The Shang Dynasty

The Shang Dynasty ruled the territory of the present-day north-central provinces of Henan, Hubei, and Shandong and the northern part of Anhui. The capital, from about 1384 BC on, was situated at Anyang near the northern border of Henan. The economy was based on agriculture, augmented by hunting and animal husbandry, millet, wheat, barley, and, possibly, some rice was grown. Silkworms were cultivated, and pigs, dogs, sheep, and oxen were raised. Bronze vessels, weapons, and other tools have been found, indicative of a high level of metallurgy and craftsmanship. Two important events of the period were the development of a writing system, as revealed in archaic Chinese inscriptions found on tortoise shells and flat cattle bones (commonly called oracle bones), and the use of bronze metallurgy. The Shang was an aristocratic society. At the head was a king who presided over military nobility. Territorial rulers were appointed by him and compelled to support him in military endeavors. Between this aristocratic class and the commoners was a literate priestly class that kept the records of government and was responsible for divination. Shang people worshiped their ancestors and a multitude of gods, the principal of whom was known as Shang Ti, the Lord on High. A vigorous King of Chou, a state on the Wei River Valley overthrew the last Shang monarch, a cruel and debauched tyrant.

Shang Dynasty Bronzes       In most other regions of the world, Bronze Age artisans concentrated on the production of tools and weapons. Not so in China. Craftsmen here turned bronze castings into brilliant art. The ritual goblets, basins, and wine vessels of the Shang Dynasty, in use more than 3,000 years ago, have long been esteemed for their technical and artistic perfection. To create a bronze, early Chinese craftsmen constructed a model in wax, coated it with clay, and fired it in a kiln. The wax melted and the clay hardened, forming a mold into which the molten bronze could be poured. Typically, Shang bronzes would be cast in sections and then soldered. The designs embellishing their pieces include geometric motifs, figures of animals and demons, and representations of the human face. Later they added written inscriptions, making the Shang bronzes some of the world's earliest historical documents.