🤯 Did You Know (click to read)
Some oracle bones were used repeatedly over years, with interpretations carefully recorded by a select few scribes.
During the Shang dynasty, divination using inscribed bones was central to political and religious decisions. Only selected scribes could interpret the cracks and inscriptions, controlling access to prophetic knowledge. Apprenticeships were strict, and methods were not shared publicly. Knowledge guided military campaigns, agricultural planning, and royal decisions. Outsiders saw the ritual but not the interpretive techniques. Secrecy reinforced priestly authority and the perception of divine guidance. Information control ensured decisions aligned with elite interests. The oracle bones were both a tool and a guarded symbol of power.
💥 Impact (click to read)
Secrecy over divination amplified the influence of priests. Leaders relied on interpretations to justify actions and policy. Guild control created dependence and maintained hierarchical stability. The hidden knowledge combined religious, political, and social power in one institution. Accuracy and mystique reinforced obedience. Knowledge restricted to insiders ensured authority remained concentrated.
The oracle bone system illustrates how control of information shapes decision-making and governance. Hidden expertise allowed elites to influence outcomes without overt force. Secrecy ensured continuity of practice and legitimacy. Modern parallels exist in specialized advisory roles where knowledge is power. The bones were more than predictive tools; they were instruments of societal control. Information kept secret is influence exercised silently.
Source
Keightley, David N., The Ancestral Landscape: Time, Space, and Community in Late Shang China
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