1. Representing the forces of nature. No organized priesthood.
Shang Religion:
Polytheistic.
Representing the forces of nature.
No organized priesthood.
Like other early river civilizations, the Shang and Zhou were polytheistic.
They worshipped several gods who controlled the forces of nature; sun, moon, clouds, wind.

2. Earliest known in China.
Oracle bones would be used to communicate with the gods.
Efforts to communicate with the gods produced the earliest known example of writing from the Shang period.
People would inscribe questions for the gods on oracle bones, which were turtle shells, or oxen bones.
They would heat the bone until it cracked, and the cracks could be interpreted to gain an answer to the question.

3. Practiced ancestor worship.
Belief that dead ancestors could act as advocates with the gods.
China’s long tradition of ancestor worship also began during the Shang Dynasty.
The ancient Chinese believed that the spirits of their ancestors could speak to the gods for them.
They made offerings to their ancestors, hoping to win their favor.

4. Belief in an afterlife.
King's buried with scarified servants and pets to accompany them at death.
Ancient Chinese believed in life after death; objects were buried with the dead.
When a Shang king or noble died, some of his servants and pets were killed so that they could travel with him to the next world.

5. Their calendar had 12 alternating months of 29 and 30 days.
Shang Culture:
Their calendar had 12 alternating months of 29 and 30 days.
Royal astronomers added days as needed to get a 365-day year.
The Shang had a standard system of measurement.
Their calendar had 12 alternating months of 29 and 30 days.
Royal administrators added days as needed to get a 365-day year.

6. Made silk cloth.
China enjoys a monopoly of silk for the next thousand years.

7. Shang valued bronze more than gold.
Bronze ritual vessels were symbols of kingship.
The Shang Dynasty was considered as the mark of China’s Bronze Age since the utilization of bronze compound was greatly practiced during this era plus improvements on the bronze structures also took place at this point in time. During the Shang Dynasty, the consumption of bronze represents wealth, strength, power and luxury since it was used either to build weapons or as ceremonial vessels for food and for wine.

8. Invented the crossbow and the iron sword.
Zhou Culture:
Invented the crossbow and the iron sword.
And began using mounted cavalry.
The Zhou military benefited from the invention of the crossbow and the iron sword.
And they began using mounted cavalry in this period.

9. Like Egypt, cities were political and religious centers.
Most people did not live there.
The trade among the regions led to the growth of towns and some cities.
These urban areas needed artisans and metal production workers.
The cities were seats of national or regional power, and housed soldiers, scribes, and administrators.

10. Created acupuncture.

11. Economics: Agricultural based economy.
Internal and some foreign trade.
First money in the form of copper coins.
China experienced great change during the long Zhou rule.
Internal trade expanded and there was some foreign trade.
The first Chinese money came into use in the form of copper coins.

12. (Evolution of the Chinese plow)
Iron plows allowed more land to be farmed and more food to be produced.
The result was a steady population growth.
(Evolution of the Chinese plow)
The development of iron technology around the sixth century B.C.E. changed Chinese agriculture.
Using iron tools, Chinese peasants built dikes, reservoirs, and irrigation canals.
Iron plows allowed more land to be farmed and more food to be produced.
The result was a steady population growth.

13. Most peasant farmers did not own land.
Lived in villages and farmed its fields together.
Had to devote part of year for labor to the government.
Most Chinese peasant farmers did not own the land they lived on.
They lived in small villages and farmed the village fields together.
They also had to devote a number of days of labor each year to work on roads, canals, and other government projects.

14. Social:
Specialized labor and wealth led to distinctions between classes. “Social stratification” a social hierarchy.

15. Patriarchal society.
Extended families; multi-generations living in the same household.

16. Fu Hao (Lady Hao), wife of Shang king Wu Ding served as a military general and high priestess.
Some noble women did rise above their rank.
Fu Hao (Lady Hao), was one of the many wives of King Wu Ding of the Shang dynasty and, unusually for that time, also served as a military general and high priestess.
Her tomb is the only one unearthed intact with treasures such as bronzes and jades.

17. That concludes Ancient China.
Any questions before the quiz on the next slide?