Shang Dynasty China · World History

The Shang writing system is considered the direct ancestor of modern Chinese script because it used:

  1. An alphabetic system in which each symbol represents a single sound
  2. Logograms and pictograms representing words or concepts
  3. Cuneiform wedge marks impressed onto wet clay tablets
  4. Knotted cord sequences known as quipu to record numbers
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Correct answer: Logograms and pictograms representing words or concepts

Shang script found on oracle bones utilized symbols that represented both objects (pictograms) and abstract concepts (ideograms). Many of these characters evolved directly into the Hanzi used in China today.

Difficulty: Medium Question 6 of 20

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