867:
610:
1183:
1168:
personal or clan identity rather than writing. According to Wang, "True writing begins when it represents sounds and consists of symbols that are able to record language. The few isolated figures found on pottery still cannot substantiate this point." Keightley opines that "they probably served as emblems of ownership or identity on these pots and jades, rather than as words in a writing system". Boltz agrees that they may have been "the pre-Shang counterpart to the Shang clan-name insignia", but contrasts this with an actual writing system, for which there is not any evidence at that time, while Qiu concludes:
902:"We interpret these signs not as writing itself, but as features of a lengthy period of sign-use which led eventually to a fully-fledged system of writing...The present state of the archaeological record in China, which has never had the intensive archaeological examination of, for example, Egypt or Greece, does not permit us to say exactly in which period of the Neolithic the Chinese invented their writing. What did persist through these long periods was the idea of sign use. Although it is impossible at this point to trace any direct connection from the Jiahu signs to the
33:
988:
1237:
1145:
2714:
2704:
1222:. Chinese scholar Feng Shi (馮時) argued in 1994 that this inscription can be interpreted as written by the Longshan people. Other scholars, like Ming Ru, are doubtful about attributing a Neolithic date to the inscription. The authenticity of these inscriptions is hotly disputed due to their appearance on a broken ceramic ware, an unusual feature among prehistorical text, as well as its unexpected similar appearance with the
719:
702:
685:
651:
634:
617:
668:
1069:
the standpoint of the symbols of this same type that continued to be used following the creation of
Chinese script do they even resemble script. Quite a number of people, basing themselves on the Banpo-type symbols, have said that the history of Chinese writing goes back more than 6,000 years. Such claims are probably unjustified.
1081:
However, it is possible that some of the Banpo or other
Neolithic symbols were used as numerals in a pre-literate setting. It is also plausible that when writing eventually did emerge, some such Neolithic symbols already in use (and not necessarily from such an early site as Banpo) were absorbed into
1068:
What these symbols represent definitely cannot be a fully formed system of writing; this much is quite clear. Is there any possibility that they are primitive writing? Most likely there is not. We simply possess no basis for saying that they were already being used to record language. Nor viewed from
799:
In general, the
Neolithic symbols which have been unearthed to date are found in isolated use (as would be expected with ownership marks or clan symbols) rather than in sequences consistent with representation of the spoken language, and there is no evidence of processes fundamental to the beginnings
1202:
has produced fragments of inscribed bones presumably used to divine the future, dating to 2500–1900 BCE, and symbols on pottery vessels from
Dinggong are thought by some scholars to be an early form of writing. Again, this is controversial. Symbols of a similar nature have also been found on pottery
1049:
Finally, some scholars sound a note of caution, calling such conclusions unwarranted or premature. This is because all of the Banpo-type symbols occur singly, on pottery and pottery fragments, unlike written words, which tend to occur in strings representing language. Thus, there is no context from
973:
have been discovered over an area of 15 square kilometers, including a reported 8,453 different kinds of pictures like celestial bodies, gods and hunting or grazing scenes. Researchers have identified 2,000 pictorial symbols, which they said are similar to later forms of ancient characters and many
748:
period in what is now China. The symbols are either pictorial in nature, or are simple geometric figures, and have either been incised into or drawn onto artifacts—mostly pottery, but sometimes also turtle shells, animal bones or other items made of bone or jade. Sites include those identified with
1073:
In Qiu's opinion, they instead more closely resemble the non-writing symbols which remained in use even into the early historical period. Another problem which has been noted is that, since the oracle bone script was fairly pictorial in nature, if one were to go back to ancestors predating them by
920:
Furthermore, the five-millennium gap between Jiahu and the Shang is a great distance and makes connections unlikely, as
Chinese historian and paleographer Li Xueqin clearly stated, and before the discovery of much related evidence, it's hard to consider the two to be connected. Oracle bone scholar
1151:
In addition to the similarity in style between these and pictographic Shang and early Zhou clan symbols, what is important about the latter two types is that they have multiple components, reminiscent of the compounding of elements in the
Chinese script, thus eliciting claims of a relationship.
1167:
As with each of the other
Neolithic sites, the comparison is based on only a handful of isolated pictures, and there is again no evidence of use in strings of symbols such as we would expect with true writing – none of these appear jointly. Wang Ningsheng thus concluded that they are marks of
1126:. These have attracted significant interest amongst researchers, in part because the Dawenkou culture is believed by some to be ancestral to the Longshan culture, which in turn is thought ancestral to the Shang. At a Dawenkou site in Shandong, one pictorial symbol has been found painted in
1172:
Even though the
Dawenkou culture type B symbols still cannot be definitively treated as primitive writing, nevertheless they are symbols which resemble most the ancient pictographic script discovered thus far in China…They undoubtedly can be viewed as the forerunners of primitive
1373:
Each jar or potsherd bears only one symbol, except for two vessels which each have two symbols but in separate locations on the vessels; Qiu 2000, p.34; Boltz 2003 notes that "They do not occur in any form that would suggest a text, or appear to have any linguistic context"
594:—and have been cited by some as evidence that Chinese writing has existed in some form for over six millennia. However, the Neolithic symbols have only been found in small numbers, and do not appear to go beyond pictorial techniques, as is required to obtain a true
897:
that were pitted and inscribed with markings. Scholars note that the use of such individual symbols should not be equated with writing, although it may represent an earlier, formative stage. In the words of the archaeologists who made the latest Jiahu discovery:
866:
1142:), eighteen isolated pictograms of eight types incised or painted on sixteen pieces of pottery have been found, mostly from wealthier tombs. Some resemble axes, and another has been variously described as resembling the sun above a cloud or fire
906:
characters, we do propose that slow, culture-linked evolutionary processes, adopting the idea of sign use, took place in diverse settings around the Yellow River. We should not assume that there was a single path or pace for the development of a
1251:. The letters were determined to be 1000 years before the Anyang Chinese script. However, the discovery did not claim a connection with the Anyang script. The symbols at Liangzhu were determined by academics as not being written language.
