Zaifeng's bone dagger is engraved with words on one side and text on the other side. One end is broken. The text is divided into two lines, intact and extremely rare. The layout is exquisite and beautiful, the density is appropriate, the pen is strong and round, and the structure is patchy, showing the beauty of mature inscriptions and calligraphy.
Interpretation of Zaifeng Bone Dagger Inscriptions An Guoxin
According to legend, the Zaifeng bone dagger was unearthed in Anyang, Henan. It was preliminarily determined to be a ox bone in the late Shang Dynasty, 27.3 cm long, 3.8 cm wide, and shovel-shaped. According to the inscription, it is inferred that the Zaifeng bone dagger was an instrument used to explore the moisture of the farmland, and it was also a ritual instrument used in agricultural sacrifices in the Shang Dynasty. The bone dagger is inlaid with 14 turquoise stones, with exquisite decorations on one side and two lines of 28 characters on the other side. Experts and scholars have many discussions about bone dagger inscriptions, and they have different opinions. However, the author believes that there are many mistakes in the cognition of bone dagger inscriptions, and there is still a need for further discussion. Therefore, the bone dagger was engraved with twenty-eight characters, and the explanation was reinterpreted as follows:
Read the first line vertically from the right:
The first word: "工" in ancient prose. "Said Wen": "Gong" Gu Hongqi. Also cleverly decorated. Elephant people have rules. Agree with Wu. All the subordinates of workers are in the work. 【Translation】Work, skillful in literary decoration. Elephant hands have regular rectangles. Agree with the Wuzi configuration from Cong Gong. Through the understanding of the interpretation of the word "工" in "Shuowen", the author believes that "工" is an instrument with a penetrating function, and the bone dagger is one of such instruments. "工" is synonymous with "attack", so it is used as a verb in the inscription. In this inscription, "Work" means bone dagger and shovel. Interpretation as: "工" character, interpretation as: "to pierce a tool with a clever pattern (bone dagger)".
The second word: "Zhan" ancient prose. It is composed of the upper and lower two "工" characters. It is the provincial body of the ancient prose of "zhan" composed of four "工" characters. "Shuowen": I look at it very skillfully. From Si Gong. [Note]: A very clever sentence. [Paragraph note]: "Working is a skill, counting four works is a great skill. To see it with great skill, it is said that it is a skill to carve Lou Lou, and a skill to lose one's son. It is also a skill for one's eyes." Press, "Duan Annotation": "Every word for Zhanbu should be here. In this inscription, this word is interpreted as: "Zhan". The interpretation is: ingeniously inspected.
The third word: ancient prose with the word "王". In this inscription specifically refers to the emperor. Interpretation as: "王". The interpretation is: Wang.
The fourth word: "Tian" in ancient prose. "Said Wen" will be cut in the next year, Chen Ye. The tree bark said field. Like four; ten, the system of rice paddies. All fields belong to the field. [Translation]: Tian, display (to be neat and tidy). The place where rice is grown is called field. (Mouth) The boundary around Xiangtian; ten means the horizontal and horizontal ditching of east, west, south and north. Dafantian's subordinates are all from the field. Interpretation as: "Tian" character. Interpreted as: a place where grains are grown.
The fifth word: "and" in ancient prose. [Zhengzitong]: and, give also, pass for and. In this inscription, the word is interpreted as: "and". The interpretation is: ask the gods to give it.
The sixth word: "Mai" in ancient prose. "Shuowen": The awns are thickly grown in autumn, so it is called the wheat. Mai, Kim also. The King of Gold was born, and the King of Fire died. Always, there are those who are strong; Congkui. All wheat is from wheat. In this inscription, the word should refer to the field where wheat is grown according to the season and context. Interpretation as: "Mai" character. Interpreted as: wheat field.
Seventh word: a variant of the ancient Chinese character "烝". "Shuowen": Sui, arrogant, and angry. From the fire, Cheng Sheng. [Translation] Sui, the anger rises. From the fire, Cheng Sheng. In this inscription, it means that Yang Qi rises. Interpretation as: "烝" character. Interpreted as: Yang Qi.
The eighth word: "隺" in ancient Chinese variants. Like the shape of a bird flying. "Said Wen": High to the point. Want to come out from the 隹. 【Translation】Yu, it's extremely high. Interpretation as: "隺" character. The interpretation is: Yang Qi reaches the extreme.
