The Shang Dynasty
Government Government Explanation
Government Government Explanation
This image, taken from the book "The Ancient Chinese" by Virginia Schomp, represents the Shang Dynasty government because it shows the geographic area of their rule. The land around the Huang He river and the Yantze river was the place where most people settled because the land was fertile for planting and the weather was mild.
Religion Religion Explanation
This image, taken from the website
http://pgapworld.wikispaces.com/Ancestor+Worship, represents ancestor worship which was commonly practiced as a religious ritual during the Shang Dynasty. Ancestors are represented by statues and pictures.
http://pgapworld.wikispaces.com/Ancestor+Worship, represents ancestor worship which was commonly practiced as a religious ritual during the Shang Dynasty. Ancestors are represented by statues and pictures.
Social Structure Social Structure Explanation
I created this image to represent the social structure of China during the Shang dynasty. Much like the Egyptian social pyramid, the king is at the top. In this pyramid, the nobles are second, craftspeople are third, traders are fourth, farmers and 5th and slaves are at the bottom. This would mean that people value the king, nobles and craftspeople more than the traders farmers and slaves.
Technology Technology Explination
These bronze knives from the Shang Dynasty show technology because the Shang had more advanced bronze tools and weapons in addition to wooden or stone tools. In fact, this period of time was known as the Bronze Age. The bronze weapons were stronger than the old weapons.
This image of Shang dynasty weapons was taken from www.christies.com.
This image of Shang dynasty weapons was taken from www.christies.com.
Stable Food Supply Stable Food Supply Explination
The Shang had millet, rice, and wheat. Millet was there primary food source. The reason they had these types of grains was because they were easy to grow in the fertile soil of the North China Plain.
Art Art Explanation
The Shang had jade, bronze, and stone. They figured out how to create bronze out of tin and copper. They also used ceramics to make cups and containers. The Shang gave jade to honorable people because they believed that jade had the same qualities as those people. An example would be that jade is smooth and shiny and they represented kindness.
Writing Writing Explanation
The first writings found in China date back to the Shang dynasty. They were found in the tomb of Wutin's famous wife, Fuhao. (www.ushistory.org/civ/9b.asp Writing)
When we think of writing during the Shang dynasty, we usually think of oracle bones. Oracle bones are bones that are thought to predict the future. The way oracle bones work is that a holy man will say something and then put a hot needle on the back of the bone which will crack the bone. The pattern of the crack in the bone was thought to be a message from the ancestors.
In these early writings, the symbols stood for words that were represented by ideas. Later, in the Qin dynasty, Qin Shinhuangdi made strict rules for the Chinese language. Those rules are still used today.
When we think of writing during the Shang dynasty, we usually think of oracle bones. Oracle bones are bones that are thought to predict the future. The way oracle bones work is that a holy man will say something and then put a hot needle on the back of the bone which will crack the bone. The pattern of the crack in the bone was thought to be a message from the ancestors.
In these early writings, the symbols stood for words that were represented by ideas. Later, in the Qin dynasty, Qin Shinhuangdi made strict rules for the Chinese language. Those rules are still used today.