The Shang Dynasty ruled the area around Huang He from 1700 to 1122 B.C.E.
In 1928, Archaeologists discovered the ruins of one of the royal city’s in the Shang. The city included a palace, temple, and houses. There were also workshops for artisans who worke d with bronze, pottery, stone, and Jade. The Shang performed human sacrifice when they built new houses. Human sacrifice was also part of shang’s burials when a king was buried.
In 1928, Archaeologists discovered the ruins of one of the royal city’s in the Shang. The city included a palace, temple, and houses. There were also workshops for artisans who worke d with bronze, pottery, stone, and Jade. The Shang performed human sacrifice when they built new houses. Human sacrifice was also part of shang’s burials when a king was buried.
Slaves, servants, and animals were led down ramps into the pit. Because of their belief in the afterlife, Shang Kings were also buried with bronze vessels.
The Shang government was led by a powerful king who controlled the land. To expand his power, the kind set up other lands under control by his younger brothers and nephews. Shang kings depended on large armies to maintain their rule. the kings were in almost constant wars with their enemies. they fought to keep other clans under control. they also captured prisoners to perform human sacrifice and use as laborers.
The Shang society can be divided into 6 social classes. they were:
THE KING AND HIS RELATIVES
NOBLES
CRAFTSPEOPLE
TRADERS
FARMERS
SLAVES
* GO TO “DAILY LIFE AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE” TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE 6 SOCIAL CLASSES.*
The religion of the shang was centered on ancestor worship. The Shang believed in life after death. They even believed that dead ancestors to help or harm the living. For this reason, they believed it was important to honor their ancestors. They did this through offering wine and food, and sometimes human sacrifice. In Shang belief, the king was sent down from powerful ancestors. Kings had responsibilities, including the duty to follow the wishes of their ancestors. Kings used oracle bones to ask their ancestors: when to hunt, where to build new cities, and whether to go to war. To ask a question, a Holy Man asked a question such as “Tomorrow is a good day for the hunt.” Then the Holy Man pressed a hot needle against the back of the bone. The heat would make the bone crack. The crack on the bone was believed to be a message, which the king or Holy Man translated.
In Shang writing, as in modern Chinese, uses only pictographs. People also used logographs. For example, the character “good” is a combination of the words “woman” and “child.”
Shang artist used great skill in working with bronze. Craftspeople made beautiful vessels, and other objects. Most vessels had taotie on them.
Technology:
arrowheads
spearheads
ax heads
helmets
arrowheads
spearheads
ax heads
helmets
The End of the Shang Dynasty
The Shang excelled in war, but fighting so many wars eventually weakened the military. The Shang King and his nobles spent enormous amounts of money on:
palaces
furnishings
clothing
tombs
In time, this wasteful spending weakened the economy. Around 1045 B.C.E., a frontier state called Zhou rose up against the dynasty.