The Shang Dynasty (Chinese: 商朝) - A History Project

The Shang Dynasty
(1523 BC - 1027 BC)

The Shang Dynasty arose to become the most powerful kingdom in Northern China. Its capital was set up in Anyang, a city near the Yellow River. Chinese history is said to begin with the rise to power of the Shang clans and the eventual establishment of the Shang dynasty.

Important Factors Leading to the Rise of the Shang Dynasty

1. Location

• Civiliastion was located in the fertile Yellow River Valley. The fertile soil was suitable for farming.


• The river overflowed yearly and floods were common. The Chinese lived by the river as they had learnt to control floods and transport water to irrigate their fields. They built dykes and irrigation canals to rign water to their fields.


• The Shang people were mostly farmers and traders.

2. City Planning

• The Shang king lived in the capital city, a city that is surrounded by a smaller cities and villages. He had great power. He was believed to have the mandate to rule from heaven because he was the son of the Heavenly god. He ruled the empire with the help of his officials.


• Thick walls protected the dwellers in the city from enemy attacks. A citadel was built with a large fort to shelter people from attacks on the city.


• The cities were well planned, with a system of streets and separate areas for workers and rulers.


• Temples and storage houses for food - a granary, were built at the capital. The granary store grains like wheat, barley and oat.


• Overall, the cities were well run.

3. Stable Government

• The Shang king had great power. He was believed to have the mandate to rule from heaven because he was the son of the Heavenly god.


• The Shang had a strong central government. The Shang ruler divided his kingdom into areas. These were ruled by the Lords. Lords were executed if they did not rule as the Shang king wanted or their power could be removed.


• The Shang built an organised society. The common people had to work on the king's building projects or fight as soldiers in the king's army.


• Every year, the Shang people had to give a part of their harvest to the king or to his officials (called "tax").

4. Trade and Economy

• Majority of the Shang people were farmers. They grew millet, barley, wheat, rice and hemp.


• They also kept domesticated animals.


• The Shang were also skilled craftsmen who were good at bronze casting, pottery making and silk making.


• Silk is one of the four greatest inventions of China. The Shang farmers reared silkworms on farms. The silk was then traded with other traders from other parts of India, Mesopotamia and Egypt.


• Trading networks were also established in the Northern and Central China. The networks of trade brought to China commodities like jade and ivory.


• The Shang used cowrie shells as a form of money for trade. Cowrie shalls were the first established form of money in ancient China.

5. Writing

• The Shang writing system had more than 3000 characters.
• The Shang were the first known people among the Chinese to draw pictographs to represent objects.


• They are called pictographic writing and pictogrames.


• Shang writing can be seen on bronze vessels and oracle bones.


• The pictograms later developed into the Chinese charaters that are used today.

6. Art and Culture

• The Shang Dynasty was also known as the Bronze Age of China.


• The Shang people were skilled craftsmen in bronze casting. Advanced technologies were then used to make weapons, , wine cups and jars.


• The Shang people also develoed a calendar called the lunar calendar. Today, many Chinese still follow the lunar calendar.

Factors Leading to the Downfall of the Shang Dynasty

• The Shang dynasty ended aroung 1500 BC.


• It ended due to constant wars that the Shang kings fought.


• The last Shang king was a cruel ruler. He led his army against the people in the Shangtung province in the east.


• This attack, though successful, weakened the Shang army.


• The neighbouring state of Zhou wuickly seized the chance to attack the Shang.


• The Zhous defeated the Shang and established the Western Zhou Dynasty.