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10.

the sharp corners, as a finishing touch.  The[[strikethrough]]n[[/strikethrough]] cavities were hollowed out either by chiselling or drilling on the ventral side.  When these were done, these bones were ready for a 'talk'.

3.  Types of queries

On what occassions were the oracles consulted?  In other words, what were the events, the prosecution of which was decided by the cracks to be effected on these bones?  To this question, the inscriptions on these bones are of great help.  Lo Chên-yü has divided the contents into the following nine classes:

1. Chi (祭)  Sacrifice
2. Kao (告)  ^[[?]]
3. Hsiang (享)  Offering.
4. Ch'u[[strikethrough]]e[[/strikethrough]]-ju (出入)  Out-going and in-going.
5. Tien-lieh (田獵)  Hunting.
6. Chêng-fa (征伐)  Military expedition.
7. Nien (年)  Crop.
8. Feng[[strikethrough]]0[[/strikethrough]]-yu (風雨)  Weather.
9. Miscellaneous.

The above classes may be said to cover the contents of the inscription fairly well, as far [[strikethrough]] o [[/strikethrough]] ^[[as]] those that can be deciphered are concerned.  Recent progress in the study of these records shows that with some slight modification this general classification can still be used.  At the suggestion of Professor Ting Shan (丁山), Class 4 should be modified as 'Hsing-chih(行止),'meaning 'going on or stopping'.  It seems also appropriate to include fishing in Class 5, which may be designated as 'Tien-yu(田漁)' or hunting and fishing.  The class on weather may be subdivided into two groups; one on raining and one on skyclearing.  The inquiries about re-