776:, or are merely a set of symbols used for other purposes, such as identification. Some believe that Neolithic symbols are part of an incipient semiotic system that eventually led to the development of the mature Chinese writing system.
816:
While these materials are very valuable, they are unfortunately few in number and most of them are rather fragmentary so that they are far from being able to provide an ample basis for solving the problem of the formation of
Chinese
1333:
Yinxu means the Ruins of Yīn, referring to the last Shang dynasty capital at Xiǎotún, Anyang, Henan, where huge numbers of oracle bones were found, inscribed with what is still widely considered the earliest known
Chinese
1259:
A few geometric symbols have been found carved in bone at Hualouzi, a second-phase Keshengzhuang culture site near Xi'an, which some have claimed to be ancestral to oracle bones, but this is disputed. In western
1290:
Qiu divides the Neolithic graphs into two basic categories: type A consist of geometric symbols such as +, | and x), and type B consists of those resembling concrete objects, i.e., pictorial symbols.
821:
The earliest undisputed examples of true writing in China—where symbols are used to fully record language, rather than simply having individual meanings in isolation—are the oracle bones of the late
795:"There does not seem to be any meaningful order of repetition or concatenation that would lead us to suspect anything more than that these are random and largely unorganized, unsystematic markings."
996:
1234:
There are also some items, including some inscribed jades, which have symbols similar to or identical to several of the Dawenkou pictures, such as the circle and peaked crescent motif
1311:
dynasties. It has been pointed out that illiterate people are often able to use limited sets of symbols, including numerals, to convey meaning in a manner which is not writing per se.
1226:, a modern writing system associated with an ethnic group in the southwestern China, thousands of miles and thousands of years apart from the Longshan culture in northern China.
1320:
The traditional dating of the Shang extends earlier, to the 17th or 16th century BCE, but the oracle bone inscriptions date from the reigns of the last nine Shang kings, from
1274:'etched script'). Some scholars have suggested that they may be a form of proto-writing, but this is also disputed, as the symbols occur singly, with no evidence of phrases.
779:
Others have characterized the markings as directly ancestral to modern Chinese writing, citing resemblances between individual symbols and individual characters of the later
953:. Its earliest phase has yielded symbols painted on the inside surfaces of pottery basins. More recent excavations there have also uncovered a handful of Neolithic symbols.
2272:. Translated by Gilbert L. Mattos; Norman, Jerry. Berkeley: Society for the Study of Early China and The Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California.
352:
284:
1823:
609:
558:
1053:
Furthermore, there is no evidence of the phonetic loan usage and semantic-phonetic compounding necessary to produce a functional script as seen in the
1364:
The Banpo symbols are monosomatic entities such as x, | and +, each with only one component. See Wénwù Press 1963 p.197, plate 141 and plates 167–171.
735:
1299:
In fact, similar symbols which were not clearly part of any writing system and continued to be used even in the early historical periods, from the
787:
points out that such comparisons are "notoriously risky and inconclusive" when based on such primitive scratch marks rather than on similarity in
929:"There is a gap of about 5,000 years. It seems astonishing that they would be connected, We can't call it writing until we have more evidence."
808:
Only when symbols ... are consciously used to record words used to form sentences is there a true sign that the development of script has begun.
1587:
1247:
Between 2003 and 2006, over 240 pieces bearing symbols belonging to the Liangzhu culture were unearthed at the Zhuangqiaofen ruin in Lindai,
340:
295:
1078:
in the pictorial nature of the symbols, but in fact, a comparison of the majority of the Banpo symbols shows the exact opposite to be true.
519:
276:
2649:
2423:
2473:
2394:
Zhèng Hóngchūn 鄭洪春 & Mù Hǎitíng 穆海亭 (1988) 陜西長安花樓子客省莊二期文化遺址發掘 (Excavation of the Period-Two Ancient Cultural Remains at Hūalóuzĭ
1038:
which have some of the quality of writing, perhaps being primitive characters, while others have concluded based on comparisons to
551:
2384:(in English; Chinese title 漢字的原始和演變). Originally published by the Univ. of East Asia, Macau; now by Joint Publishing, Hong Kong.
2344:
2277:
2209:
2176:
2142:
2111:
1027:. As the Banpo symbols were discovered fairly early (1954–57) and are relatively numerous (with 22 different symbols on 113
2220:
303:
2561:
544:
2463:
1003:
Another group of early symbols, which many have compared to Chinese characters, are the Banpo symbols from sites like
2684:
1240:, and another described as a bird perched on a mountain-like shape; it appears that some of these may belong to the
432:
392:
195:
2707:
2416:
2355:), in 中國文化研究集刊 Zhōnggúo wénhùa yánjiū jíkān 2; Shànghǎi: Fúdàn Dàxué Chūbǎnshè, pp. 146–157 (in Chinese).
224:
2738:
202:
2073:
103:
532:
425:
219:
179:
141:
2508:
2409:
2293:
207:
44:
32:
2743:
2689:
1595:
1182:
2597:
2591:
2748:
2571:
362:
347:
263:
2084:
2074:
Experts row over 'earliest' Chinese inscriptions find at the Zhuangqiaofen archaeological site
1236:
1144:
2503:
2368:
A Preliminary Investigation of the Script on the Ancient Cultural Remains at Wúchéng, Jiāngxī
1043:
335:
164:
126:
81:
1616:
2717:
2581:
2576:
2453:
2339:
In Senner, Wayne M. (1989). The Origins of Writing. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press;
1186:
Eleven characters found at Dinggong in Shandong, China on a pottery shard, Longshan culture
571:
Beginning in the latter half of the 20th century, artifacts bearing markings dating to the
2062:
812:
Evidence is still scant, even when considering evidence dating to the early Shang period:
744:
Small collections of symbols have been found at several archeological sites dating to the
8:
2659:
2654:
1348:
496:
491:
146:
2157:
1552:
1509:
2536:
2106:] (in Chinese). Vol. II. Guangxi People's Publishing House. pp. 798–799.
