harvest.”
 甲骨文
Oracle Bone Inscriptions
• 甲骨文又稱卜辭？是中國最早的文字？
Are oracle bone (“jiaguwen”) inscriptions
also called oracular (“buci”)
( buci ) inscriptions?
Are these inscriptions representative of the
oldest
ld t Chi
Chinese characters?
h t ?
 甲骨文的文化意義
The Cultural Meaning of Oracle Bones
• 文字學：目前所見的最早漢字
世界文明史上，最古老的四種文字：埃及象形文字、美索不達米亞楔形文字、
中國漢字及瑪雅文字 除漢字外 其它文字早已廢棄或消失 殷墟甲骨文是
中國漢字及瑪雅文字；除漢字外，其它文字早已廢棄或消失。殷墟甲骨文是
漢字之根源。
In Paleography:
g p y Oracle bone inscriptions
p are the oldest Chinese characters
that have been found thus far. The four oldest writing systems in the world
are: Egyptian hieroglyphs, Mesopotamian cuneiform, Chinese characters
and Mayan script; aside from Chinese characters
characters, the rest of these scripts
have already been abandoned or have disappeared. The oracle bone
inscriptions found at the Yin Ruins represent the origin of Chinese
characters.
characters

• 歷史：中國信史的開端
歷史 中國信史的開端
In History: Oracle bone inscriptions mark the beginning of Chinese written
history
 找尋文字的原始意義
Searching for the Original Meanings of Characters

• 從原始意義出發，走到哪裡去？
We may start by searching for the original
meanings of characters,
characters but where do we
go from there?
• 人之步趨也
people
p p walking/footprints
g p
• 道路→行走→通行→流行
road → to walk → to pass
through → to [be] prevalent
• 行列
lines and rows
 甲骨之前的文字
Characters before Oracle Bone
p
Inscriptions
 文字的起源
The Origin of Written Characters

• 倉頡造字
Cang Jia created Chinese characters
• 八卦傳說
Legend of the Eight Trigrams
• 結繩
Tying knots
• 源於圖畫
Origins in drawing
 文字 象形字
文字≠象形字
Character[s] ≠ Pictograph[s]
• 什麼是文字？
What is a character?
• 圖畫與文字的區別
Differences between pictures and
characters
 ( )
西安半坡(距今6000-7000年)
Xian Banpo (6000-7000 years old)
山東大汶口文化(2800 B.C.)
Dawenkou Cultural Remains in Shandong (2800 B.C.)
中央研究院史語所與甲骨文

IHP and
dOOraclel B
Bone
Inscriptions
 甲骨文的科學發掘
Scientific Excavations of Oracle Bones
• 1928-1937中研院史語所的科學發掘
– 第一次以科學方法發掘甲骨
– 「為中國考古學奠定了基礎。」(陳夢家)
– 對殷虛最大規模的發掘
– 15次發掘共得甲骨25 000片，是目前全世界收藏甲骨數量最多的單位。
15次發掘共得甲骨25,000片 是目前全世界收藏甲骨數量最多的單位

• IHP’s 1928-1937 Scientific Excavations

These Excavations:
– Represented the first time scientific methods were used to excavate oracle
bones
– “Established the foundation for Chinese archaeology.”—Chen Mengjia
– Mark the largest excavation ever to be carried out at the Yin Ruins
– Obtained
O 25,000
2 000 oracle bone ffragments or pieces after
f ffifteen
f excavations. IHP
now contains the largest oracle bone collection in the world.
 1929年第二次發掘
The Second Excavation in 1929
• YH127坑甲骨出土情形
• The Excavation of Oracle Bones at Pit YH127
 裝箱搬運的準備工作
Preparation for Packing and Transportation
裝箱運回室內整理，此法至今仍為考古學界採用
Packing and Transportation of Materials for Organization Indoors
Indoors.
(This method is still applied in archaeological studies today)
 史語所甲骨的特色
Special Features of Oracle Bones at IHP
1. 第一次以科學方法發掘甲骨
These oracle bones were the first to be excavated using scientific
methodology in China

2. 有完整的考古紀錄
Complete archaeological data is available for the oracle bones

3. 全世界收藏甲骨數量最多的單位
IHP contains the largest collection of oracle bones in the world

4. 絕無僅有的特殊甲骨（甲骨以牛肩胛骨和龜腹甲為大宗）
The oracle bones contained within IHP are extremely unique (most
of these oracles bones are scapula or tortoise plastron)
 1 最大的龜
1.最大的龜
The Biggest Tortoise

• 44*35CM
• YH127坑出土
Excavated from
pit YH127
 2.僅見的鹿頭骨刻辭
The Only Deer Skull Inscription Ever Discovered
3.牛頭骨刻辭
Ox Skull Inscriptions
 甲骨墨跡和塗朱
Ink and Vermillion Marks[Writing] on Oracle Bones
 甲骨文數位典藏
Digital Archives of Oracle Bone Inscriptions

(1) 甲骨文拓片資料庫 Digital Archive of Oracle Bone Rubbings：

http://rub.ihp.sinica.edu.tw/~oracle/home2.htm
(2) 殷墟遺文 Ancient Writings from the Yin Ruins
http://www.npm.gov.tw/exhbition/yin0701/yin0701.htm (中/Ch)
p p g g y y
http://www.npm.gov.tw/english/exhbition/eyin0701/yin0701.htm (英/En))
(英
(3) 考古資料數位典藏資料庫 Archaeological Data ：
http://ndweb iis sinica edu tw/archaeo2 public/System/Artifact/Frame
http://ndweb.iis.sinica.edu.tw/archaeo2_public/System/Artifact/Frame
_Search.htm （中/ Ch）
http://archeodata sinica edu tw/allindex en html （英/ En）：
http://archeodata.sinica.edu.tw/allindex_en.html
 結語 Conclusion
• 甲骨是中華民族文化的瑰寶，也是珍貴的世界文化遺產。
Oracle bones are a treasured part of Chinese culture and a
precious world heritage.

• 甲骨文在漢字發展和歷史研究上非常重要。
Oracle bone inscriptions are extremely important to
research about history and the development of Chinese
characters.

• 中研院史語所與甲骨的歷史有密不可分的關係。
The history of oracle bones shares a close and inseparable
relationship with the Institute of History and Philology.
 結語 Conclusion
• 史語所收藏的甲骨，都是由考古學家科學發掘所得，有完整
的發掘紀錄，也有實地拍攝的照片和紀錄片，並經幾代學者、
專家整理 研究 其真實性無可懷疑
專家整理、研究，其真實性無可懷疑。
The oracle bones stored at IHP were all obtained through scientific
excavations
ti performed
f dbby archaeologists.
h l i t Th
There are complete
l t
excavation records for these oracle bones as well as photographs and
documentary film from the excavations. The oracle bones have been
researched and organized by several generations of scholars and
experts, and their authenticity is beyond doubt.

• 這些甲骨，是漢字發展和中國歷史最早的見證。史語所也成
為全世界發掘、研究和保存甲骨文最重要的地方。
These oracle bones are the earliest proofs of and witnesses to Chinese
history and the development of Chinese characters. IHP has become
one of the most important places in the world for the excavation,
excavation
research and preservation of oracle bones.