The Role of Ancient Written Signs in the Preservation and Development of the Chinese Language

Abstract

The article raises the question of the role and significance of ancient Chinese writing for the preservation and development of the Chinese language, the study of which is impossible without analyzing the monuments of writing and culture of China — Jiaguwen (writing on turtle shells and animal bones, XIV-XI centuries BC). The article raises the question of the need to search for new auxiliary research methods for such valuable and significant written monuments. The authors proposed and considered a statistical method for studying signs (keys / hieroglyphs) on turtle shells, thanks to which the possibility of a sufficiently accurate determination of the surface of the shell by digital photometry data was demonstrated. Thanks to this method, the number of characters (ancient keys / hieroglyphs) was determined in a number of complex areas. This method could be additional, primarily for visual research by specialists in various fields of science. The research of the ancient written language plays a vital role in understanding human history and enriching human civilization.