2104:
A Comprehensive Comparative Study on Zhuang and Thai Nationalities' Traditional Culture
1906:
1219:
1039:
1024:
1016:
780:
580:
98:
24:
2353:李學勤 (1985). 考古發現與中國文字起源 (Archaeological Discoveries and the Origins of Chinese Writing
2679:
2644:
2340:
2273:
2240:
2205:
2172:
2138:
2107:
1355:
to 4020 to 3635 BCE (Woon reports 3500 BCE): Woon 1987, p.275 & 276 respectively.
1352:
768:
There is no scholarly consensus whether any of these markings constitute a primitive
584:
156:
121:
116:
1574:
2674:
2669:
2664:
2531:
2468:
2448:
2432:
2232:
2197:
1344:
1241:
1204:
1195:
1119:
1034:
Some scholars have concluded that they are meaningful symbols like clan emblems or
1020:
946:
784:
762:
758:
754:
750:
725:
708:
691:
2051:
1050:
which to conclude that the symbols are actually being used to represent language.
575:
period have been unearthed at several archeological sites in China, mostly in the
458:
2566:
2556:
2332:
1265:
938:
922:
845:
640:
313:
136:
54:
1218:, Shandong contains eleven symbols that do not look like the direct ancestor of
384:
2513:
1264:, late neolithic and bronze age artifacts have been uncovered bearing symbols (
1215:
1111:
Since excavations began in the 1950s, artifacts bearing inscriptions dating to
769:
595:
483:
245:
174:
151:
2236:
1214:
A pottery inscription of the Longshan culture discovered in Dinggong Village,
995:
739:
Neolithic sites yielding inscribed symbols. Digits indicate the millennium BC.
69:
2732:
2621:
2244:
1300:
1054:
882:
861:
822:
773:
2137:] (in Chinese). Guangxi Educational Publishing House. pp. 496–498.
2608:
1304:
1156:
identified the circle-and-cloud graph as the Chinese character for 'dawn',
1148:, while a third type has the latter above a fire or mountain-like element.
878:
576:
212:
2626:
2440:
2396:
in Cháng’ān, Shaǎnxī), Kǎogǔ yǔ Wénwù 5–6, pp. 229–239 (in Chinese).
1308:
111:
987:
368:
2636:
2546:
2478:
1681:
411:
236:
229:
2523:
2350:
2314:
2291:[From Primitive Record-keeping to the Invention of Writing].
2265:
1651:
1223:
1191:
1153:
1061:
1035:
912:
801:
745:
572:
2616:
2541:
2498:
2488:
2458:
2401:
1248:
1199:
1127:
1123:
1008:
894:
511:
472:
465:
169:
2363:), Shànghǎi: 上海科技教育出版社 Shànghǎi Kējì Jiàoyù Chūbǎnshè (in Chinese)
506:
2551:
2493:
1321:
1261:
1208:
1012:
966:
962:
849:
657:
2389:
Some Problems Pertaining to the Study of Ancient Chinese Writing
2391:), in Wénwù (Cultural Relics) v.2, pp. 32–35 (in Chinese).
2337:
The Origins of Writing in China: Scripts and Cultural Contexts.
1591:
1091:
401:
2370:), in Wénwù (Cultural Relics) v.7, pp. 72–76 (in Chinese)
2202:
The Origin and Early Development of the Chinese Writing System
800:
of a true, useful writing system such as phonetic loan usage.
2586:
2483:
2321:
1999:
Feng Shi, "Shandong Dinggong Longshan shidai wenzi jiedu" in
1095:
1046:. Still others feel they may be ownership or potters' marks.
1028:
1004:
950:
903:
886:
874:
841:
840:
The earliest Neolithic discovered in China symbols come from
674:
623:
64:
59:
2373:
Wénwù zīliào cóngkān (文物資料叢刊) (1978). 江西清江吳城商代遺址第四次發掘的主要收穫 (
1486:
1410:
870:
Turtle plastron from Jiahu inscribed with an eye-like symbol
2161:
Editorial Committee (April 1993). "本源书" [Sawgoek].
451:
2033:
2377:
at 吳城 Wúchéng in Qīngjiāng, Jiāngxī. 2.1–13 (in Chinese).
2375:
The Main Results of the Excavation of Shāng Period Pit #4
2221:"The Origins of Chinese Writing: the Neolithic Evidence"
2361:
Talking about the One Hundred Years of the Oracle Bones
2171:] (in Chinese). Guangxi People's Publishing House.
1343:
Banpo is radiocarbon dated to 4770 to 4290 BCE after
1130:, while at the Dawenkou sites by the Lingyang River (
1803:
1791:
1772:
1770:
1768:
1755:
1753:
1588:"Carvings may rewrite history of Chinese characters"
1031:), these have been the focus of the most attention.
2317:(1972). 古代文字之辯證的發展. in 考古 Kǎogǔ v.3, pp. 2–13.
1474:
1400:
1398:
1396:
1846:
1844:
1450:
1438:
1426:
1981:
1942:
1765:
1750:
1738:Wénwù Press 1963, p.197; pl.141 & pls.167–171
1462:
2730:
2327:Excavation of the Èrlĭtóu Sites at Yǎnshī, Hénán
1393:
969:, 3,172 cliff carvings dating to 6000–5000
579:valley. These symbols have been compared to the
1960:Keightley 1989 p.197, cited in Boltz 2003, p.46
1841:
2417:
2260:] (in Chinese). Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe.
