A Study on the Contents of Bin group’s ZhanCi in YinXu Oracle bone inscriptions

A study of Yin Xu's Bin group ZhanCi reveals that these divination interpretations primarily focused on six key subjects: weather, childbirth, military affairs, sacrifices, diseases, and disasters. Notably, only about 700 out of nearly 20,000 oracle bone fragments contained ZhanCi, highlighting its selective use for significant matters, such as royal family security and state affairs. The analysis also showed that ZhanCi often recorded judgments on 'selection' and 'good or ill luck,' serving to clarify the intended queries. Researchers examined Bin group's oracle bone inscriptions, categorizing their contents and functions to provide insights into early divination practices.

Lee, M. Y. (2019). A Study on the Contents of Bin group’s ZhanCi in YinXu Oracle bone inscriptions. Korea Journal of Chinese Language and Literature, 78, 135–163. https://doi.org/10.46612/kjcll.2019.12.78.135