Recently, Tencent officially announced the launch of a new online research platform and database called "Yin Qi Wen Yuan". This is a unique platform designed for oracle bone script research experts and enthusiasts. The upgraded "Yin Qi Wen Yuan" not only introduces innovative tools to identify shallowly engraved oracle bone scripts, but also uses artificial intelligence technology to map oracle bone characters to modern Chinese characters, greatly improving research efficiency. Currently, the platform has provided a Simplified Chinese version and is open to the public both domestically and internationally.
Oracle bone script, as the oldest known Chinese writing system, dates back thousands of years. Since its first discovery in the early 20th century, about 160,000 pieces of oracle bones have been unearthed, containing approximately 4,500 individual characters. However, despite significant progress made by scholars in years of research, the decipherment of oracle bone script still faces great challenges. Among the discovered oracle bone scripts, less than half have been confirmed by scholars, totaling around 1,500 characters.
The launch of the "Yin Qi Wen Yuan" platform aims to provide a more mature and standardized system and technical tools for oracle bone script research. Researchers can use the interactive oracle bone full information viewer on this platform to view and compare different digital versions of oracle bone scripts, including historical photos, high-resolution 3D models, digital facsimiles, and enhanced digital rubbings, in a parallel or stacked manner. These tools not only help researchers gain a deeper understanding of the form and features of oracle bone script, but also improve research efficiency and accuracy.
The platform also introduces various innovative tools directly targeting the visualization and character recognition challenges encountered in oracle bone script research. With Tencent's micro-trace enhancement technology, researchers can clearly see the shallow engravings on oracle bones, enabling more accurate analysis of stroke patterns and outlines of oracle bone script. At the same time, the application of AI-assisted functions greatly enhances the efficiency and accuracy of deciphering oracle bone script, allowing researchers to quickly identify the forms of oracle bone characters and find relevant academic papers for further study.
Shu Zhan, Head of the Digital Culture Laboratory of Tencent's Sustainable Social Value Business Division, said, "The 'Yin Qi Wen Yuan' platform provides a collaborative communication platform for all oracle bone script research experts and enthusiasts. We hope to digitize more oracle bone scripts through this platform and invite more research experts and enthusiasts to participate in this great work, jointly deciphering the secrets of these ancient characters."
In order to further promote oracle bone script research, Tencent has also developed the "Incredible Oracle Bone Script" WeChat mini program. Through various forms such as "One Character a Day," 3D model views, and oracle bone script knowledge quizzes, the mini program allows the public to have a more intuitive understanding of the charm and value of oracle bone script. At the same time, users can submit their own interpretations of unexplained characters to researchers through this mini program, contributing their own efforts to the decipherment of oracle bone script.
