Talks
Co-organized by HKUST Lee Shau Kee Library and University Museum & Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong
1. The Discovery, Connoisseurship, and Deciphering of Oracle Bone Inscriptions (Video)
(Presentation File)
| Date: | November 4, 2021 (Thu) |
| Time: | 12:30 – 2:00 pm |
| Venue: | Library LG4 Multi-function Room and Online via Zoom |
| Speaker: | Dr. XIE Chunling |
| Moderator: | Dr. Sarah NG, Curator of the University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong |
| Language: | Putonghua |
| Registration: | Zoom (https://lbcube.ust.hk/ce/index.php/event/8299/) In-venue (https://lbcube.ust.hk/ce/index.php/event/8307/) |
Oracle bone inscriptions are one of the earliest known forms of systematic Chinese writing, dating back to the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE). Primarily engraved on the scapulae of oxen or the interior of tortoise shells, the inscriptions mark the beginning of Chinese civilization’s recorded history.
How were oracle bone inscriptions first discovered and how can they be deciphered today? How did ancient people use tortoise shells to practice divination?
Note: HKUST students may attain 1.5-hour credit for the HLTH1010 Healthy Lifestyle Course after attending the talk.
2. The Social Structure and Class Relationships in the Shang Dynasty Revealed from Oracle Bone Inscriptions (Video)(Presentation File)
| Date: | November 10, 2021 (Wed) |
| Time: | 12:30 – 2:00 pm |
| Venue: | Library LG4 Multi-function Room and Online via Zoom |
| Speaker: | Dr. XIE Chunling |
| Moderator: | Dr. Sarah NG, Curator of the University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong |
| Language: | Putonghua |
| Registration: | Zoom (https://lbcube.ust.hk/ce/index.php/event/8310/) In-venue (https://lbcube.ust.hk/ce/index.php/event/8297/) |
What was society like during the Shang dynasty and did China have a slave class? Did Chinese society practice “human sacrifice”? This seminar will present findings about the status of “slaves” in Chinese society and their relationship to the ruling class.
Note: HKUST students may attain 1.5-hour credit for the HLTH1010 Healthy Lifestyle Course after attending the talk.
3. The Religious Worship During the Shang Dynasty Revealed from Oracle Bone Inscriptions (Presentation File)
| Date: | November 12, 2021 (Fri) |
| Time: | 12:30 – 2:00 pm |
| Venue: | University Museum and Art Gallery, The Unviersity of Hong Kong and Online via Zoom |
| Speaker: | Dr. XIE Chunling |
| Moderator: | Dr. Florian KNOTHE, Director of the University Museum and Art Gallery, and Dr. Sarah NG, Curator of the University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong |
| Language: | Putonghua |
| Registration: | Zoom (https://lbcube.ust.hk/ce/index.php/event/8332/) In-venue (https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=78691) |
What was the concept of religion during the Shang dynasty (c.1600–1046 BE)? In oracle bone inscriptions, we can see traces of various totems, including a bird totem from the Shang tribe. Apart from these symbols, did people have an understanding of “di” (a form of god or lord), and did they worship one or multiple gods? We can find answers to these questions concerning religious rituals and worship by studying Shang dynasty oracle bones.