Unearthing a Forgotten Script: The 1977 Fengchu Village Find

In the autumn of 1977, archaeologists excavating the Western Zhou-period architectural foundations at Fengchu Village in Qishan County, Shaanxi Province made a remarkable discovery that would rewrite our understanding of early Chinese writing systems. Within the remains of a two-courtyard complex with side chambers, researchers uncovered over 17,000 fragments of oracle bones in storage pit H11 located in the western wing’s second room. This cache included approximately 16,700 pieces of turtle plastrons and 300 animal bones, with about 200 fragments bearing inscriptions – some containing up to 30 characters per piece.

The discovery didn’t end there. In the same chamber near the northern wall, a second storage pit (H31) yielded an additional 400 oracle bone fragments with similar stratigraphic layers. Together, these two finds produced nearly 300 inscribed artifacts containing about 1,000 characters – a watershed moment that inaugurated the study of Western Zhou oracle bone inscriptions.

Tracing the Origins of Zhou Divination Practices

Prior to the Fengchu discovery, scattered finds had hinted at the existence of Western Zhou oracle bones. In 1954, a single inscribed bone with eight characters was discovered in Shanxi’s Hongzhao Fangdui Village. Between 1956-1957, three inscribed bones emerged from the Fenghao site at Zhangjiapo near Xi’an. The 1975 discovery at Beijing’s Baifu village yielded several inscribed plastrons from two Western Zhou tombs. Subsequent finds in 1979 at Qijiacun (5 pieces) and 1996 at Liulihe (3 pieces, including one bearing the characters “Cheng Zhou”) added to the corpus, though none matched Fengchu’s scale or significance.

The Fengchu oracle bones, while fragmentary, revealed distinct differences from their Shang dynasty counterparts. The plastrons showed careful preparation with wide edges created by backside hollowing and neatly arranged square chisel marks flanked by vertical grooves. The bone inscriptions featured exceptionally fine calligraphy with simple formats limited to preface, divination statement, and prognostication.

Deciphering the Divine Messages

The Fengchu inscriptions provide fascinating glimpses into early Zhou religious and political life. Some record sacrifices to Shang dynasty ancestors like Tang (the dynasty’s founder) and Da Jia, suggesting continuity of certain Shang rituals under Zhou rule. Particularly noteworthy is an inscription where King Di Xin of Shang performs divination about sacrificing to Tang while mentioning “Zhou Fangbo” (Lord of Zhou) – likely referring to King Wen before the Zhou conquest.

Other inscriptions mention high-ranking Zhou officials like the Grand Protector (Tai Bao) and Duke of Bi, along with records of diplomatic contacts (“Chu envoy coming to report”) and military campaigns (“campaign against Shu”). The collection also includes unique numerical symbols composed of digits one through eight in combinations of three or six numbers – a system also found on Western Zhou bronze vessels that scholars now interpret as early hexagram notations related to divination practices.

The Broader Archaeological Context: Bronze Inscriptions Shed Light on Zhou History

While the oracle bones provide crucial evidence, contemporary bronze inscriptions offer complementary historical narratives. Several key finds illuminate different aspects of Western Zhou civilization:

The 1976 Li gui from Lintong records King Wu’s conquest of Shang on the jiazi day, corroborating traditional accounts. The He zun (1965) documents King Wu’s intention to establish Chengzhou as the dynasty’s central capital. Excavations at the Yan state cemetery in Liulihe (1986) yielded the Ke he and Ke lei vessels that clarify the founding of Yan state under King Cheng, with Ke (not Zhi as previously thought) as its first ruler.

The Yi Hou Shi gui (1954) details land grants during King Kang’s reign, while the Qiang pan (1976) from the Zhuangbai hoard preserves the longest known Western Zhou inscription – 284 characters tracing the history of kings from Wen to Mu and the seven-generation history of the Wei scribal family.

Economic and Legal Systems Revealed

The 1975 Dongjia hoard’s “Wei vessels” provide unparalleled insights into Western Zhou land transactions and legal systems. The Five-Year Wei ding records a land dispute resolution process involving sworn testimony and boundary surveys supervised by high officials. The Wei yu (157 characters) preserves a complete legal judgment from late Western Zhou, detailing penalties for false accusation including corporal punishment, fines, and oath-taking.

Other bronzes like the Yong yu document land grants by royal command, while the Duo You ding (1980) chronicles military campaigns against the Xianyun nomads. Inscribed vessels also record elaborate ceremonial practices like the “horse selection” ritual (zhi ju) and archery competitions that formed part of Zhou aristocratic culture.

The Legacy and Unanswered Questions

Despite these breakthroughs, Western Zhou oracle bone studies face significant challenges. The inscriptions remain fragmentary, with many texts incomplete, and no major discoveries have emerged in recent decades to advance understanding. The numerical symbols – while now recognized as early hexagram notations – still pose interpretive challenges regarding their exact relationship to later Yijing traditions.

The bronze inscriptions, though more numerous, present their own difficulties. Disputes continue over precise dating of vessels and reconciling inscribed names with traditional historical accounts. The archaeological record shows tantalizing connections – like Yan state bronzes found in Liaoning suggesting northern expansion – but many political and territorial details remain obscure.

These Western Zhou documents collectively transform our understanding of early Chinese civilization’s development. They reveal sophisticated administrative systems, complex ritual practices, evolving legal frameworks, and dynamic intercultural exchanges that laid foundations for China’s classical age. As archaeological work continues, each new discovery promises to further illuminate this formative period when the Zhou dynasty’s institutions and cultural legacy took shape.