Tech approach gives life to artifacts

Aiding the experts

Experts are able to quickly find the images they seek by searching related characters and images.

"If they want to find a specific character, they just need to input the shape of the character. AI will automatically compare it with all the single-character reproductions in the database and provide the closest matching reproductions, along with the associated rubbings," Wang says.

So far, 150 expert-verified characters have been made available for the public to study and appreciate through a WeChat mini-program of the digital cultural lab.

Song Zhenhao, an expert in oracle bone scripts from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, says that they are a valuable part of Chinese civilization. Research in this area not only sheds light on ancient Chinese history but also provides crucial evidence for the origins of modern Chinese characters and the study of the language.

The use of AI technology holds the promise of accelerating the deciphering of oracle bone scripts, potentially resolving long-standing scholarly questions, he says, adding that he would like to see more research institutions and scholars join this endeavor to expand its research horizon.

Wu Yunsheng, vice-president of cloud computing service provider Tencent Cloud, says that AI is having a transformative impact on science, including oracle bone research.

"We are looking forward to collaborating with more technology teams to explore the use of AI technology in a variety of scenarios, and to providing further support for oracle bone scripts research," Wu says.