The Mystery of the Dragon Bones

In 1899, the old, distinguished scholar Wang Yirong went into a Beijing pharmacy. Among the usual fare of dried deer penises and tiger paws, he was surprised to see that dragon bones were on sale. Looking closely at these strange fossils, Wang noticed some peculiar characters, and soon he realized that the bones in his hand might not be coming from a dragon. Rather, the characters turned out to be the earliest documented Chinese characters. Wang Yirong determined that the small engravings were indeed around 3000 years old. Ever since, thousands of scholars have tried to break the many riddles these ancient bones contain.

We challenge you to a scavenger hunt based on the first Chinese documents known today. The Scavenger Hunt takes place in the historical shopping district of Dashilar, and you will have to find your answers in the neighborhood's narrow hutong lanes. Your quest will bring you to traditional brush-makers and pharmacies as well as silk, tea, and knife shops.

3 hours event in Dashilar Area