Final answer:
Ancient Chinese rulers used oracle bones for communication with their ancestors and the supreme deity, a practice crucial to understanding their writing and religious customs. This practice evolved over time, influencing the power dynamics and spiritual ceremonies in dynasties like the Shang and Zhou.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ancient Chinese rulers used oracle bones to communicate with their ancestors and the supreme deity. This practice, formally known as pyro-scapulimancy, involved engraving questions onto shells or animal bones, heating them until they cracked, and divining answers from the patterns of the fractures. The inscribed bones from these rituals are significant because they provide evidence of an early form of Chinese writing and offer insights into the Shang dynasty's political and religious practices. Shang kings, considered to be high priests, were the intermediaries between the people and the deities they worshiped. Over time, as the Zhou dynasty succeeded the Shang, the use of oracle bone divination decreased in favor of other forms of communication with the divine, like the compilation of texts such as Yijing, or The Book of Changes. This transformation was part of a broader shift in how ancient Chinese rulers solidified their power and maintained spiritual practices.