1137:
1131:
552:
2151:
2135:Overview of the Culture of the Zhuang people
1269:
1229:
1907:"NEOLITHIC CHINA: BEFORE THE SHANG DYNASTY"
1788:Gāo 1987, pp.35–36; cited in Qiu 2000, p.31
1160:, while Tang Lan identified it as 'bright'
1074:over three millennia, one should expect an
2713:
2703:
2424:
2410:
2258:A General Survey of Ancient Chinese Script
1575:Dadiwan Relics Break Archeological Records
1347:correction (Woon reports 4000 BCE), while
1090:Symbols unearthed in 1992 at Shuangdun in
559:
545:
16:Markings found at Neolithic sites in China
2382:Chinese Writing: Its Origin and Evolution
1824:"The Neolithic site at Shuangdun, Bengbu"
1642:Woon 1987, p.13 (count excludes variants)
970:
942:
890:
2366:Táng Lán 唐蘭 (1975). 關於江西吳城文化遺址與文字的初步探索 (
2204:. New Haven: American Oriental Society.
1181:
994:
986:
865:
2650:Bactria–Margiana Archaeological Complex
2218:
1432:
2731:
1254:
982:
2405:
2329:), v.5, p. 215–224. (in Chinese)
2196:
2126:
2120:
1492:
1456:
1444:
1118:have been unearthed belonging to the
1098:are said to include composite signs.
2431:
2286:
2169:Encyclopedia of the Zhuang Ethnicity
2159:Encyclopedia of the Zhuang Ethnicity
1468:
1085:
945:) is a Neolithic site discovered in
718:
701:
684:
304:Standard Form of National Characters
2387:Yú Xĭngwú 于省吾 (1973) 關於古文字研究的若干問題 (
2264:
2251:
2095:
2089:
2085:“原始文字”？“刻畫符號”？ ——專家熱議浙江平湖莊橋墳遺址考古新發現
2039:
1987:
1948:
1821:
1809:
1797:
1776:
1759:
1617:"Chinese writing '8,000 years old'"
1510:"'Earliest writing' found in China"
1496:
1480:
1420:
1416:
1404:
1177:
977:
825:, with the earliest examples dated
650:
633:
13:
2464:List of Paleolithic sites in China
2307:
1633:文物出版社 Wénwù Chūbǎnshè, 1963, p.306
1594:online. 2007-05-18. Archived from
835:
14:
2760:
2685:List of Bronze Age sites in China
2359:Lĭ Xuéqín 李學勤 (2000). “百年甲骨話滄桑” (
1553:"Earliest writing" found in China
1101:
667:
616:
2712:
2702:
2225:Cambridge Archaeological Journal
1837:. trans. by Lee Yun-Kuen: 55–68.
1235:
1143:
717:
700:
683:
666:
649:
632:
615:
608:
393:Literary and colloquial readings
31:
2078:
2067:
2056:
2045:
2024:
2015:
2006:
1993:
1972:
1963:
1954:
1933:
1924:
1904:
1898:
1889:
1880:
1871:
1862:
1853:
1815:
1782:
1741:
1732:
1723:
1714:
1705:
1696:
1687:
1675:
1666:
1657:
1645:
1636:
1627:
1609:
1580:
1567:
1558:
1545:
1536:
1527:
1502:
1367:
1358:
1337:
1327:
1314:
1019:, and nearby, at Jiangzhai, in
925:told the BBC the similar idea:
893:. This site has yielded turtle
2287:Wang Ningsheng (汪宁生) (1981).
2189:
1293:
1284:
598:representing spoken language.
296:Nan Min Recommended Characters
1:
1939:Wang, Ningsheng, p. 28. 1981.
1381:
1112:
826:
588:
583:—the earliest known forms of
1386:
7:
2537:Early Neolithic settlements
1663:李孝定 Lĭ Xiàodìng 1974, p.366
1106:
974:can be identified as such.
877:is a Neolithic site in the
288:(Hong Kong, 2007)
277:General Standard Characters
10:
2765:
2380:Woon, Wee Lee 雲惟利 (1987).
956:
933:
889:, dated to 6600–6200
859:
533:Transliteration of Chinese
90:Neolithic symbols in China
2698:
2635:
2607:
2522:
2439:
2294:Acta Archaeologica Sinica
2237:10.1017/S0959774310000247
2042:, pp. 35–37, note 7.
1230:Possible Liangzhu symbols
1161:
1157:
1138:
1132:
999:Jiangzhai pottery symbols
965:, at Beishan Mountain in
601:
45:Chinese family of scripts
2690:Seima-Turbino phenomenon
2288:
2253:
2127:Liang, Tingwang (2000).
1555:, BBC Science 2003-4-17.
1533:Wenwu 1989, v.1, pp.1–14
1277:
1136:) and in Dazhu Village (
1057:'s oracle bone script.
855:
783:as evidence. Sinologist
285:Commonly-Used Characters
2598:Pre-Pottery Neolithic B
2592:Pre-Pottery Neolithic A
2474:Paleolithic Mesopotamia
2325:(1965). 河南偃師二里頭遺址發掘簡報 (
2252:Gao Ming (高明) (1987).
2219:Demattè, Paola (2010).
1711:Wénwù Press 1963, p.198
1564:Wenwu 1983:11, pp.21–30
258:Collation and standards
2708:Archaeological periods
2096:Tan, Shengmin (2003).
2063:中国最早原始文字引热议 被指是刻画非汉字前身
1729:Woon 1978 p.13 &22
1693:Zhèng Dékūn 1973, p.45
1270:
1187:
1175:
1071:
1060:Thus, leading scholar
1042:that some of them are
1000:
992:
931:
918:
871:
819:
810:
797:
520:Slavonic transcription
363:Japanese script reform
348:Traditional characters
2504:South Asian Stone Age
1185:
1170:
1082:that writing system.
1066:
998:
991:Banpo pottery symbols
990:
927:
900:
869:
814:
806:
793:
336:Simplified characters
2739:Chinese inscriptions
2582:Neolithic South Asia
2577:Neolithic Revolution
2454:Japanese Paleolithic
2333:Keightley, David. N.
1978:Boltz 2003, pp.51–52
1822:Kan, Xuhang (2008).
