Amazing Oracle Bone Scripts ⑤ | 3D Printing Makes Vivid the Three-Dimensional Beauty of Oracle Bone Inscriptions

了不起的甲骨文 ⑤ | 3D打印展现甲骨文立体之美

Amazing Oracle Bone Scripts ⑤ | 3D Printing Makes Vivid the Three-Dimensional Beauty of Oracle Bone Inscriptions

Niu Nan is making 3D Chinese characters [Photo/Henan Daily]

当传承千年的甲骨文遇到3D打印技术，会擦出怎样的火花？从事立体汉字工艺品设计的重庆小伙牛楠用3D打印技术制作“立体”甲骨文，近日在网络上受到热捧。这种让甲骨文“横看成岭侧成峰”的“奇思妙想”为他带来了百万流量。

What spark will be produced when the over 3000-year-old oracle bone inscriptions encounter 3D printing technology? Niu Nan, a young man from Southwest China's Chongqing municipality engaging in the graphic design of three-dimensional Chinese characters, has been using 3D printing to bring oracle bone inscriptions into the three-dimensional world, gaining popularity online in recent days. This imaginative approach has brought him millions of followers.

牛楠说，小学时被《说文解字》吸引，开始对汉字的演变产生浓厚兴趣，“了解了汉字演变，我才发现汉字是如此的形象生动，而甲骨文的魅力在于它是汉字的源头和中华优秀传统文化的根脉。”

Niu Nan was fascinated by the Origin of Chinese Characters in primary school; then, he developed a deep interest in the evolution of Chinese characters. "The evolution history of Chinese characters adds more vividness to themselves. The oracle bone script is the earliest known form of systematic Chinese writing and represents the roots of fine traditional Chinese culture," said Niu.

传统文化热持续升温，甲骨文越来越受关注。从事测绘工作十余年的牛楠在34岁时转行3D打印领域，探索汉字与3D打印技术的融合。牛楠觉得利用3D打印技术制作甲骨文立体字的过程非常有意思，“这就是我苦苦寻找的事业”。

Niu had been engaged in surveying and mapping for over a decade and made a career change to the application of 3D printing in Chinese characters at 34 years old. Later, Niu found interest in creating three-dimensional oracle bone inscriptions and dedicated himself to the cultural promotion of oracle bone inscriptions.

让更多人领略到甲骨文的文化底蕴，是牛楠努力的方向。“车”是他用3D打印技术制作的第一个甲骨文立体字，他将甲骨文、金文、篆书和宋体的“车”放在一起制作字形演变视频，发到网上后大受欢迎。不少网友评价“几千年的历史，忽然从我眼前一闪而过”“这就是汉字的魅力”。古老的甲骨文遇到3D打印，拓展的不只是大众认知，还有对传统文化的想象。

The oracle bone script "车(chariot)"caught his eye first. He made a video of the evolution of "车," ranging from oracle bone script, bronze inscription, and seal script to Song typeface. After being posted online, the video went viral. Here are some comments from netizens: "Thousands of years of history flashed before my eyes"; "How charming the Chinese characters are!" The 3D printing technology has broadened our outlook and haunted the imagination of traditional Chinese culture.

“甲骨文中有很多象形字，‘站起来’的甲骨文可以更好地展现汉字的活泼生动，有助于汉字的传播。”牛楠查阅《汉语字源字典》《甲骨文字典》和甲骨文数据库等，制作了姓氏系列、十二生肖系列的甲骨文立体字视频，赋予甲骨文“立体之美”。

"There are many pictographs in oracle bone inscriptions, and the three-dimensional characters can better display their liveliness for a wider spread," said Niu. He consulted reference literature like "the Chinese EtymologicalDictionary," Oracle Bone Inscription Dictionary," and Oracle Bone Inscription databases to make several video series introducing surnames and zodiac signs in three-dimensional oracle bone inscriptions.

“甲骨文立体字能让大众感受到汉字的生生不息和中华文明的一脉相承。”制作甲骨文立体字3年来，牛楠越来越强烈地感受到汉字维系中华儿女情感的纽带作用。“很多海外华人也联系我，想把姓名制作成多维立体字，我每天忙得不可开交。”牛楠说。

Three-dimensional oracle bone inscriptions allow the public to approach the everlasting vitality of Chinese characters and the continuity of Chinese civilization. Niu said in his work, he gradually understood the role of Chinese characters in arousing patriotism feelings. "I've received many orders from overseas Chinese for the graphic design of their names in multi-dimensional characters."

看到自己的作品受到越来越多的网友喜爱，牛楠对自己的选择更加充满信心。数字时代为文化传承带来更多机遇，3D打印让甲骨文的表现形式更加多样化，也更具活力。牛楠希望将各地标志性建筑与甲骨文结合，借助3D打印技术向更多人介绍蕴藏在汉字中的历史文化，让汉字这个中华文明的瑰宝永烁光辉。

The increasing popularity made Niu more confident in his career choice. Niu plans to combine iconic buildings in China with oracle bone inscriptions and let more people know the history and culture of Chinese characters by means of 3D printing technology to safeguard the legacy of Chinese civilization. （中文来源/河南日报 记者/童林 编译/童林 肖翊琦 审校/丁岚）