Shang dynasty
Topic: Bronze Age Civilisations: Mesopotamia, Egypt, China · NCERT: Class 9, Ch 4 "Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation"
Meaning
The Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BCE) is the first Chinese dynasty that historians accept as real. It ruled in the Yellow River (Huang He) valley. Under the Shang, towns and cities grew, along with farming, metal working and crafts. Society had clear ranks: rulers and nobles stood above farmers and labourers.
Example
Shang craftsmen were masters of making bronze ritual vessels, weapons and tools. They also carved jade, a precious green stone brought from outside China. The Shang left oracle bones, which are the earliest Chinese written records.
Don't confuse with
- Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BCE): it came after the Shang. Its rulers claimed to be "appointees of heaven". Metal money and the first walls against nomad raids (from 680 BCE) date to the Zhou period.