The Economic Times

In 1899, scholar Wang Yirong just looked at 'dragon bones' in medicine market; Then he noticed strange symbols that revealed China's 3,000-year-old lost history & direct evidence of Shang dynasty

In 1899, scholar Wang Yirong noticed ancient markings on so-called dragon bones being sold in a traditional Chinese medicine market. His observation led to the identification of these artefacts as oracle bones, which later provided direct evidence of the Shang dynasty. The inscriptions on the bones represent the earliest known form of Chinese writing and offer valuable insights into royal life, religious practices and state affairs more than 3,000 years ago, significantly transforming historians' understanding of ancient China.