Essay On The Shang Dynasty

Words: 647
Pages: 3

The Golden Age of China, the time that China developed significantly, ruling as a successful society, was the time that the Shang dynasty ruled, from about 1700 BC to around 1050 BC. The Xia Dynasty is assumed to have ruled before it, but the earliest ruins and artifacts found are from the Shang Dynasty’s time, making the Shang people the earliest definite Chinese society members. This dynasty truly was golden, as its government, technology, language, and general ways of society influenced future China significantly, and was carried throughout many years of history.
The Shang Dynasty was located in modern-day China. This early society ranged from the Northern Chinese Plains through the valley of the Yellow River. The capital was moved many times, often relocated when a new king came to rule. Its most recent capital, Yin, was settled by the 19th monarch, two miles off of the modern day city of Anyang. Overall,
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The Chinese language today has changed very little from the original Shang language. The way the dynasty was governed was also used similarly throughout Chinese history. The hierarchy system was utilized, where everybody had specific jobs and rankings. Since the dynasty existed during the Bronze Age of China, bronze items, like tools and weapons, were created and changed. Bronze represented wealth and power, so when buried in a king’s tomb, it showed the king’s wealth. Chariots and bronze weapons were used a lot in war, and influenced future Chinese war techniques and ways of fighting significantly. But despite their strong army tactics, in around 1050 BC, the Shang dynasty came to an end when the state of Zhou invaded the capital of Shang.
The Shang Dynasty ruled from 1700 BC to around 1050 BC as a powerful Chinese society. Its religion and beliefs, inventions and technology, and government and way of life worked very well while the dynasty ruled, and still functions for today’s