Yinxu Museum helps US scholars dig deeper into Shang history

ZHENGZHOU — Nestled beside the tranquil Huanhe River in Anyang, Central China's Henan province, stands the new hall of the Yinxu Museum, a striking structure in the shape of a bronze square ding, or ancient cauldron. Its exterior walls are adorned with classic Shang Dynasty (c. 16th century-11th century BC) bronze decorations, and the lintels above its three main doors feature the characters Da Yi Shang in bronze.

Anyang, the last capital of the Shang era, China's second dynasty, has been a focal point of archaeological significance since work began at the Yin Ruins in 1928. The site has yielded a wealth of exquisite bronzes, oracle bone inscriptions and other cultural relics that highlight Chinese civilization's enduring charm and grandeur.

"The characters Da Yi Shang mean the 'Great Settlement of Shang'. At that time, this was the most populous and prosperous city in China, and the Shang people proudly referred to it using this name," said Tang Jigen, one of China's most senior archaeologists on Shang, as he explained the meaning of Da Yi Shang, derived from oracle bone inscriptions, to three visiting American scholars on May 17.