1116: 2800–2500 BCE
1064:(2000) argues that:
736:class=notpageimage|
2660:Bronze Age Caucasus
2655:Bronze Age Anatolia
2347:: pp. 171–202.
1895:Tang 1975, pp.72–73
1831:Chinese Archaeology
1672:Yú Xĭngwú 1973 p.32
1654:1972, pp. 2 & 6
983:Banpo and Jiangzhai
307:(Taiwan, 1982)
299:(Taiwan, 2009)
2547:Trialetian culture
2052:浙江發現良渚原始文字 比甲骨文早千年
1419:, pp. 30–32;
1220:Chinese characters
1188:
1040:oracle bone script
1025:4th millennium BCE
1017:5th millennium BCE
1001:
993:
872:
781:oracle bone script
585:Chinese characters
581:oracle bone script
319:(Japan, 2010)
25:Chinese characters
2726:
2725:
2680:Bronze Age Levant
2645:Andronovo culture
2552:Nemrikian culture
2345:978-0-8032-9167-6
2279:978-1-55729-071-7
2211:978-0-940490-18-5
2198:Boltz, William G.
2178:978-7-219-02476-8
2144:978-7-5435-2992-2
2113:978-7-219-04915-0
1812:, pp. 32–33.
1800:, pp. 31–32.
1483:, pp. 29–30.
1353:radiocarbon dated
1303:through the late
1255:Other discoveries
1086:Other discoveries
1023:, from the early
587:, first attested
569:
568:
433:Zetian characters
265:Kangxi Dictionary
2756:
2716:
2715:
2706:
2705:
2675:Bronze Age Korea
2670:Bronze Age India
2665:Bronze Age China
2542:Khiamian culture
2532:Fertile Crescent
2469:Natufian culture
2449:Dmanisi hominins
2433:Prehistoric Asia
2426:
2419:
2412:
2403:
2402:
2302:
2283:
2261:
2248:
2215:
2183:
2182:
2155:
2149:
2148:
2124:
2118:
2117:
2093:
2087:
2082:
2076:
2071:
2065:
2060:
2054:
2049:
2043:
2037:
2031:
2028:
2022:
2021:Wenwu 1978, p.52
2019:
2013:
2010:
2004:
1997:
1991:
1985:
1979:
1976:
1970:
1969:Boltz 2003, p.47
1967:
1961:
1958:
1952:
1946:
1940:
1937:
1931:
1928:
1922:
1921:
1919:
1917:
1902:
1896:
1893:
1887:
1884:
1878:
1875:
1869:
1866:
1860:
1859:Wenwu Press 1974
1857:
1851:
1848:
1839:
1838:
1828:
1819:
1813:
1807:
1801:
1795:
1789:
1786:
1780:
1774:
1763:
1757:
1748:
1745:
1739:
1736:
1730:
1727:
1721:
1718:
1712:
1709:
1703:
1700:
1694:
1691:
1685:
1679:
1673:
1670:
1664:
1661:
1655:
1649:
1643:
1640:
1634:
1631:
1625:
1624:
1613:
1607:
1606:
1604:
1603:
1584:
1578:
1571:
1565:
1562:
1556:
1549:
1543:
1540:
1534:
1531:
1525:
1524:
1522:
1521:
1506:
1500:
1490:
1484:
1478:
1472:
1466:
1460:
1454:
1448:
1442:
1436:
1430:
1424:
1414:
1408:
1402:
1375:
1371:
1365:
1362:
1356:
1349:Jiangzhai, Xi'an
1345:bristlecone pine
1341:
1335:
1331:
1325:
1318:
1312:
1297:
1291:
1288:
1273:
1242:Liangzhu culture
1239:
1205:Liangzhu culture
1203:sherds from the
1178:Longshan culture
1163:
1159:
1147:
1141:
1140:
1135:
1134:
1120:Dawenkou culture
1117:
1114:
1021:Lintong District
1015:dating from the
978:Middle Neolithic
972:
944:
941:(5800–5400
916:
892:
831:
828:
785:William G. Boltz
721:
720:
704:
703:
687:
686:
670:
669:
653:
652:
636:
635:
619:
618:
612:
593:
590:
561:
554:
547:
280:(PRC, 2013)
246:Digital encoding
165:Modern typefaces
48:
35:
21:
20:
2764:
2763:
2759:
2758:
2757:
2755:
2754:
2753:
2744:Neolithic China
2729:
2728:
2727:
2722:
2694:
2631:
2603:
2572:Neolithic Korea
2567:Neolithic Tibet
2562:Neolithic China
2557:Zarzian culture
2518:
2435:
2430:
2400:
2310:
2308:Further reading
2305:
2290:
2280:
2270:Chinese Writing
2266:Qiu Xigui (裘锡圭)
2255:
2212:
2192:
2187:
2186:
2179:
2156:
2152:
2145:
2125:
2121:
2114:
2094:
2090:
2083:
2079:
2072:
2068:
2061:
2057:
2050:
2046:
2038:
2034:
2029:
2025:
2020:
2016:
2011:
2007:
1998:
1994:
1986:
1982:
1977:
1973:
1968:
1964:
1959:
1955:
1947:
1943:
1938:
1934:
1930:Wang 1981, p.27
1929:
1925:
1915:
1913:
1911:www.indiana.edu
1903:
1899:
1894:
1890:
1885:
1881:
1876:
1872:
1867:
1863:
1858:
1854:
1850:Woon 1987, p.27
1849:
1842:
1826:
1820:
1816:
1808:
1804:
1796:
1792:
1787:
1783:
1775:
1766:
1758:
1751:
1746:
1742:
1737:
1733:
1728:
1724:
1720:Wāng 1981, p.23
1719:
1715:
1710:
1706:
1701:
1697:
1692:
1688:
1684:1975, pp.229–30
1680:
1676:
1671:
1667:
1662:
1658:
1650:
1646:
1641:
1637:
1632:
1628:
1615:
1614:
1610:
1601:
1599:
1598:on July 8, 2007
1586:
1585:
1581:
1572:
1568:
1563:
1559:
1550:
1546:
1541:
1537:
1532:
1528:
1519:
1517:
1508:
1507:
1503:
1491:
1487:
1479:
1475:
1467:
1463:
1455:
1451:
1443:
1439:
1431:
1427:
1415:
1411:
1403:
1394:
1389:
1384:
1379:
1378:
1372:
1368:
1363:
1359:
1342:
1338:
1332:
1328:
1319:
1315:
1298:
1294:
1289:
1285:
1280:
1257:
1232:
1180:
1115:
1109:
1104:
1088:
1007:, just east of
985:
980:
959:
936:
923:David Keightley
917:
911:
864:
858:
838:
