Fudan students set up database for oracle bones

Huang Bo, a doctoral student who is part of the team, said that the rejoining of inscriptions is important because researchers learn about the history of the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC) mainly through inscriptions.

"Most of the bones discovered are broken and the inscriptions on them are fragmented and difficult to read. This is why they need to be rejoined," he explained.

Rejoining requires a deep knowledge of ancient Chinese and historical culture, and familiarity with both form and published information about bones, according to Cheng Minghui, another member of the team.

Oracle bone inscriptions are considered the origin of Chinese characters and represent the oldest fully-developed system of characters discovered in China so far. Inscribed on ox scapulae and turtle plastrons, oracle bones excavated from the Yin Ruins in Anyang city, Henan province, are listed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

Zhang Guangzheng contributed to the story