ONE OF the primary characteristics, which separate human behavior from animals, is the ability to transfer abstract concepts to another human via written language. The Bible teaches that this ability came directly from our Creator. It also teaches that the vastly different languages of the world are a result of the confusion of one original language during an event known as the tower of Babel. Our English word babble (meaning gibberish, chatter, nonsense) has it roots in this event. There should be accounts in ancient cultures for Biblical events such as the creation of man, the fall of man, the existence of a single creator (God), the worldwide flood, and the tower of Babel if these were actual happenings in time and space.

Knowledge of all of these events can be found not just in the Bible but also through the ancient writings of people throughout the world. One of the more interesting collaborations can be found within the very characters of the ancient Chinese letter symbols. Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism dominate the religious beliefs of China today but 2000 years before the appearance of any of these religious beliefs the ancient Chinese served a single creator god known as "Shang Ti".

	The ancient Chinese served a single creator god known as "Shang Ti"
Shang Ti

The Bible states that God created man from the dust of the ground and breathed into him the breath of life. The ancient Chinese symbol for create is a combination of person (or breath), dust, walking, and alive.

	"The Bible states that God created man"
Chinese symbol "To Create"

Thus, to create, is to have dust walk, breath, and live. The Bible describes a world wide flood catastrophe in which all human life with the exception of eight individuals on a floating vessel were destroyed. The ancient Chinese symbol for 'boat' is vessel, eight, and people.

	"The Bible describes a world wide flood catastrophe"
Chinese symbol "Boat"

Thus, a boat is eight people onboard of a vessel! The Bible describes that man was told to spread out over the earth after the worldwide flood, yet he rebelled and built a tower to his own glory. God ended this rebellion by confusing man's languages so that they set out and journeyed across the globe in different language groups. Interestingly, the ancient Chinese chose to use the identical symbol for confusion and rebellion, a combination of tongue and right leg (or journey).

	"yet he (man) rebelled and built a tower to his own glory"
Rebellion Confusion

Thus, to confuse is to set out on a journey with a new tongue (or language).
These are just a few of many examples of the historical knowledge of the Bible which the ancient Chinese people must have had as they developed their written language. Many more examples can be found in an excellent book by C.H. Kang and Ethel Nelson called The Discovery of Genesis.