Shang dynasty

E36653

The Shang dynasty was one of ancient China’s earliest recorded dynasties, known for its bronze casting, oracle bone inscriptions, and the development of a complex state society along the Yellow River.

Aliases (1)

Statements (58)
Predicate Object
instanceOf Bronze Age civilization
Chinese dynasty
archaeologicalSite Yinxu
capital Anyang
Yin
country China
culturalInfluenceOn Chinese writing system
Zhou dynasty
later Chinese religion
economy agriculture-based economy
endTime c. 1046 BCE
followedBy Zhou dynasty
follows Xia dynasty
governmentType hereditary kingship
monarchy
hasCapitalAtEnd Yin
hasLegendaryFounder Tang of Shang
hasSocialClass craftsmen
king
nobility
peasants
slaves
hasSocialStructure stratified society
knownFor ancestor worship
bronze casting
bronze ritual vessels
complex state structure
divination practices
early Chinese urbanization
human sacrifice
military campaigns
oracle bone inscriptions
wheeled chariots
language Old Chinese
lastRuler King Zhou of Shang
locatedIn North China
Yellow River valley
mainCrops millet
rice
wheat
majorRiver Yellow River
overthrownBy King Wu of Zhou
Zhou state
partOf Ancient China
religion Chinese folk religion
ancestor worship
worship of Shangdi
startTime c. 1600 BCE
UNESCOWorldHeritageSite Yinxu
usedMaterial bone
bronze
jade
tortoise shell
usedTechnology bronze metallurgy
horse-drawn chariots
pit dwellings and rammed-earth walls
writingSystem early Chinese characters
oracle bone script


Please wait…