TCI History Alive - Chapter 20 - The Shang Dynasty

The Shang dynasty was one of China's most recent dynasties.

In 1928, archeologists learned more about the Shang culture from ruins in Anyang.

The Shang were ruled by a king and a priest.

The Shang society could be divided into eight main social classes - the king and his relatives, priests, nobles, warriors, artisans, traders, farmers, and slaves.

Shang kings used oracle bones to communicate with their ancestors, and these bones were usually made from cow femurs and turtle shells.

By the time of the Shang dynasty, people were using logographs.

The Shang used jade in their artwork because they believed that this material contained desired qualities such as wisdom and kindness.

The Shang were some of the first people to discover the process of creating bronze, and the main use of this material was to create beautiful artwork that was covered in intricate carvings.

The lavish spending of nobles and the king weakened the economy of the Shang and was one of the reasons why the dynasty fell.

The Shang never fought against other civilizations.

Most of the Shang respected and honored their ancestors.