836:Early Neolithic
830: 1200 BCE
829:
742:
741:
740:
738:
732:
731:
730:
729:
722:
714:
713:
712:
705:
697:
696:
695:
688:
680:
679:
678:
671:
663:
662:
661:
654:
646:
645:
644:
637:
629:
628:
627:
620:
604:
592: 1200 BCE
591:
565:
525:
524:
516:
503:
480:
446:
445:Derived systems
438:
437:
428:
418:
417:
407:
397:
388:
377:
376:
359:
331:
323:
322:
310:
291:
272:
259:
251:
250:
198:
194:Properties and
187:
186:
161:
133:
108:
95:
84:
55:Written Chinese
51:
42:
17:
12:
11:
5:
2762:
2752:
2751:
2746:
2741:
2724:
2723:
2721:
2720:
2710:
2699:
2696:
2695:
2693:
2692:
2687:
2682:
2677:
2672:
2667:
2662:
2657:
2652:
2647:
2641:
2639:
2633:
2632:
2630:
2629:
2624:
2619:
2613:
2611:
2605:
2604:
2602:
2601:
2595:
2589:
2584:
2579:
2574:
2569:
2564:
2559:
2554:
2549:
2544:
2539:
2534:
2528:
2526:
2520:
2519:
2517:
2516:
2514:Xiaochangliang
2511:
2506:
2501:
2496:
2491:
2486:
2481:
2476:
2471:
2466:
2461:
2456:
2451:
2445:
2443:
2437:
2436:
2429:
2428:
2421:
2414:
2406:
2399:
2398:
2392:
2385:
2378:
2371:
2364:
2357:
2348:
2330:
2318:
2311:
2309:
2306:
2304:
2303:
2297:(in Chinese).
2284:
2278:
2262:
2249:
2231:(2): 211–228.
2216:
2210:
2193:
2191:
2188:
2185:
2184:
2177:
2150:
2143:
2119:
2112:
2088:
2077:
2066:
2055:
2044:
2032:
2030:Li Xueqin 1985
2023:
2014:
2005:
1992:
1980:
1971:
1962:
1953:
1941:
1932:
1923:
1897:
1888:
1879:
1877:Wang 1981 p.33
1870:
1861:
1852:
1840:
1814:
1802:
1790:
1781:
1764:
1749:
1740:
1731:
1722:
1713:
1704:
1702:Woon 1978 p.13
1695:
1686:
1674:
1665:
1656:
1644:
1635:
1626:
1623:. 18 May 2007.
1608:
1579:
1566:
1557:
1544:
1542:Li 2000, pp.24
1535:
1526:
1501:
1495:, p. 31;
1485:
1473:
1461:
1449:
1437:
1425:
1409:
1391:
1390:
1388:
1385:
1383:
1380:
1377:
1376:
1366:
1357:
1336:
1326:
1313:
1292:
1282:
1281:
1279:
1276:
1256:
1253:
1231:
1228:
1216:Zouping County
1179:
1176:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1102:Late Neolithic
1100:
1087:
1084:
984:
981:
979:
976:
958:
955:
935:
932:
909:
860:Main article:
857:
854:
837:
834:
791:. Boltz adds:
790:
770:writing system
734:
733:
724:
723:
716:
715:
707:
706:
699:
698:
690:
689:
682:
681:
673:
672:
665:
664:
656:
655:
648:
647:
639:
638:
631:
630:
622:
621:
614:
613:
607:
606:
605:
603:
600:
596:writing system
567:
566:
564:
563:
556:
549:
541:
538:
537:
536:
535:
527:
526:
523:
522:
515:
514:
509:
502:
501:
500:
499:
494:
486:
484:Jurchen script
479:
478:
477:
476:
469:
462:
447:
444:
443:
440:
439:
436:
435:
429:
424:
423:
420:
419:
416:
415:
406:
405:
396:
395:
389:
383:
382:
379:
378:
375:
374:
373:
372:
358:
357:
356:
355:
345:
344:
343:
332:
329:
328:
325:
324:
321:
320:
309:
308:
300:
290:
289:
281:
271:
270:
260:
257:
256:
253:
252:
249:
248:
243:
242:
241:
234:
222:
217:
216:
215:
205:
199:
196:classification
193:
192:
189:
188:
185:
184:
183:
182:
177:
172:
160:
159:
154:
149:
144:
139:
132:
131:
130:
129:
124:
119:
107:
106:
101:
94:
93:
85:
79:
78:
75:
74:
73:
72:
67:
62:
57:
50:
49:
37:
36:
28:
27:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
2761:
2750:
2749:Proto-writing
2747:
2745:
2742:
2740:
2737:
2736:
2734:
2719:
2711:
2709:
2701:
2700:
2697:
2691:
2688:
2686:
2683:
2681:
2678:
2676:
2673:
2671:
2668:
2666:
2663:
2661:
2658:
2656:
2653:
2651:
2648:
2646:
2643:
2642:
2640:
2638:
2634:
2628:
2625:
2623:
2622:Halaf culture
2620:
2618:
2615:
2614:
2612:
2610:
2606:
2600:(Mesopotamia)
2599:
2596:
2594:(Mesopotamia)
2593:
2590:
2588:
2585:
2583:
2580:
2578:
2575:
2573:
2570:
2568:
2565:
2563:
2560:
2558:
2555:
2553:
2550:
2548:
2545:
2543:
2540:
2538:
2535:
2533:
2530:
2529:
2527:
2525:
2521:
2515:
2512:
2510:
2507:
2505:
2502:
2500:
2497:
2495:
2492:
2490:
2487:
2485:
2482:
2480:
2477:
2475:
2472:
2470:
2467:
2465:
2462:
2460:
2457:
2455:
2452:
2450:
2447:
2446:
2444:
2442:
2438:
2434:
2427:
2422:
2420:
2415:
2413:
2408:
2407:
2404:
2397:
2393:
2390:
2386:
2383:
2379:
2376:
2372:
2369:
2365:
2362:
2358:
2356:
2352:
2349:
2346:
2342:
2338:
2334:
2331:
2328:
2324:
2323:
2319:
2316:
2313:
2312:
2300:
2296:
2295:
2285:
2281:
2275:
2271:
2267:
2263:
2259:
2250:
2246:
2242:
2238:
2234:
2230:
2226:
2222:
2217:
2213:
2207:
2203:
2199:
2195:
2194:
2180:
2174:
2170:
2166:
2163:
2160:
2154:
2146:
2140:
2136:
2132:
2129:
2123:
2115:
2109:
2105:
2101:
2098:
2092:
2086:
2081:
2075:
2070:
2064:
2059:
2053:
2048:
2041:
2036:
2027:
2018:
2012:Li 1987, p.79
2009:
2002:
1996:
1990:, p. 39.