The ninth word: the ancient prose of the word "shang". "Said Wen": "Shang" style Yang Qi. Knowing from the outside is also within. [Translation]: "Shang", estimate the situation inside from the outside. Interpretation as: "Shang" character. Interpretation: Estimate the internal yang situation.
The first cross: the ancient Chinese character "烕". "Shuowen": 烕, extinguish also. From the fire, Xu. The fire died of Xu. Yang Qi is exhausted. 【Translation】Chun, the fire goes out. From the fire, Xu understands. This character is represented by the inverted triangle symbol to indicate that the Yin is prosperous and the Yang is extinguished, instead of the understanding structure of Xiaozhuan with a Yin (a horizontal understanding) on top and a fire on the bottom. Interpretation as: "烕" character. The interpretation is: annihilation.
The eleventh word: "曐" in ancient Chinese variants. "Shuowen": The essence of all things, the above is the column. Congjing makes sound. This character is different from Xiaozhuan, and the upper part has the characteristics of a pictorial bird star. Especially refers to the astrology of spring, "Shangshu·Yaodian": "The star bird in the sun, with Yin Zhongchun". Interpretation as: "曐" character. The interpretation is: Spring Star God.
The twelfth word: the ancient prose of the word "王". "Shuowen": The world will return. Dong Zhongshu said: "The ancient writers have three paintings. The three are the heaven, the earth, and the people. The king of the three links is also the king." In this inscription, it is extended to the star gods. Interpretation as: "王". The interpretation is: Star God.
The thirteenth word: "Yi" in ancient prose. In this inscription it refers to the meaning of gestation. Interpretation as: "easy" character. The interpretation is: to breed change.
Read the second line vertically from the right
The first word: "Zai" in ancient prose. In this inscription it means to dominate all things. Interpretation as: "Zai" character. The interpretation is: dominate.
The second word: "Tun" ancient prose. "Suo Wen" is also difficult. The first birth of the elephant wood is difficult. "Yi" said: "Tun, rigid and soft begin to cross but difficult to grow. It is interpreted as the word "tun". The interpretation is: grass and trees are born.
The third word: "烰" in ancient Chinese variants. The difference between the font composition and the Xiaozhuan is that the original symbol agrees to replace it. "Said Wen": The word "烰" means Sui Ye. From the fire, the sound of Fu. "The Poetry" said: "Song of Sui Yan". [Jade Chapter·Fire Department]: "Yang, the fire is full of energy. In this inscription, it refers to Yang Qi. The interpretation is: "Yang". The interpretation is: Yang Qi.
The fourth word: "Qi" in ancient Chinese variants. This word has always been interpreted by scholars as "small", but the author thinks it is incorrect. The shape of this character comes from the pictogram of rising yang energy. "Said Wen": " qi" Yunqi also. Pictogram. All qi belongs to qi. [Note] Press, Yu Xingwu "Oracle Bone Inscriptions Shi Lin·Qi Zi": "The three Oracle Bone Inscriptions are today's Qi characters". In fact, the three strokes of Zhudao are also Qi characters. For example, in the "Book of Cangjie", the upper part of the word "Qi" is the three vertical roads. In fact, its intention to construct characters is very clear: "from one to two", "from two to one", and at the same time expresses the original three states of Qi. Interpretation as: "qi", interpretation as: qi.
The fifth word: "Shi" in ancient Chinese variants. It consists of two parts, left and right. The left part is the oracle bone inscription "Yin"; the right part is the ancient Chinese character "Zhan", the overall expression is Zhanhou Chuyin. "Said Wen": "Yin, Ge Zhenqie, patella. In the first month, Yang Qiong, go to Huangquan, want to go out, yin is on the border, like the liu, but the patella is in the next. All the yin's belongings are from the yin" . "Yin" is the head of the earthly branches, which means that the first month is the beginning of the year, and the yang energy is sprouting. According to the connotation of the word Yin, the synonym is changed to the word "Begin". The interpretation is: "Begin", and the interpretation is: Yang Qi begins to emerge.
The sixth word: "Meng" in ancient Chinese variants. Knowing characters, upper and lower structure, the upper part of the basin is pictograms, which come out of birth, knowing the yang energy; the lower part is the ancient Chinese character "月". The overall expression is that the first month of the Xia calendar year, the first month, the yang qi begins to sprout. Interpreted as "Meng". Interpreted as: sprouted.
