Chapter 438: Text Penned by King Zhou of Shang! Solid Evidence of the Xia Dynasty!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Little Luo, come over here, quickly! The Nine Zhou Ding, it’s etched with
Jinwen, actual Jinwen!” Master Li called, his voice trembling in anticipation.
Upon Luo Feng’s arrival, he noted that the bronze tripod had been scrupulously cleaned, revealing intricate designs and inscriptions. Initially, Luo Feng had only given the Nine Zhou Ding a cursory glance, but now, with Professor Li’s enthusiastic explanation, the mystery of the ancient scripts started to unfold.
Jinwen, also known as Zhongdingvven, was not a type of text used in the Jin Dynasty, nor was it written in goldO. It was a term denoting a style of writing prevalent during the eras of the Xia, Shang, Zhou, the Warring States period, and the Qin Dynasty, when bronze was colloquially referred to as “gold”. Hence, characters inscribed on bronze artifacts were called Jinwen.
The oldest discovered Jinwen originates from the Shang-Zhou period, with inscriptions found on pottery at the Erlitou site. This is considered the earliest known script in ancient China. However, this inference remains speculative, not definitive. In the same vein as only declaring a planet as hosting life after concrete evidence, only when proven can Jinwen be confirmed as the earliest script.
The development of scripts was an ongoing process. Despite the literacy of the pre-Qin period, it is likely that there were scripts during the Xia, Shang, and Zhou eras, though they may not have been as mature as their successors. Furthermore, the origin of Chinese characters undeniably dates back many millennia. Script development could not have occurred spontaneously unless everyone was directly educated by a time traveler.
If the characters on the bronze ding corresponded with standard Jinwen, then the existence of the Xia Dynasty would be irrefutable. Alongside the text, the massive bronze ding depicted mountains, rivers, and an array of beasts and birds. These symbolic characters were seemingly more cryptic than oracle bones, their meanings remaining elusive.
“Little Luo, what do these inscriptions signify? We’re at a loss,” Master Li queried, his curiosity piqued.
“Indeed, they don’t appear to be Oracle Bone Script!” Su Meiji, who had recently immersed herself in Oracle Bone Script studies, added.
Luo Feng pointed at the leftmost character, translating, “I ascended as the tribal leader, guiding the men of my tribe to victory. We vanquished the enemy, banishing them entirely. The sky gods retaliated, their domain cleaved open, and they were swallowed by the earth. Under my lead, we triumphed, seizing control of the world!”
He continued with another script, ‘My father attempted to tame the floods, perishing in his efforts. Tao recommended me to Shun, who promised me a high position if I could control the floods. During this endeavor, Nu Jiao professed her love for me. We wed, and our child was Qi.”
In essence, these inscriptions recorded the founding of the Xia Dynasty, serving as the world’s first tangible evidence of its existence.
Luo Feng was momentarily dazed after reading the Jinwen scripts. Despite the brevity of the text and the vague concepts many characters represented, Luo Feng supplemented the translations with his intuition. It was evident that attaining precise expression through words was challenging due to the scripts’ undeveloped state.
Meanwhile, Luo Feng had uncovered crucial details about the legendary Dinghaishen’s Needle. The tool that Da Yu utilized to tame the flood? Did it genuinely exist?
The team was engrossed in the translations Luo Feng provided when a member of the archaeology crew exclaimed, “Mr. Luo, take a look! There are more characters on the inside of the bronze ding!”
Upon hearing this, everyone’s attention shifted to the archaeologist in the lift basket. They chorused, “What do the characters reveal?”
“I can’t be sure, but they seem like Oracle Bone Script!”
Disregarding all else, Luo Feng clambered inside the bronze ding. Once again, he was confronted by Jinwen. This time, however, it was Jinwen from the Shang Dynasty.
“Why is it Shang Dynasty’s Jinwen? This is unequivocally a Xia Dynasty artifact!” Luo Feng remarked, his eyes narrowed in confusion.
He then read aloud from the characters inside the bronze ding, “I alone do not pay homage to ghosts and gods! I do not worship the heavens and the earth, rather, I commemorate their valor, to educate my descendants.”
“Could ‘I alone’ refer to Di Xin?” Luo Feng wondered.
“I alone” was an ancient term indicating absolute authority, often used by monarchs to emphasize their singularity and power.
Decoding it, Luo Feng interpreted, “Throughout his life, Di Xin didn’t revere ghosts and gods, nor did he worship heaven and earth. Right or wrong, he believed, would naturally be judged by posterity.”
Could these characters have been inscribed by Di Xin himself? What a revelation!
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