1989:
1984:
1975:
1966:
1957:
1951:, p. 38.
1950:
1945:
1936:
1927:
1912:
1908:
1901:
1892:
1886:Yu 1973, p.32
1883:
1874:
1865:
1856:
1847:
1845:
1836:
1832:
1825:
1818:
1811:
1806:
1799:
1794:
1785:
1779:, p. 33.
1778:
1773:
1771:
1769:
1762:, p. 31.
1761:
1756:
1754:
1747:Táng Lán 1978
1744:
1735:
1726:
1717:
1708:
1699:
1690:
1683:
1678:
1669:
1660:
1653:
1648:
1639:
1630:
1622:
1618:
1612:
1597:
1593:
1589:
1583:
1576:
1570:
1561:
1554:
1551:Paul Rincon,
1548:
1539:
1530:
1515:
1511:
1505:
1499:, p. 11.
1498:
1494:
1489:
1482:
1477:
1471:, p. 42.
1470:
1465:
1459:, p. 35.
1458:
1453:
1447:, p. 38.
1446:
1441:
1434:
1429:
1423:, p. 36.
1422:
1418:
1413:
1407:, p. 30.
1406:
1401:
1399:
1397:
1392:
1370:
1361:
1354:
1350:
1346:
1340:
1330:
1323:
1317:
1310:
1306:
1302:
1296:
1287:
1283:
1275:
1272:
1267:
1263:
1252:
1250:
1245:
1243:
1238:
1227:
1225:
1221:
1217:
1212:
1210:
1207:of the lower
1206:
1201:
1197:
1193:
1184:
1174:
1169:
1165:
1155:
1149:
1146:
1129:
1125:
1121:
1099:
1097:
1093:
1083:
1079:
1077:
1070:
1065:
1063:
1058:
1056:
1055:Shang dynasty
1051:
1047:
1045:
1041:
1037:
1032:
1030:
1026:
1022:
1018:
1014:
1010:
1006:
997:
989:
975:
968:
964:
954:
952:
948:
947:Qin'an County
940:
930:
926:
924:
914:
908:
905:
899:
896:
888:
884:
883:Wuyang County
881:basin within
880:
876:
868:
863:
862:Jiahu symbols
853:
851:
847:
843:
833:
824:
823:Shang dynasty
818:
813:
809:
805:
803:
796:
792:
788:
786:
782:
777:
775:
774:proto-writing
771:
766:
764:
760:
756:
752:
747:
737:
727:
710:
693:
676:
659:
642:
625:
611:
599:
597:
586:
582:
578:
574:
562:
557:
555:
550:
548:
543:
542:
540:
539:
534:
531:
530:
529:
528:
521:
518:
517:
513:
510:
508:
505:
504:
498:
495:
493:
490:
489:
487:
485:
482:
481:
475:
474:
470:
468:
467:
463:
461:
460:
456:
455:
454:
453:
449:
448:
442:
441:
434:
431:
430:
427:
422:
421:
414:
413:
409:
408:
404:
403:
399:
398:
394:
391:
390:
386:
381:
380:
371:
370:
366:
365:
364:
361:
360:
354:
351:
350:
349:
346:
342:
339:
338:
337:
334:
333:
327:
326:
318:
316:
312:
311:
306:
305:
301:
298:
297:
293:
292:
287:
286:
282:
279:
278:
274:
273:
268:
266:
262:
261:
255:
254:
247:
244:
240:
239:
235:
233:
232:
228:
227:
226:
223:
221:
218:
214:
211:
210:
209:
206:
204:
201:
200:
197:
191:
190:
181:
178:
176:
173:
171:
168:
167:
166:
163:
162:
158:
155:
153:
150:
148:
145:
143:
140:
138:
135:
134:
128:
125:
123:
120:
118:
115:
114:
113:
110:
109:
105:
102:
100:
97:
96:
92:
91:
87:
86:
83:
82:script styles
80:Evolution of
77:
76:
71:
68:
66:
63:
61:
58:
56:
53:
52:
47:
46:
41:
40:
39:
38:
34:
30:
29:
26:
23:
22:
19:
2718:Time periods
2609:Chalcolithic
2395:
2388:
2381:
2374:
2367:
2360:
2354:
2336:
2326:
2320:
2298:
2292:
2269:
2257:
2228:
2224:
2201:
2168:
2165:
2162:
2158:
2153:
2134:
2131:
2128:
2122:
2103:
2100:
2099:壮泰民族传统文化比较研究
2097:
2091:
2080:
2069:
2058:
2047:
2035:
2026:
2017:
2008:
2000:
1995:
1983:
1974:
1965:
1956:
1944:
1935:
1926:
1914:. Retrieved
1910:
1900:
1891:
1882:
1873:
1864:
1855:
1834:
1830:
1817:
1805:
1793:
1784:
1743:
1734:
1725:
1716:
1707:
1698:
1689:
1677:
1668:
1659:
1647:
1638:
1629:
1620:
1611:
1600:. Retrieved
1596:the original
1582:
1577:, China.org.
