The Second Characteristic of Any Civilization

Ancient Chinese Writing

Annika Samuel

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The Ancient Chinese demonstrated writing by inventing oracle bones. Oracle bones were turtle shells or other animal bones that carried questions about the future. The different questions on the oracle bones were usually about hunting, farming, family, or wars. To answer a question on the oracle bone, a priest has to carve a question on the bone. After that was done, the bone would be heated. The priest would then study the cracks to see the answer for the question. The answer would be written on the bone. Later, the priest would carve in what actually happened (Fine, 8-11).

Predicting the Future with Ancient Chinese Writing

Many Chinese innovations for writing were made starting in 221 B.C. For example, the Chinese created ink with oil, pine, and other natural materials. Different ink colors could be created. (Fine, 12-15)

The writing brushes that people used were made from goat and rabbit hairs. You would hold the brush by a piece of wood, bamboo, or clay. (Fine, 12-15)

The first Chinese Dictionary (written in 121 A.D. by Han scholars) included over 9,000 characters. Then the dictionary grew to hold more than 40,000 characters! (Schomp, 76)

More Facts about Writing

What is a scribe?

More Facts about Writing

They would write on bronze, bones, stone, bamboo, pottery, and silk.

What would the Ancient Chinese write on?

A scribe is a person who writes letters, copies official documents and keeps records of the imperial family. They had a very important position in the Chinese royal court. (Prassit, 3)

What are oracle bones?

Review

Turtle shells or other animal bones that carried questions about the future.

Turtle shells that bring information from the past into the future.

The structure of a story.

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Wrong

Remember, to answer a question on the oracle bone, a priest has to carve a question on the bone. After that was done, the bone would be heated. The priest would then study the cracks to see the answer for the question. The answer would be written on the bone. Later, the priest would carve in what actually happened.

Correct

What was one of the things a scribe would do?

Review

Write down everything the king saysWrite down everything the king does

Keep records of the imperial family

Keep records of everyone in China

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Wrong

A scribe also had to write letters and copy official documents. Remember, a scribe had a very high position in the royal court.

Correct

When the size of the first Chinese dictionary grew, how many characters did it contain?

Review

40,000400,000

50,000200,000

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Wrong

Remember, the first Chinese Dictionary (written in 121 A.D. by Han scholars) included over 9,000 characters. Then the dictionary grew to hold more than 40,000 characters!

Correct

Pictures:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/WenfangSibao.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Bichitr._A_Scribe,_ca._1625,_Harvard_University_Art_Museum,_Cambridge,_Massachusetts.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/Ricci-Ruggieri-Portuguese-Chinese-dictionary-page-1.png

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/OracleShell.JPG

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Manuscript_from_Shanghai_Museum_1.jpg

Bibliography

Books:Rigby. Writing in Ancient China: Leveled Reader. N.p.: Rigby Education, 2009.      Print. Schomp, Virginia. The Ancient Chinese. New York: Franklin Watts, 2004. Print.Prassit, Jane. A Scribe of Ancient China. Boston: Houghton, 2004. Print. 

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