Part I Ancient Post

China is one of the earliest countries in the world which set up organized communication, according to archaeological discoveries. There were some records of communication activities by the inscriptions on oracle bones of Yin-Shang Dynasty(14th~11th century B.C). So China Post communication has passed over 3,000 years development from Shang Dynasty to Qing Dynasty when the government set up modern post.

Chapter 1 Origin and Development of Post

Section 1 Origin of Communication

Communication closely links to human activities. It appeared when there were human beings. In ancient times, humans delivered messages on purpose in hunting activities by means of calling, gesture and facial expression. With the evolution of human beings and the creation of language and characters, communication between humans was getting closer and closer. To deliver and save more complexed messages, human invented the message-delivery methods of knotting and curving.

By the end of the primitive society, with the forming of tribes and countries, Organized communication appeared, which was needed in tribal wars, flood harnessing and irrigation.

Inscription on oracle bones, which recorded
the delivery of border military information by 
beating drum in Yin-Shang Period

The Yin-Shang Dynasty was the economic development period of slavery society in China. Copper could be refined in large scale, cart and calendar had been invented, and agriculture production had been improved. From the unearthed inscriptions on oracle bones of the Yin Dynasty, it can be seen that between the capital and cities or between states there were main lines of communication, garrisons was constructed with wooden bars and walls."î¿(Ji)" acted as the hotel, which provided condition for organized communication. There are some characters related to communication activities in 3 inscriptions in record. Mr Guo Moruo explained that the " (Gu)" in the scription is "drum", which belongs to hieroglyph (meaning someone on guard beside the drum), so "Gu" can be explained as a person responsible for communication who was sent by the border general to report to the king about the invasion of enemy, which evolved from the communication style of "drum-beating"."(zhi)" in the inscription frequently referred to communication organization and personnel with more substantial content. It is explained by Song Zhenhao, researcher of History Institute of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, that "zhi" means courier and delivery of information to the King or the instruction from the King, it was also set up in tribes and manors of lords, the courier was taken with the king during inspections and hunting. Besides "Ji" used as his residence, meanwhile, special residences were established in places with "Zhi" to provide accommodation for the courier as well as for the king.

It can be seen from the frequent appearance of the characters describing communication and hotel in the inscriptions that, in Shang Dynasty, especially efter 13th century B.C, organized communication network had been formed, creating the post system of message delivery by special persons in ancient China.