Ancient Shang ( B.C.E) Kelsie King, Annie Miller and Malery Abdelaziz

Yellow River (Huang He) ● The Yellow River Valley is found in the mountains bordering the Tibetan plateau and runs for 4700 kilometers (2920 miles). The name came from the large amounts of loess found in the soil. ● Loess is a really fine, powdery soil that is yellow tinted and light weight. ● Occasionally the river produces a very big, devastating flood and because of this the Yellow River has been nicknamed “China’s Sorrow” ● Main source of water for Shang dynasty, this is why they were located here

Location ● Founded by rebel king, Tang, who supposedly overthrew Xia king ● Shang Dynasty was located eastern part of modern day China ● Bordered the Yellow Sea ● Considered first “known” Chinese dynasty as it was the first dynasty to keep written records

Political Organization ● Authority rested on vast network of towns whose rulers recognized authority of Shang kings; laws were made by Kings and nobles helped enforce them ● Said to have been 30 kings throughout history of the Shang dynasty ● Capitals had large city walls and were the centers of arts, trade, religions, administration and military command ● The Shang capital moved 6 times

Intellectual Advancements LUNAR CALENDAR ● The cyclic lunar calendar was the instrument used to date every event ● Composed of 2 different cycles, the Celestial Stems and Terrestrial Branches

Intellectual Advancements (cont.) CHINESE SCRIPT ● first Chinese characters appeared on oracle bones and bronze objects ● Zhou dynasty expanded on this writing, but originated from Shang dynasty

Technology ● Shang Dynasty coincided with the Bronze Age ● Bronze working was very common during this dynasty ● Was used during the Xia dynasty, but Shang monopolized the production of bronze

Technology (cont.) ● Horse drawn vehicles were used during Shang dynasty ● Used for military to wage war; gave huge advantage and was used to devastate during times of battle

Art & Architecture ● Tombs were used to hold many different things, such as chariots, bronze, pottery, etc. ● At Yin, 11 large and lavish tombs constructed for Shang kings received much attention from grave robbers TOMB OF LADY FU HAO ● most important tomb at Yin is Fu Hao’s, favorite consort of King Wu Ding ● buried with sacrificial victims and thousands of objects of jade, bronze, and weapons

Pottery, bowls,valuables^ Jade Phoenix^ Skeletons of dogs and humans^

Shang Society ● Formed social pyramid with kings at the top and farmers at the bottom; patriarchal society ● Burials were one way that social classes were distinguished ● Numerous peasant communities, dominated by strong noble class, headed by well organized monarchy ● Built complex systems of irrigation and flood control

Religious Beliefs ● During Ancient China they believed in one god, Shang Di (or Ti) that ruled over the smaller gods ● Other aspects that the Chinese focused on were natural aspects such as sky, lands, moon and sun

Religious Beliefs (cont.) ● All social classes had one thing in common: religion ● Religion was based on polytheism ● Worshipped ancestors for a prosperous family;crops and health came from happy ancestors ● Various rituals, prayers, and offerings were used to please ancestors

Oracle Bones ● Tortoise shells and cattle bones were commonly used for readings ● Serve as earliest evidence of early Chinese writing ● Over 150,000 bones have been recovered today; many were destroyed accidentally

Economy ● Economy was based on agriculture; rice, barley and millet were mainly used ● Dogs, pigs, sheep, oxen and even silkworms were cultivated ● Farming was main source of food, but hunting wasn’t uncommon

Trade ● Cowry was used as currency ● Skilled craftsmen might trade valuable items, such as jade, obsidian, or bronze ● Also traded animals, such as horses, sheep, or oxen; slaves could also be traded ● Traded with nomads around the area, but stretched all the way to the Indus Valley

Downfall of Ancient Shang ● Last king of Shang society dynasty was a cruel man known for his methods of torture ● Dynasty was weakened from multiple attacks from nomads and rivaling tribes ● Zhou forces eventually took over and beheaded king

Question #1 What is the nickname for the Yellow River?

Answer #1 China’s Sorrow.

Question #2 How many times did the Shang capital change?

Answer #2 Six.

Question #3 Who was the rebel king that founded the Shang dynasty?

Answer #3 King Tang

Question #4 What is loess?

Answer #4 Loess is a really fine powdery soil that is yellow tinted and lightweight.

Question #5 Who was the extravagant tomb dedicated to?

Answer #5 Fu Hao.

Question #6 Why did they choose that nickname for the Yellow River?

Answer #6 Occasionally the river produces a big, devastating flood.

Question #7 What was something that all social classes had in common?

Answer #7 Religion.

Question #8 What was the most important crop?

Answer #8 Millet.

EXTRA CREDIT QUESTION How long does the Yellow River Valley run?

ANSWER 4,700 Kilometers

Bibliography ● "Shang Dynasty — China's First Recorded History." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 10 Sept ● "Chinese History - Shang Dynasty 商 Science, Technology and Inventions ( Chinese History - Shang Dynasty 商 Science, Technology and Inventions ( N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Sept ● "Shang History." Shang History. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Sept ● "Chinese History - Shang Dynasty 商 Economy ( History - Shang Dynasty 商 Economy ( N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Sept

Shang Overview Video