Shang dynasty - Revision history

PeterKa: reorder

2014-10-01T12:39:27Z

reorder

PeterKa: rephrase

2014-09-21T06:59:51Z

rephrase

PeterKa: was

2014-09-21T06:50:28Z

was

PeterKa: /* Late Shang */

2014-09-21T06:49:17Z

‎Late Shang

PeterKa: move box down

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move box down

PeterKa: /* Downfall */ add salacious detail

2014-07-28T10:59:41Z

‎Downfall: add salacious detail

PeterKa: /* Writing */ rm the

2014-06-01T12:18:26Z

‎Writing: rm the

PeterKa: format

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format

PeterKa: add Shangdi

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add Shangdi

PeterKa: /* Rulers */ BC

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‎Rulers: BC

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-The '''Shang dynasty''' was an era of Chinese history that began in 1600 BC and continued until 1046 BC.<ref>These dates are from the [http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/17161 Xia-Shang-Zhou Chronology Project] (2001). Liu Xin gives 1766–1122 BC, the ''Bamboo Annals'' gives 1556–1046 BC, and ''Cambridge History of Ancient China'' (1999) gives 1570 –1045 BC.</ref> It was preceded by the [[Xia dynasty]] and was followed by the [[Zhou dynasty]]. The Shang was China's Bronze Age. Shang casting technique was the finest in the world, and many highly decorated vessels have survived.<ref name=McCurleyShang>McCurley, Dallas L., ”Shang”, ''Encyclopedia of Modern Asia'' (2002).</ref> The establishment of a permanent capital at Anyang in 1300 BC can be viewed as the founding of the first Chinese state. A large foundry has been unearthed at Miaopubei near Anyang.<ref name="McCurleyShang" />
+The '''Shang dynasty''' was an era of Chinese history that began in 1600 BC and continued until 1046 BC.<ref>These dates are from the [http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/17161 Xia-Shang-Zhou Chronology Project] (2001). Liu Xin gives 1766–1122 BC, the ''Bamboo Annals'' gives 1556–1046 BC, and ''Cambridge History of Ancient China'' (1999) gives 1570 –1045 BC.</ref> It was preceded by the [[Xia dynasty]] and was followed by the [[Zhou dynasty]]. The Shang was China's Bronze Age. Shang casting technique was the finest in the world, and many highly decorated vessels have survived.<ref name=McCurleyShang>McCurley, Dallas L., ”Shang”, ''Encyclopedia of Modern Asia'' (2002).</ref> A large foundry has been unearthed at Miaopubei near Anyang.<ref name="McCurleyShang" /> The establishment of a permanent capital at Anyang in 1300 BC marks the founding of the first historical Chinese state.
 {{language box
 |c=商朝

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 After a permanent capital was established at Anyang in 1300 BC, the king began to function more as a ruler and head of an established government. But he continued to tend to divination personally. A proposed divination would be written on a bone. The bone was then heated until stress caused it to crack. The cracks were interpreted by the king as either confirming or denying the divination. Ritual required the king to travel extensively, including trips to four sacred mountains.<ref name="McCurleyShang" />
-As the Shang did not developed a system of writing until 1200 BC, only the late Shang can be considered fully historical.<ref>The XSZ Project gives exact years for various events beginning in 1300 BC, with the earlier period described only in general terms. For comparison, note that the standard chronology for Egypt begins with the Third Dynasty in 2750 BC.</ref> Contemporary inscriptions establish the sequence of rulers from this point on, so this can be considered the beginning of China's recorded history. The chariot was also introduced at around this time. Like the Xia, the Shang was once thought to be legendary. The excavation of Anyang, begun in 1928, demonstrated that the dynasty is historical. Anyang does not have a wall, which suggests the kings were confident that they could fend off invaders without one.<ref name="McCurleyShang" /> The royal tombs that have been unearthed suggest that human sacrifice was practiced.<ref>"[http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/episodes/treasure-tomb-of-the-warrior-queen/ Treasure Tomb of the Warrior Queen]", ''National Geographic'', 2010.</ref>
+As the Shang did not develop a system of writing until 1200 BC, only the later part of the dynasty is considered fully historical.<ref>The XSZ Project gives exact years for various events beginning in 1300 BC, with the earlier period described only in general terms. For comparison, note that the standard chronology for Egypt begins with the Third Dynasty in 2750 BC.</ref> Contemporary inscriptions establish the sequence of rulers from this point on, so this can be considered the beginning of China's recorded history. The chariot was also introduced at around this time. Like the Xia, the Shang was once thought to be legendary. The excavation of Anyang, begun in 1928, demonstrated that the dynasty is historical. Anyang does not have a wall, which suggests the kings were confident that they could fend off invaders without one.<ref name="McCurleyShang" /> The royal tombs that have been unearthed suggest that human sacrifice was practiced.<ref>"[http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/episodes/treasure-tomb-of-the-warrior-queen/ Treasure Tomb of the Warrior Queen]", ''National Geographic'', 2010.</ref>
 The Shang calendar had 360 days with twelve months of thirty days each was developed. Intercalary months were added as necessary. The urban population were mainly engaged in metallurgy and other support services for the army and the state. In the countryside, the primary activity was growing millet.<ref name="McCurleyShang" />

