16. An Interpretation of the Oracle-Bone Inscription Phrase: “The Sun and Moon Eclipsed”

ABSTRACTThis paper assembles three oracle-bone inscriptions divined at the same time from the Wu Yi-Wen Ding period. Two are identical, being a paired divination inquiring into whether the event ri yue you shi was or was not auspicious. The third asks whether, in light of this ri yue you shi, it would be auspicious to sacrifice to Shang Jia.Since 1925, when Wang Xiang , first proposed th at the character yue should be read as xi, his position has been accepted by Liu Chaoyang De Xiaoqian , Chen Mengijia , Zhang Peiyü , Xu Zhentao , the Zhongguo Tianwenxue jianshi bianxiezu , and the Zhongguo Tianwenxueshi zhengli yenjiu xiaozu Yue was first interpreted as yue in 1933 by Shang Chengzuo . Those subscribing to this reading include Dong Zuobin , Chen Zungui , Yü Xingwu Liu Chaoyang, Chen Mengiia, Joseph Needham, Zhao Quemin and Chen Banghuai .Among these scholars Liu Chaoyang holds that “there is no distinction between xi and yue,” while Chen Mengjia believes that the phrase “ri yue you shi” can also be read “ri xi you shi,” hence they accept both interpretations.