The Shang Dynasty Erin Bruce Samantha Petree

Shang-Yin Dynasty  BC  Founded by Da Yi (Tang the Great)  Final ruler was Di Xin (King Zhou)  31 rulers in between  Estimated population 13.5 million  Shang China centered in the North China Plain

Major Accomplishments!  Realized that the length of a year is 365 ¼ days  The Yin-Yang concept is introduced

Accomplishments (continued)  Advanced jade carving  Had the earliest glazed pottery  Propelled the Bronze Age  First presence of Chinese script (writing)  Especially found on “oracle bones”

More on Oracle Bones!  Video: Decoding Ancient Scripts  FBoT2L4U4 FBoT2L4U4 FBoT2L4U4

Accomplishments (continued)  Complex forms of irrigation and flood control were developed  Advancements in music:  Clay ocarinas  Copper cymbals  Tuned stone chimes  Drums

Social Pyramid  King  Military nobility  Priests  Merchants  Farmers

Other Societal Aspects  Religion  Folk religion was polytheistic; Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism did not yet exist  Ancestor worship was extremely important  Shang Ti=“Lord on High”  Economy  Society based on agriculture, hunting, and breeding livestock: sheep, pigs, dogs, oxen, silkworms  Fishing was also a major proponent

Cross-Cultural Contacts  Evidence of possible Indo-European contact with China has been found in the light chariot of the Shang dynasty.  spokes per wheel  Infused with bronze  16 chariot burials found at Xiaotun  Animal-headed knives found at the burial sites also suggest European contact.

Important Events Important Events  Founded by a rebel leader after the overthrow of the final Xia ruler.  Terrible Emperor Zhou overthrown by another rebel leader (Wu-Wang) in 1111 B.C.

References  es/p/032509ShangDynst.htm es/p/032509ShangDynst.htm es/p/032509ShangDynst.htm  /Shang-dynasty /Shang-dynasty /Shang-dynasty   hang/ hang/ hang/ 