As we all know, there are more than 4,500 words of * * * in Oracle Bone Inscriptions, and scholars have interpreted more than 2,000 words, but only about 1000 words are recognized by academic circles. This is because "most unknown words are proper names, such as place names, names and surnames." , its meaning is known, so its sound is unreadable "(Guo Moruo's Dialectical Development of Ancient Chinese Characters, Journal of Archaeology,No. 1972). In the past hundred years, with the efforts of several generations of scholars, most of the words that are easy to understand in Oracle Bone Inscriptions have been interpreted by predecessors, and many unknown words are no longer used in the texts after Shang Dynasty, so it is not easy to find out the clues of their glyph evolution, and it is also difficult to be confirmed in later dictionaries. Therefore, it is difficult to make new discoveries "(Wang Yuxin: A Study of Oracle Bone Inscriptions since the founding of the People's Republic of China, p. 54, China Social Sciences Press, 198 1 year). Qiu Xigui made an extraordinary move, and his first textual research work, Five Penalties of Shang Dynasty as Seen by Oracle Bone Inscriptions, was published in 196 1, which attracted academic attention. Secondly, Qiu Xigui also contributed to the study of Oracle Bone Inscriptions chronology.
He took an active part in the heated discussion on chronological research. Since Li Xueqin put forward that "Li's Oracle Inscriptions" should be based on the period from the late Wuding to Zu Geng, he "thought that Li's Oracle Inscriptions were the traditional statement of Wuding Oracle Inscriptions. After reading Wen Li's works, after careful consideration, he felt that he had to give up the old saying and start with Li Shuoxue. " After careful consideration and comprehensive arrangement of related divination, he "made some supplementary arguments along the literary line" and wrote the article "The Times of Calendar Oracle Bone Inscriptions" (The Sixth Series of Studies on Ancient Chinese Characters, Zhonghua Book Company, 198 1). This paper comprehensively sorts out the names of the same people in the Oracle inscriptions of Bin Group, Chu Group and Li Group, compares 20 similar Oracle inscriptions, and comprehensively demonstrates that "the Oracle inscriptions of Li Group should belong to Wuding and Period". Qiu Xigui firmly supported the views of scholars such as Li Xueqin, and played an important role in promoting the academic discussion and the in-depth study of chronology in the era of "Li Zu Oracle Bone Inscriptions".
At the same time, Qiu Xigui also put forward opinions on the nature of Oracle Bone Inscriptions, that is, whether Oracle Bone Inscriptions is the fundamental question of interrogative sentences. His "Investigation on Oracle Bone Inscriptions in Yin Ruins" (China language,No. 1988,No. 1). After the publication, scholars at home and abroad launched a heated discussion on this. In China, Wang Yuxin's "Shen Ruins Oracle Bone Inscriptions as the Title" (Zhongyuan Cultural Relics No.2, 1989) and Chen Weizhan's "On the Nature of Yin Ruins in Oracle Bone Inscriptions" (Research on Xia and Shang Civilization, Zhongzhou Ancient Books Publishing House, 1996) all questioned Qiu Xigui's opinion. In the United States, China ancient T 13 (1989) specially organized scholars from China and other countries to discuss this issue. China scholars Qiu Xigui, Tsung i Jao, Zhang Bingquan, Li Xueqin, Wang Yuxin and Fan Sulou. Foreign scholars who participated in the discussion included shaughnessy, Ni Dewei and Kenichi Takashima. It should be said that this discussion is of great significance for us to further understand the nature of Oracle Bone Inscriptions's aphorism. Thirdly, Qiu Xigui also made a meaningful exploration in studying the history of Yin and Shang Dynasties by using Oracle Bone Inscriptions materials.
His Study on Clan Organization and Noble and Common People in Shang Dynasty (SeriesNo. 17, Zhonghua Book Company, 1983) discusses that there exists a clan organization composed of the ruling class in Shang society, and "zhong" refers to the common people who are excluded from the clan organization.
A Textual Research on Tian, Mu and Wei Officials in Oracle Bone Inscriptions (19th Series of Literature and History, Zhonghua Book Company, 1983) said that "the names of princes such as Hou, Dian, Men and Wei all evolved from official names". "The first batch of Hou, Tian, Men and Wei with the nature of princes were formed by corresponding officials through a development process. The central kingship should only begin to use titles such as' Hou, Dian, Men and Wei' for feudal princes after recognizing such princes developed from official positions, and grant these titles to some princes of vassal States. "
The agriculture of Shang Dynasty seen by Oracle Bone Inscriptions (Collection of Ancient Chinese Characters, Zhonghua Book Company, 1992) made a comprehensive investigation on the crops planted in Shang Dynasty, and thought that "the agriculture of Shang Dynasty was mainly planting grass (millet) and millet". Agricultural production tools in Shang Dynasty were mainly wooden plows, plows and shovels, as well as sickles and hoes made of stones and mussels. In addition to burning, the trees on the wasteland are mainly cleaned with stones, axes and pounds. The farming system is probably mainly abandoned, and the fertilizer is mainly plants and straw that changes with water and fire. Yin people attach great importance to land consolidation, and their abandonment system has surpassed the stage of farming. ""At that time, many low and humid fields had been reclaimed, and the measures for waterlogging control and drainage should have reached a certain level. " In short, "the agricultural output per unit area of Shang Dynasty was probably still relatively low. The luxurious life of big noble in Shang Dynasty was based on the cruel exploitation of civilians, slaves and submissives. " .