1569:
1560:
1547:
1538:
1529:
1518:. Retrieved
1516:. 2003-04-17
1513:
1504:
1488:
1476:
1464:
1452:
1440:
1433:Demattè 2010
1428:
1412:
1369:
1360:
1339:
1329:
1316:
1295:
1286:
1258:
1246:
1233:
1213:
1189:
1171:
1166:
1150:
1110:
1089:
1080:
1075:
1072:
1067:
1059:
1052:
1048:
1033:
1002:
960:
937:
928:
919:
915:et al., 2003
901:
879:Yellow River
873:
839:
820:
815:
811:
807:
798:
794:
778:
767:
743:
577:Yellow River
570:
471:
464:
457:
450:
410:
400:
387:and readings
367:
341:second round
314:
302:
294:
283:
275:
264:
237:
230:
147:Semi-cursive
89:
88:
43:
18:
2627:Uruk period
2441:Paleolithic
2190:Works cited
1916:3 September
225:Orthography
99:Oracle bone
2733:Categories
2637:Bronze Age
2479:Peking Man
2289:从原始记事到文字发明
1682:Ping-ti Ho
1602:2007-05-19
1573:Chen Lin,
1520:2010-05-20
1493:Boltz 2003
1457:Boltz 2003
1445:Boltz 2003
1382:References
1036:signatures
804:explains:
765:cultures.
459:man'yōgana
385:Homographs
238:xin zixing
231:jiu zixing
203:Components
157:Flat brush
2524:Neolithic
2351:Li Xueqin
2315:Guo Moruo
2268:(2000) .
2245:0959-7743
2200:(2003) .
1868:Wang 1986
1652:Guo Moruo
1469:Wang 1981
1387:Citations
1224:Yi script
1192:Chengziya
1154:Yu Xingwu
1062:Qiu Xigui
913:Li Xueqin
895:plastrons
802:Qiu Xigui
746:Neolithic
573:Neolithic
127:Bird-worm
2617:Daimabad
2509:Ubeidiya
2499:Solo Man
2489:Sangiran
2459:Java Man
2335:(1989).
2040:Qiu 2000
1988:Qiu 2000
1949:Qiu 2000
1905:Eno, R.
1810:Qiu 2000
1798:Qiu 2000
1777:Qiu 2000
1760:Qiu 2000
1514:BBC News
1497:Qiu 2000
1481:Qiu 2000
1421:Gao 1987
1417:Qiu 2000
1405:Qiu 2000
1334:writing.
1249:Zhejiang
1211:valley.
1200:Shandong
1196:Longshan
1194:site in
1173:writing.
1128:cinnabar
1124:Shandong
1107:Dawenkou
1076:increase
1044:numerals
910:—
907:script."
817:writing.
789:function
763:Longshan
759:Majiayao
755:Liangzhu
751:Yangshao
726:Liangzhu
709:Longshan
692:Dawenkou
512:Bopomofo
473:katakana
466:hiragana
426:Variants
369:kyūjitai
220:Radicals
170:Fangsong
137:Clerical
2494:Soanian
2254:中国古文字通论
2003:1:37–54
1374:(p.51).
1322:Wu Ding
1262:Guangxi
1209:Yangtze
1013:Shaanxi
967:Ningxia
963:Damaidi
957:Damaidi
939:Dadiwan
934:Dadiwan
850:Damaidi
846:Dadiwan
658:Damaidi
641:Dadiwan
488:Khitan
330:Reforms
208:Strokes
152:Regular
142:Cursive
70:Chữ Hán
2343:
2276:
2243:
2208:
2175:
2164:壮族百科辞典
2141:
2130:壮族文化概论
2110:
1592:Xinhua
1271:Sawveh
1266:Zhuang
1092:Bengbu
1029:sherds
602:Nature
402:Kanbun
353:debate
269:(1716)
104:Bronze
2587:Ohalo
2484:Riwat
2322:Kaogu
2301:: 42.
2256:[
2167:[
2133:[
2102:[
2001:Kaogu
1827:(PDF)
1301:Shang
1278:Notes
1096:Anhui
1009:Xi'an
1005:Banpo
951:Gansu
904:Yinxu
887:Henan
875:Jiahu
856:Jiahu
842:Jiahu
675:Banpo
624:Jiahu
507:Nüshu
497:small
492:large
317:kanji
267:forms
213:order
122:Small
117:Large
65:Hanja
60:Kanji
2341:ISBN
2274:ISBN
2241:ISSN
2206:ISBN
2173:ISBN
2139:ISBN
2108:ISBN
1918:2023
1307:and
1305:Zhou
1190:The
848:and
761:and
749:the
452:Kana
315:Jōyō
175:Ming
112:Seal
2233:doi
1621:BBC
1351:is
1309:Han
1139:大朱村
1133:陵陽河
1122:in
1094:in
1011:in
971:BCE
961:In
943:BCE
891:BCE
772:or
728:(3)
711:(2)
694:(2)
677:(5)
660:(6)
643:(5)
626:(6)
412:Idu
180:Hei
2735::
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2229:20
2227:.
2223:.
1909:.
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1829:.
1767:^
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1268::
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1920:.
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1162:炅
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546:v
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