Decoding history's bones

Shang Dynasty stories

Wu Ding diligently worked to strengthen the dynasty, reform governance and appoint capable officials, earning him the title "reviver of the Shang Dynasty". His many deeds were recorded on oracle bones and passed on to modern society, says Zhang.

"We want to show the best stories of Wu Ding from the oracle bones he left behind," says Zhang.

Wang Wei, a veteran archaeologist from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, says Wu Ding's reign was one of the most prosperous of the Shang Dynasty, with detailed records carved into oracle bones that offer a glimpse of the era's social structure.