Overview of Shang Dynasty

1. Ancient River Civilizations
Shang China

2. Critical Intro
What were the geographic
similarities of India and China?
Which was more connected to
the other river valleys? Why?

3. Shang China notes
. The Geography of China
A. Geographic Isolation
1. East = Yellow Sea and Pacific Ocean
2. West = Taklimakan Desert
3. Southwest = Himalaya Mts.
4. North = Gobi Desert
5. 2/3 of China’s land = mts. + deserts

4. B. 2 Main River Systems
1. Huang He (Yellow) R. in North China
2. Yangtze R. in Central China
3. Most of farmland and pop. is in eastern plain between
these rivers.
*Why is the Huang He called “China’s Sorrow”?
Because of the death and destruction caused by flooding

5. II. The Shang Emerge in China
A. The Shang Dynasty = 1st
documented Chinese dynasty
1. 1532- 1027 B.C.
2. main capital = Anyang

6. B. Shang Cities
1. most structures and homes made of wood
2. cities protected by earthen walls

7. C. Shang Social Classes
1. sharply divided
2. ruled by warrior class headed by a king
3. nobles owned land; sent tribute to Shang ruler
4. peasants worked the land with wood and stone tools

8. D. Mandate of Heaven
1. king’s authority to rule came from heaven
2. a just and fair ruler was seen as having god’s approval
3. unfair or unsuccessful king = No approval
4. justification for overthrow
5. Dynastic Cycle = Rise, decline, and replacement of dynasties

9. . Early Chinese Culture
A. Family was central to Chinese Society
1. Elder male controlled property + made decisions
2. women expected to obey male family members

10. B. Religious Beliefs – Polytheistic & animistic
1. Believed in ancestor worship (veneration)
a. Spirits could bring good or bad luck
b. offering made to keep spirits happy
c. Offerings included human sacrifice
2. Supreme God = Shang Di

11. C. First Chinese Writing! = Oracle Bones
1. Kings consulted gods through Oracle bones.
a. Priests scratch question on bone or turtle shell
b. Apply heat to cause cracks
c. Interpret cracks for answers

12. 2. Chinese writing – symbols stand for idea not sound
a. Advantage = everyone could learn writing; uniting
b. Disadvantage = more than 10,000 symbols to learn

13. D. Excellence in Bronze working
1. Shang artisans perfected bronze casting skills
2. bronze weapons, jewelry, religious items

14. ** Why did the Ancient Chinese refer to themselves as the
Middle Kingdom?
They saw their country as the center of the civilized world.
Ancient China
Middle Kingdom
The rest
of the
world
China as the “Middle Kingdom”
of the world

15. Geographic Isolation!

16. Hueng He or “Yellow River”

18. Himalaya Mountains

19. Highly detailed bronze items
during Shang Dynasty

20. Upper Class housing

21. Mandate of Heaven and the
Dynastic Cycle

22. Ancient China
Middle Kingdom
The rest
of the
world
China as the “Middle Kingdom”
of the world

23. Shang Oracle Bone
Turtle Shell
C. First Chinese Writing = Oracle Bones
1. Kings consulted gods through Oracle bones.
a. Priests scratch question on bone or turtle shell
b. Apply heat to cause cracks
c. Interpret cracks for answers

26. Shang Royal Tomb
Fuo Hao, who was
the wife of a Shang
emperor, was a
powerful military
and political leader
Her coffin was
surrounded by
thousands of bronze
and jade artifacts, as
well as human
sacrifices.

27. 1. Geographic features 2. Environmental challenges
5. Role of Family4. Social classes 6. Religious beliefs
3. Settlements
7. Writing system 8. Technological advances
9. Artistry
River Dynasties in China
Shang Dynasty Culture
Huang He and Yangtze river
Systems, Plateau of Tibet,
Gobi Desert, Mongolian
Plateau, Himalaya Mountains
Flooding of the Huang He
Geographic isolation – mountains
and deserts isolate China from
outside world.
Earthen-walled cities;
Elaborate palaces, tombs,
timber-framed homes within city
Upper class lived in city
Lower class lived outside walls
Capital = Anyang
Warrior-noble class headed by
a king
Peasant class
King seen as connection
between Heaven and Earth
Kings’ power came from gods=
Mandate of Heaven
Central authority in Chinese
Society
Men controlled the family
Elderly had special privileges
Women treated as inferior
Worshipped spirits of family
ancestors
Supreme god and lesser gods
Consulted gods through
Oracle bones =
Earliest Chinese writing
Priests carved questions on
bones or shells, heat & read
cracks
Human sacrifice was common
Many written characters, each
representing an idea/item
Advantage = all in China could
learn this writing – unifying
Disadvantage = thousands of
characters to learn
Manufactured weapons,
religious items, and jewelry
Perfected bronze casting
Embroidered silk clothing
Ornate bronze items
China = “Middle Kingdom” – Ancient Chinese referred to themselves as the Middle Kingdom because
they saw themselves as being at the center of the world.

28. Shang China