Tsinghua University Library currently houses over 1,750 pieces of oracle bones, with 1,495 pieces bearing inscriptions. The majority of these valuable artifacts are from the former collections of eminent oracle bone scholars Hu Houxuan and Yu Shengwu, which were purchased by the renowned oracle bone expert Chen Mengjia and then added to Tsinghua University Library’s collection. Additionally, our collection includes pieces once owned by Wang Yirong, the discoverer of oracle bone inscriptions, and Liu E, the author of the first academic compilation of oracle bone studies—all of which hold both collectible value and historical significance.
In 2013, oracle bones from the Yin Ruins in Tsinghua University Library were included on the fourth batch of China’s National List of Precious Ancient Books (《国家珍贵古籍名录》). In October 2017, the oracle-bone inscriptions project submitted by China successfully passed the evaluation of the International Advisory Committee of the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme. As a result, these oracle bones collected by Tsinghua University Library, National Library of China, Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and eight other institutions were jointly listed on the Memory of the World International Register.
Tsinghua University Library’s collection possesses a significant number of high-quality oracle bones, featuring clear engravings and rich content, making them highly valuable as cultural artifacts as well as historical records. Most of the oracle bone inscriptions in the library collection are divination inscriptions carved with a knife, though a few rare examples showcase characters written with early writing brushes (including vermilion inscriptions and black-ink inscriptions). This exhibition presents over 50 pieces of oracle bones, providing us with a glimpse into the charm of the oracle-bone inscriptions from the Shang dynasty (c. 1600—1046 BCE) and the brilliance of the Chinese civilization.
