The project was funded twice by the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Government since 1996 to build up a computerized database based on seven mainland and overseas major collections of oracular inscriptions on 53,834 pieces of original tortoise shells and bones. The project was divided into two phases spanning five years. Over one million words of oracular inscriptions were emended and inputted into computers, establishing a database based on original Jiagu characters with multiple search functions. The database not only will fulfill the needs of those who are interested in researching on oracular inscriptions, but also the academic requirements of the field.

Prof. Jao Tsung I was the academic advisor of the project while Ms Shen Jian Hua was responsible for the emendation work. Mainland experts like Prof. Cao Jin Yan, Prof Qiu Shi Gui and Prof Li Xue Qin were also invited to assist in the editorial work for the utmost accuracy.

1. Using seven mainland and overseas major collections of oracular inscriptions.
2. All Jiagu characters were copied, emended and interpreted by our researchers.
3. Original Jiagu characters and orthographic translation can be displayed juxtaposed each other.
4. There is a complete table of all Jiagu characters with orthographic translation and individual numbers in the Leizuan. A number of previously unrecorded Jiagu characters and bone pieces were also added.
5. With multiple search functions: single words, phrases and sentence structures.
6. It provides the frequencies of each individual Jiagu characters.