Xi congratulates 120th anniversary of oracle bone inscription discovery, research

BEIJING, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory letter on the 120th anniversary of the discovery and research of oracle bone inscriptions.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed enhancing cultural confidence and promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations in the letter.

Xi extended congratulations to experts and scholars who have long been dedicated to the preservation and promotion of fine traditional culture such as oracle bone inscriptions.

The discovery of the oracle bone inscriptions from Yin Ruins is of epoch-making significance in Chinese civilization and even human civilization, Xi said.

Oracle bone inscriptions are considered the origin of Chinese characters and represent the oldest fully-developed system of characters discovered in China so far.

Xi described oracle bone inscriptions as the roots of fine traditional Chinese culture that merits even better preservation and development.

Over the past 70 years, the Party and the state have attached great importance to the preservation and development of fine traditional Chinese culture represented by oracle bone inscriptions, Xi said.

Noting the remarkable progress in the study of oracle bone inscriptions, Xi stressed efforts to continue such research of ancient characters.

He called on researchers to further explore the historic and cultural values of oracle bone inscriptions and promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.

On Friday, a symposium was held at the Great Hall of the People to mark the 120th anniversary of the discovery and research of oracle bone inscriptions. Xi's letter was read at the symposium.

Vice Premier Sun Chunlan, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, addressed the symposium, calling for earnest implementation of Xi's instructions, and better research and preservation efforts of oracle bone inscriptions.

She spoke of the need to use technologies such as artificial intelligence recognition to push for new breakthroughs in the research.

Discovered in 1899, oracle bone inscriptions are considered one of the world's four ancient characters and have been included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.