The character for huo in oracle bone script.

The oracle bone form of the character huo places a bird on top and a hand underneath: a simple image of catching prey with one's bare hands.

Hunting in the Shang Dynasty (c. 16th century-11th century BC) was far more than mere amusement. It constituted organized, pre-planned military training. Oracle bone inscriptions contain many records of game captured during royal hunts. Prior to departure, the king would perform divination for the expedition; afterward, he would document the hunt's yields.

These hunts also kept Shang soldiers trained and battle-ready, forging a formidable defensive force for the dynasty.

As farming developed during the Shang Dynasty, the meaning of huo extended beyond hunted game to the realm of farmland. In an agricultural society, a mature harvest represented a gain of genuine significance.

Later, the ancient Chinese distinguished these two types of gain. They added the grain radical to create a second character huo specifically for reaping crops.

The ancient Chinese chronicle Zuo Zhuan states that the great affairs of a state are sacrifice and war. Accordingly, the meaning of huo also extends to military contexts, signifying the capture of enemy personnel or war spoils. Oracle bone inscriptions often record campaigns against neighboring states that resulted in the capture of their chiefs or enslaved people.

From the image of a small bird grasped in a hand in oracle bone script, through gains from hunting and harvests, the character embodies the diligence and pragmatism of the Chinese nation.

— AD

The National Museum of Chinese Writing in Anyang city, Henan province, and <span class="epaper-contributor">Chen Biao</span> contributed to the story.

haonan@chinadaily.com.cn