Deciphering and Interpreting a Piece of Zhou Yuan's Oracle Bone (II)

Author: Dayu Kunlun

Date: January 10, 2022

Zhouyuan oracle bone rubbing:

Deciphering and Interpreting a Piece of Zhou Yuan's Oracle Bone (II)

The picture above shows a rubbing of the "Zhouyuan Oracle" excavated from Fengyan Village, Qishan County, Shaanxi Province, which has been interpreted by scholars as a cultural relic of the Western Zhou Dynasty.

In fact, this piece of oracle bone is not a cultural relic of the Western Zhou Dynasty, it is made in the Wu yi period of the late Shang Dynasty, and the oracle bone about the Shang King sealing Zhou Fangbo is written. Here's how I deciphered and explained it:

1. "King"

This "wang" is the "flat-headed wide-bottomed king", and this "king" is the special "king" character of Wuding.

The "Flat-headed Broad-Bottomed King" in oracle bones:

Judging from the "king" character of the Zhouyuan oracle bone, its font clearly bears the stylistic characteristics of the Wu Yi period, so this piece of the chronicle oracle bone should be made by Wu Yi.

2. "Years"

This "word" is a variation of the oracle bone and the golden script "year" character.

3. "Zhou Fangbo"

"Book zhou fangbo", which clearly refers to the Shang king Wu Ding's canonization of the Duke of Zhou (亶父). In the famous "ShiQiangpan" there is an account of Wu Ding sealing the Duke of Zhou (Father Qi) stationed in the northwest frontier.

"Wall Plate of History" inscription rubbing:

My interpretation of the inscription:

King Wen of Gu, the first emperor of the government, God descended on The Great De. There are up and down, the kings of the wu, and the four directions. Da Yin Gong Min, Never Gong Di, Yu Chang Fa Yi, Tong Xian Sheng cheng. Wang Left and Right Silk Shu, Gang Cang, Zhou Bang Yu Ling, Kang Wang Xi Yin Jiang Wei Lu Jiao, Wang Guangneng Chu Jing Falcon, Gao Nan Xing Yong Mu, Wang Jing Shuai Yu Shu Ning, Tian Tian Zi Zi. Wen Wu, Chang Lai Tianzi, Qi Wu Jiao, Qi Up and Down. 㺇慕昊, 炤死昊 God, Si 夒尣, guarantee the official orders of the Heavenly Son, blessed and prosperous years, Fang Jie died without clinging. Qingyou Gaozu was at The Place of Xia [On the Rain], the King of Wu (Wu Ding) was Zhao Yin, the Emperor of Wu came to see the King of Wu, and the King of Wu ordered the Duke of Zhou (Father) to live in the Zhou Bei, Yong Yi Zu, Mi Pi Yi Pei, Yuan Yi Xin, Zi Qi Ming. Ming Ya Zu Zu Xin, Zen Yu descendants, prosperous multi-religion, 㪰角戠光, 義其禋祀, Rich Baby Wen Kao Yi Gong, 遽趮㝵屯, 無誎辳啬, 戉񞌓隹隹, Filial Piety Shi Wei, Dream Night Does Not Shy, 拞抦福 dare to make a move. To Yang Tianzi, Pi Xianxiu (武乙) ordered yi with Zha Bao. Razu Wenkao (Xiao Xin), Jia Bao Received Wall, Erchen Fuhuai, Yulu Huangqi Yayoi, Niches, and its Eternal Treasure.

4. "Cover"

Combined with the context and glyph analysis, this "word" should be a "cover" word. The following is the "cover" word oracle bone, gold text:

The word "cover" refers to the terrain of the northwest corner of Africa, as shown below:

5. "West"

This "character" is not "囟", but the "Xi" character, that is, the "Xi" character of "Western Zhou", which refers to the place where the Zhou Gong (Qi Father) was on the edge of the tun.

6. "Sign"

According to the context and glyph analysis, this word is not "positive", but "zheng", expressing the meaning of Zhou Gong's father being ordered to go on a campaign.

7. "Not left"

"Not left", as opposed to "right", this means not to oppose, smooth.

Finally, the entire oracle bone is interpreted as:

"The King of Zhen is blessed in the Great Armor, and the Zhou Fang Bo Gai Xi Expedition is not left to be blessed."

careless:

chaste:

King Wuding was blessed with Dajia this year,

Zhou Fangbo went out to fight in Gaisi (northwestern frontier of Africa),

Ji Shun, blessed.

In summary, like the original Zhou oracle bone that was deciphered before, this piece is also an oracle bone chronicle made in the Wuyi period of the late Shang Dynasty, not an early Western Zhou cultural relic.