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Line 35: − + − Chinese is a logographic writing system, with over 5000 symbols in regular use and as many as a hundred thousand symbols. +
History of Written Language (view source)
Revision as of 21:23, January 4, 2010
, 21:23, January 4, 2010→East Asia
==East Asia==
==East Asia==
[[Image:OracleBoneScript.jpg|right|100px|thumb|Oracle bone script.]]
[[Image:OracleBoneScript.jpg|right|100px|thumb|Oracle bone script.]]
The oldest writing in the world is Chinese. The earliest writing in China has been dated to 3500 BC and possibly earlier - some evolutionist believe the earliest Chinese writing dates to 6000 BC, although Christians would refute this. It appears the first writing in China was symbolic marking on bones used by priests to predict the future. In time, the symbols used in their religious traditions were used in art and basic literature.
The oldest writing in the world is Chinese. The earliest writing in China has been dated to 3500 BC and possibly earlier - some evolutionist believe the earliest Chinese writing dates to 6000 BC, although Christians would refute this. It appears the first writing in China was symbolic marking on [[oracle bones]] used by priests to predict the future. In time, the symbols used in their religious traditions were used in art and basic literature.
[[Image:ModernChinese.jpg|left|75px|thumb|Modern Chinese writing.]]
[[Image:ModernChinese.jpg|left|75px|thumb|Modern Chinese writing.]]
The earliest characters were logographs, like hieroglyphs. Sometime during the [[Qin Dynasty|Qin]]-[[Han Dynasty|Han]] period, a new set of standard characters appeared. All characters since this time were a mix of logographic and phonographic elements.
China was far and away the most powerful and influential civilization in East Asia for thousands of years, and it is no surprise that Chinese writing heavily influenced the development of writing in nearby civilizations like Japan and Korea.
China was far and away the most powerful and influential civilization in East Asia for thousands of years, and it is no surprise that Chinese writing heavily influenced the development of writing in nearby civilizations like Japan and Korea.