FinTech

Tencent Unveils AI-Powered Oracle Bones Corpus for Advancing Ancient Chinese Studies

Published May 28, 2024

Tencent Holdings Limited, the prominent Chinese multinational conglomerate, has recently launched a groundbreaking artificial intelligence platform designed to provide academics and researchers with unprecedented access to one of China's ancient treasures – oracle bone inscriptions. Recognized by the ticker TCTZF in the financial markets, Tencent's new AI platform, dubbed the Oracle Bones Corpus, represents an innovative approach to deciphering the thousands of years old script, setting the stage for a deeper understanding of early Chinese history, language, and civilization.

Innovative Technology Breathing New Life into Ancient History

The Oracle Bones Corpus offers an advanced online database that leverages AI technology to facilitate the study of oracle bone inscriptions. These inscriptions, primarily found on ox scapulae and turtle plastrons, are a collection of writings dating back to the Shang dynasty (around 1600-1046 BCE), and are acknowledged as the earliest form of Chinese script. Tencent's initiative aims to harness the potential of artificial intelligence to decode the pictograms and ideograms, which remain one of the most significant cultural heritages in China.

Facilitating Academic Research with State-of-the-Art AI

The introduction of this AI platform by Tencent is seen as an important resource for scholars in the field of sinology and historical linguistics. It not only simplifies the process of interpreting these ancient scripts but also fosters international collaboration by providing an accessible digital repository of high-definition oracle bone images, complete with annotations and translations. By digitizing this valuable data, Tencent has paved a path for future studies and has potentially expedited the research process that until now has been exceedingly meticulous and time-consuming.

Tencent, AI, History