论商族骨卜习俗的来源与发展

Origin and Development of the Practice of Bone Augury of the Shang

商族很早就有用兽骨进行占卜的习俗。商族是受其起源地及其周围地区固有的较盛的占卜风俗传统的影响,形成了骨卜占卜的习惯。在商族迁徙、发展的过程中,又不断吸收和借鉴周边民族的占卜概念与技术,尤其是商人使占卜与文字结合,把占卜过程与结果书契于占卜的兽骨龟甲之上,形成了商人独特的甲骨文化,为后世保留了大量的早期文明时代的史料,为中华民族的文化传承做出了独特的贡献。

The Shang practiced augury with animal bones very early.The practice of bone augury had been influenced by the traditional practices of its original place and neighborhood.The Shang adopted and learnt augural concepts and tech- niques of their neighbors while they moved around.The Shang combined augury and writing and cultivated a unique cul- ture of inscriptions on bones or tortoise shells when they carved description d process and result of augury on tortoise shells or animal bones.That practice leaves many historical records of early civilizations and contributes uniquely to the heritage of Chinese civilization.