The Shang Dynasty 1766 BCE – 1027 BCE

Writing The Shang Dynasty was the first dynasty in China to communicate with writing. Some Chinese writing evolved from pictographs created during the Shang Dynasty period. About 4500 characters have been found, and 1000 can be connected to Chinese writing today.

Society The Shang people were ruled by a king who was believed to be a descendant of the supreme god, Shang Ti. As the son of god he was thought to have the divine right to rule; this was called the “mandate of heaven”.

Society The king made many of his decisions by casting oracle bones. The question would be written on a piece of ox bone or tortoise shell and cracked using high temperatures. The cracks would be read as saying: yes, no, lucky, or unlucky.

Society Shang society was divided into classes: the king (also religious leader), nobles (war leaders and land owners), crafts people and merchants, and farmers (the largest amount of people), and finally slaves.

Society Farmers provided food for the country, helped by working on the great buildings of the kingdom, and were soldiers during times of war. Slaves were often prisoners of war, and they worked under threat of death.

Society Crafts people worked with bronze and jade. They were skilled at making weapons, tools, jewellery, pottery, and fine silk cloth. Merchants used rice or cowrie shells as money. Metal coins were invented in the 5th century BCE. At first they were long and thin, but later made round with a hole in the middle to string on belts.

Bronze Jade

Bronze weapon from Shang Dynasty.

Food The basic food of the Shang people was millet (a type of grain). Barley and wheat were also grown. Vegetables and beans were grown in gardens, fish were caught from the rivers, and animals such as deer and bears were hunted on the plains. By the Shang dynasty, the Chinese had domesticated pigs, dogs, goats, sheep, water buffalo, and some fowl.

Food With the unpredictable river flooding or causing drought, the Chinese often experienced famine and starvation.

Food People in Asia have been drinking tea for centuries. According to Chinese mythology, tea was invented in 2737 BCE, when the Chinese emperor was sitting beneath a tea tree and leaf fell into his boiling water. Tea became one of Chinas most valuable trading product between English traders and the Chinese.

Tea? Or tea?

Loose Leaf Tea

Food Shang people used chopsticks for eating and cooking; they boiled, steamed, or stir fried their food. Where do fortune cookies come from???