Current location:World Window news portal > business
Social media star revives interest in ancient Chinese writing
World Window news portal2024-05-07 18:31:19【business】5People have gathered around
Introduction(People's Daily Online) 14:06, December 21, 2023A young social media star has revived interest in or
A young social media star has revived interest in oracle bone inscriptions, or Jiaguwen, an ancient Chinese language named for their inscriptions on tortoise shells and animal bones during the Shang Dynasty (1600 B.C.-1046 B.C.).
Born in 1996 in Tonglu county, Hangzhou, in east China's Zhejiang Province, Li Ying, known as Li Youxi on social media, is a postgraduate who specialized in oracle bone inscriptions at Zhejiang Normal University.
Photo shows Li Ying, known as Li Youxi on social media. (yangtse.com/Photo courtesy of the interviewee)
Li gained internet attention after humorously noting her major's lack of popularity.
"You can't possibly imagine how obscure this profession is," she said in one of her most popular videos, posted in February this year on her Douyin account, the Chinese version of TikTok.
Driven by her keen interest in the evolution of Chinese characters, Li chose to study oracle bone inscriptions, a primitive form of Chinese characters and the oldest fully-developed characters in China, during her postgraduate studies.
There was only one teacher specializing in oracle bone inscriptions at the university, and Li was the sole student in her class that year. Li noted that the teacher would retire this year.
After earning her master's degree in 2021, Li worked at an internet company for six months. She later landed a job as a short video director at a new media company, gaining valuable new media experience. However, after six months, she left to pursue her passions, allotting herself three months to focus on what she truly wanted to do.
Li then launched her career in Hangzhou city. "I wanted to do something I truly love and let more people discover the charm of oracle bone inscriptions," she said.
Li Ying, who goes by Li Youxi on social media, uses a book of oracle bone inscriptions to find topics for her short videos. (yangtse.com/Photo courtesy of the interviewee)
The sudden popularity of a video she posted in February on her Douyin account refocused her attention on oracle bone inscriptions, allowing her to publicize these ancient words and explain the stories behind them.
In less than 10 months, the number of followers on her account has risen to more than 550,000.
Li said that fewer than 2,000 characters carved on oracle bones have been decoded, many of which are rarely used today. "I can recognize around 800 oracle bone characters," she added.
"The oracle bone writings are mainly records of divination made by people in the Shang Dynasty, and we can find stories of the dynasty behind the oracle bone inscriptions," Li said, noting that her videos aim to tell stories from more than 3,000 years ago by explaining oracle bone characters.
Li Ying, known as Li Youxi on social media, records a video. (yangtse.com/Photo courtesy of the interviewee)
"There is no record of Lady Fu Hao, a queen, shaman, and military leader in the Shang Dynasty, in historical texts. But we learned the story of Fu Hao from oracle bone inscriptions excavated over 100 years ago and the discovery of her tomb," Li said.
"There are over 200 pieces of oracle bone inscriptions related to Fu Hao, through which we discovered her remarkable life," she added.
Li writes scripts for her videos to promote oracle bone characters. "First, I need to find a suitable subject, then search through information and read literature before writing scripts. I have to revise the scripts repeatedly," she said.
In addition to continuing to produce videos on oracle bone inscriptions, Li plans to write books about the Shang Dynasty, drawing on stories from oracle bone inscriptions.
Address of this article:http://www.samacharpostdainik.com/html-40d099872.html
Very good!(47)
Related articles
- Xi Focus: Xi Charts Course for China
- Xi Extends Condolences to Indian President, PM over Deadly Train Accident
- Emperor Qinshihuang museum launches online ticket platform for overseas tourists
- Chinese sightseers flock to Tianshui as spicy hot pot goes viral
- Peng Liyuan, African First Ladies Launch Health Campaign for Orphans in Africa
- Going against laws of free trade market is like building a dam of sieves: Chinese FM spokesperson
- China Hosts Forum on Global Human Rights Governance
- Scaling the heights of beauty
- Heat waves expected to hover in central, east
- Colorful ice sculptures created a fantastical realm in Sun Island Snow and Ice Art Museum
Popular articles
Recommended
Xi Congratulates Erdogan on Reelection as Turkish President
An area of exceptional taste
U.S. urged to stop sending wrong signals to 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces
Xi Meets with Barbados PM
Scenery of Shahu Lake scenic area in Ningxia
China's Self
Reading This Book to Understand China in the New Era
Xiplomacy: Historic Meeting Guides Development of China
Links
- China to Make All
- China to Establish National Park at Qinghai Lake
- 60,000 Youngsters Benefit from Eye Care Project of China's Red Cross Society
- Int'l Children's Day Celebrated Across China
- China's Annual College Entrance Exam Concludes
- China's Online Payment Users Top 900 Mln: Report
- Children Experience Different Activities During Summer Vacation Across China
- AI empowers traditional Chinese medicine to explore new potentials
- Fuzhou Promotes Community
- Children Attend Event as 'Little Architects' Ahead of Int'l Children's Day in Xi'an