c. 1200 BCEReputable sourceWell documented
Chinese Writing
On the timeline · around c. 1200 BCE ·
What happened
In China, a writing system emerged independently, its earliest surviving examples inscribed on 'oracle bones' used for divination. Unlike alphabets, Chinese writing is logographic — each character stands for a word or idea — and it has been used continuously ever since, the oldest writing system still in use today.
Why it matters
Chinese characters unified a vast and diverse civilization across millennia, giving China a continuous written record longer than any other living culture. The same script can be read by speakers of many different Chinese languages.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Chinese Writing · Reputable source
Related timelines
- History of China → — The world's oldest writing system still in use