As early as in the Lung-shan culture there was divination by means of "oracle bones", at first without written characters.

When besought to release the land from this tribute Diana through her oracle replies: Non avrà prima fin quel che v' offende, Che duo semi del ciel congiunga amore; E di donna infedel l' antico errore L' alta pietà d' un pastor fido ammende.

p. 30: I reject here the statement of classical texts that the last Shang ruler was unworthy, and accept the new interpretation of Ch'en Meng-chia which is based upon oracle bone texts,The most recent general study on feudalism, and on feudalism in China, is in R. Coulborn, Feudalism in History, Princeton 1956.