One of the most important discoveries in Chinese history began not in an archaeological excavation but in a traditional medicine market. In 1899, scholar Wang Yirong noticed unusual markings on animal bones being sold as "dragon bones", a common ingredient in traditional remedies. What seemed like ordinary medicinal material would later prove to be one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in East Asian history.
The fragments, now known as oracle bones, transformed historians' understanding of ancient China. They provided direct evidence of the Shang dynasty, revealed the earliest known stage of Chinese writing and offered an extraordinary glimpse into royal life more than 3,000 years ago.
