For centuries, certain key records in China were documented on fragments of bone and shell with enigmatic glyphs. Every stroke, crack, and crevice of these inscriptions — known as oracle bones — hold important clues about the bygone Shang dynasty.

Etched with one of humanity's earliest writing systems, oracle bones date back to over 3,500 years ago. Often made of fragments of ox bones and turtle shells, oracle bones were used to record details of divination ceremonies, serving as a way for priests and emperors to communicate with deities and ancestors. Hugely significant, these relics also remain largely inscrutable. Out of the 150,000 oracle bones discovered, only 4,500 unique characters have been identified, and less than half of those have been matched to their modern counterparts.

While pioneers of contemporary oracle bone studies have devoted whole careers to deciphering these treasured inscriptions, they have struggled to find new ways to stimulate public interest in a fading piece of history.

Song Zhenhao, of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, says that a deeper understanding of oracle bones is crucial, as they are “one of the first chapters in Chinese anthropology.” Through the study of oracle bones, Song adds, we can unlock “a cultural dialogue with our ancestors from over 3,000 years ago.”

Tencent’s Oracle Bone Corpus: A Deep Dive

Recognizing the importance of oracle bone research, Tencent has developed a partnership with researchers, with the aim of equipping budding anthropologists with the resources they need to delve deeper into these fascinating fragments. 

Complete with fully actualized 3D rendered models, digital replicas, and enhanced ink rubbings, the  comprehensive features of the Corpus ensure that every detail can be studied.

Image Database and Viewing Modes

A defining feature of Tencent’s Oracle Bone Corpus is the platform’s ability to help visualize the oracle bone inscriptions and provide accurate character recognition. Through different viewing modes and filters, users can tailor their oracle bone research journey to their preferences.

Scientific Viewing Modes

After selecting an oracle bone on the digital database, users can go through different viewing modes to examine an inscription more closely. Under the Scientific Viewing Mode, users can choose from these different filters to undertake their research:

Indentation Highlight

The Indentation Highlight Feature sharpens the original oracle bone rendering by enhancing the visibility of shallow carvings. It allows users to examine every detail, down to the cracks on the oracle bones themselves.

Greyscale Filter

This filter allows users to focus purely on shapes and strokes of the inscriptions, free of color and other markings on the oracle bones.

AI-Enhanced Digital Rubbing

The AI-Enhanced Digital Rubbing provides a print-like black-and-white rendering of the inscriptions. Through this viewing mode, users no longer need to imagine what the inscriptions would look like in full, as the AI helps accentuate strokes that would otherwise appear incomplete. Overlayed with a negative color filter, users can examine the inscriptions with optimal detail.

AI-Enhanced Digital Copy

On the other hand, the AI-Enhanced Digital Copy provides a view of oracle bones with stokes highlighted in black, placed against a white background. Users have the option to toggle between Digital Rubbing and Digital Copy to maximize the visibility of the strokes on the oracle bones.

Archived Images

Under this mode, users can compare the digital renderings of the oracle bones to historical research images submitted to the digital database. Here, users can examine outlines and photographs of the oracle bones to see how far oracle bone research has come.

Character Database

On the Corpus, a detailed account of characters found on these oracle bone inscriptions is available. With a click, users can determine information such as how the character is written in modern-day Chinese, how many times and where the character has been recorded on the inscriptions, and the meaning of the character. In addition, the Character Database outlines the journey of a character’s development, tracing its evolution for linguists interested in learning about the Chinese language.

Fostering Collaboration and Increasing Cultural Awareness

Through developing this comprehensive database for researchers and history enthusiasts alike, Tencent furthers its Tech for Good mission – using technology to catalyze cultural development so that people can better understand and appreciate history and culture.

This is further actualized through a Weixin Mini Program, Amazing Oracle Bones, which offers interactive experiences like daily oracle bone words and trivia quizzes, sparking public curiosity and igniting a passion for these treasures.

To join Tencent on this collective quest for knowledge, visit the Oracle Bone Corpus at https://www.jgwlbq.org.cn/home.