The Shang Dynasty

1. The Shang Dynasty The Shang Ruled between 1600 BC and 1046 BC

2. Timeline of its Rulers • 1676 BC- King Tang of Shang ruled. • 1400 BC- The Erligang Culture ruled. • 1398 BC- King Pan Geng ruled. • King Wu Ding ruled 1250,1122 BC. • 1101 BC- King Di Yi ruled. • King Zhou ruled 1075,1046 BC. King Tang of Shang

3. Accomplishments • The Shang made the earliest glazed pottery. • Also, evidence was found for a potter’s wheel in the. • Bronze casting was industrialized in this dynasty. Pottery with a carved geometric pattern, Shang Dynasty, 1600-1100 BC.

4. Accomplishments • The Shang determined that the year was 364 ¼ days long. • The First Appearance of Chinese script was in this dynasty. • They made Steppe-like war Chariots. This is what a Steppe-like war Chariot looked like.

5. Economy • Most of the economy was focused on bronze-ware vessels and weapons. • This production required a large labor force. • The labor force had to be able to handle the mining, refining, and transportation of the necessary copper, tin, and lead ores. This is the bronze pot that a Nobleman or Noblewoman would own.

6. Economy • This in turn created a need for official managers that could oversee both hard-laborers and skilled artisans and craftsmen. • Bronze was also used in the fittings of spoke-wheeled chariots, which came into widespread use in China by 1200 BC

7. Religion • The Shang Kings offered sacrifices to royal ancestors and the high god Di. • Di was believed to be responsible for the rain, wind, and thunder. This picture shows the Shang god Di.

8. Religion • The royal Court and Aristocrats required a vast amount of bronze vessels for ceremonial purposes and events of religious divination. • Shang kings asserted social supremacy by acting as the High Priests. • The Shang kings also lead the divination ceremonies. This is a Shang Dynasty bronze pou vessel with four ram heads.

9. Government • The Shang Dynasty was an Aristocratic society. • A King Also ruled over the military nobility. • Territorial rulers were appointed by the King of the Shang. • This was done in return for Support in the king military campaigns.

10. Government • Underneath the aristocratic class was the Priest class. • The priests kept the records of the government and also, were in charge of religion. This is the capitol of the Shang now.

11. Social Scale • The social scale was lead by a priest king. • Below the priest king there were the aristocrats. The Social Division of the Shang was simple and well-defined.

12. Social Scale • The aristocrats are divided into two different social classes. • One of these social classes was the Nobility. • The other of the two was the commoners. This shows two nobles.

13. Philosophy • The oldest documents of Chinese Script date from King Wu Ding’s reign, about 1150 BC. • The documents are actually archival materials incised on oracle bones stored in the royal archives. This is a Shang Dynasty oracle bone from the Shanghai Museum.

14. Philosophy • A second type of writing is the scarce inscriptions on ritual bronze vessels. • Another type of literature of the Shang is the speeches of rulers. • The speeches are in the Shangshu, also called Shujing, the “Book of Documents.”

15. Fall of the Shang • Shang Zhou, the last Shang king, committed suicide after his army was defeated by the Zhou people. • After the Shang were defeated, the Zhou king, King Wu of Zhou, allowed Wugeng Lufu to rule the Shang as a service kingdom. This shows King Wu of Zhou.

16. Fall of the Shang • Wugeng Lufu was Shang Zhou’s son. • Zhou Wu sent three of his brothers and an army to ensure that Wugeng Lufu would not rebel. • After Zhou Wu’s death, the Shang rebelled and collapsed after three years, leaving Zhou in control of Shang territory.