Shang << shahng >> dynasty was the earliest known Chinese dynasty (family of rulers). Based on early written records, scholars traditionally dated the dynasty’s beginning to about 1766 B.C. However, some now believe it may have begun about 1600 B.C. The dynasty lasted until about 1045 B.C. and was centered in what is now northern Henan Province.
The Shang society, though based on agriculture, became famous for its fine carvings and bronze work. Most Shang relics found by scientists came from Anyang, a Shang capital. Anyang had houses, palaces, temples, and elaborate tombs.
The people of the Shang period used bronze to make vessels, weapons, and chariot fixtures. They also carved jade and wove silk. The Shang writing system, an early form of Chinese, had more than 3,000 symbols. It appears on pieces of bone and turtle shells. The people used oracle bones to ask the spirits of their ancestors about such future events as crop raising, hunting trips, and wars.
The Shang society was headed by a priest-king and had two classes of people—commoners and nobles. The people worshiped their ancestors and had many gods, including Di, their highest god. They sometimes practiced human sacrifice. For example, enslaved people were buried alive in the tombs of their enslavers.
See also China (History); World, History of the (The Huang He Valley).