Seventh word: "10,000" ancient prose. This character is the original symbolic form of the "10,000" character. Interpretation as: "10,000". The interpretation is: everything.
The eighth word: "Five" ancient prose. This character is the original symbolic form of the "five" character. With the intersection of the upper and lower yin and yang symbols, the five elements revolve and the creatures express it. "Noon" and "Don't" in ancient ancient Chinese are the same as the original word. Later generations, the synonymous near-sounds of Jiayifu were transcribed into the word "wu". Interpretation as: things.
The ninth word: "out" in ancient Chinese variants. It is composed of an inclined basin body pictogram and a vertical basin in the basin. Knowing that the pot pours out. Interpretation is: the word "出", and the interpretation is: 物出.
The first cross: "Bird" in ancient prose. Black bird pictograph. In this inscription, it refers specifically to the Nangong Zhuniao among the Four Elephants. Interpretation as: "bird" character. The interpretation is: Zhu Niao.
The eleventh word: the ancient prose of the word "王". "Shuowen": The world will return. Dong Zhongshu said: "Ancient writers" are connected in three paintings. The three are heaven, earth, and people. And the king of the three links. In this inscription, it refers specifically to Zhuniao Chidi. Interpretation as: "王". Interpreted as: Zhu Di.
The twelfth word: "Gong" is a variant of ancient Chinese. The meaning of the word formation is unclear, and it is inferred from the upper-lower relationship that it should be a specific word for "Nangong". Interpretation as: "Gong" character. The interpretation is: Nangong.
The thirteenth word: "Si" in ancient prose. The original meaning is to worship the gods. The original meaning is used in this inscription. Interpretation as: "Si" character. The interpretation is: sacrifice.
The fourteenth character: "Five" ancient prose. It is composed of long and short five horizontal lines, representing the five emperors sitting or the five elements respectively. "Historical Records" · "Book of Heavenly Officials" [Justice] Huangdi sits on one star, in Taiwei, including the god of pivot. The emperor sits in a four-star folder: Cangdi, the god of majesty in the east; Chidi, the god of red anger in the south; Baidi, the god of the west and Bai Zhaoju; the black emperor, the god of Ye Guangji in the north. The five emperors are juxtaposed, and the gods are also conspirators. Interpretation as: "Five". Interpretation is; the five emperors sit or the five elements.
The fifteenth character: "日" in ancient Chinese. "Said Wen" day, in fact, the essence of the sun is not lost. From the mouth one. Pictogram. All the genus of the day is from the day. [Translation] Day, (Guangming) Shengshi. The essence of the sun is not lost. [Notes] Reality: "Shiming·Shitian": "Day, reality. Bright and prosperous." According to "Yang Quanwu Theory", "The North Pole, in the sky, the north pole of Yang Qi. The south is the sun." , The extreme north is the lunar. The sun, the moon, and the five-stars will have no light when the sun is in the lunar, and the sun can shine, so it is the limit of the faint cold and heat." Based on the above explanation and context, I believe that the "day" is This inscription specifically refers to the case of "Taiyi" [Suoyin]: "The Spring and Autumn Harmony Picture" says "Ziwei, the house of the Great Emperor, the essence of Taiyi". [Justice] Taiyi, another name for heaven and earth. Liu Bozhuang said: "Taiyi, the most noble one of the gods." The interpretation is: "日". The interpretation is: Taiyi.
Based on the results of the above 28-character interpretation, the entire bone dagger engraving is now interpreted as follows: "Gong Zhan Wang Tian, and Mai Zhu, Yu Shang Wang. The king of Chao Yi Zai Tun, the qi begins to sprout, and everything emerges from the Bird Palace. Sacrifice on the fifth day."
Interpretation of the whole bone dagger engraved words: pierce an ingeniously decorated tool (bone dagger), subtly inspect Wang Tian, and pray (the gods) for the rising of Yang Qi in the wheat field. Yang Qi reaches its extreme and vanishes internally. The star gods bred changes and dominated the first birth of vegetation, the yang qi began to sprout, and all things came out of Zhudi’s Nangong. Sacrifice; Five Emperors, Taiyi.