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-The '''Shang dynasty''' was an era of Chinese history that began in 1600 BC and continued until 1046 BC.<ref>These dates are from the [http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/17161 Xia-Shang-Zhou Chronology Project] (2001). Liu Xin gives 1766–1122 BC, the ''Bamboo Annals'' gives 1556–1046 BC, and ''Cambridge History of Ancient China'' (1999) gives 1570 –1045 BC.</ref> It was preceded by the [[Xia dynasty]] and followed by the [[Zhou dynasty]]. The Shang was China's Bronze Age. Shang casting technique was the finest in the world, and many highly decorated vessels have survived.<ref name=McCurleyShang>McCurley, Dallas L., ”Shang”, ''Encyclopedia of Modern Asia'' (2002).</ref> The establishment of a permanent capital at Anyang in 1300 BC can be viewed as the founding of the first Chinese state. A large foundry has been unearthed at Miaopubei near Anyang.<ref name="McCurleyShang" />
+The '''Shang dynasty''' was an era of Chinese history that began in 1600 BC and continued until 1046 BC.<ref>These dates are from the [http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/17161 Xia-Shang-Zhou Chronology Project] (2001). Liu Xin gives 1766–1122 BC, the ''Bamboo Annals'' gives 1556–1046 BC, and ''Cambridge History of Ancient China'' (1999) gives 1570 –1045 BC.</ref> It was preceded by the [[Xia dynasty]] and was followed by the [[Zhou dynasty]]. The Shang was China's Bronze Age. Shang casting technique was the finest in the world, and many highly decorated vessels have survived.<ref name=McCurleyShang>McCurley, Dallas L., ”Shang”, ''Encyclopedia of Modern Asia'' (2002).</ref> The establishment of a permanent capital at Anyang in 1300 BC can be viewed as the founding of the first Chinese state. A large foundry has been unearthed at Miaopubei near Anyang.<ref name="McCurleyShang" />
 {{language box
 |c=商朝

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 ==Late Shang==
-After a permanent capital was established at Anyang in 1300 BC, the king began to function more as a ruler and head of an established government. But he continued to tend to divination personally. A proposed divination would be written on a bone. The bones was then heated until stress caused it to crack. The cracks were interpreted by the king as either confirming or denying the divination. Ritual required the king to travel extensively, including trips to four sacred mountains.<ref name="McCurleyShang" />
+After a permanent capital was established at Anyang in 1300 BC, the king began to function more as a ruler and head of an established government. But he continued to tend to divination personally. A proposed divination would be written on a bone. The bone was then heated until stress caused it to crack. The cracks were interpreted by the king as either confirming or denying the divination. Ritual required the king to travel extensively, including trips to four sacred mountains.<ref name="McCurleyShang" />
-As writing developed around 1200 BC, only the late Shang can be considered fully historical.<ref>The XSZ Project gives exact years for various events beginning in 1300 BC, with the earlier period described only in general terms. For comparison, note that the standard chronology for Egypt begins with the Third Dynasty in 2750 BC.</ref> Contemporary inscriptions establish the sequence of rulers from this point on, so this can be considered the beginning of China's recorded history. The chariot was also introduced at around this time. Like the Xia, the Shang was once thought to be legendary. The excavation of Anyang, begun in 1928, demonstrated that the dynasty is historical. Anyang does not have a wall, which suggests the kings were confident that they could fend off invaders without one.<ref name="McCurleyShang" /> The royal tombs that have been unearthed suggest that human sacrifice was practiced.<ref>"[http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/episodes/treasure-tomb-of-the-warrior-queen/ Treasure Tomb of the Warrior Queen]", ''National Geographic'', 2010.</ref>
+As the Shang did not developed a system of writing until 1200 BC, only the late Shang can be considered fully historical.<ref>The XSZ Project gives exact years for various events beginning in 1300 BC, with the earlier period described only in general terms. For comparison, note that the standard chronology for Egypt begins with the Third Dynasty in 2750 BC.</ref> Contemporary inscriptions establish the sequence of rulers from this point on, so this can be considered the beginning of China's recorded history. The chariot was also introduced at around this time. Like the Xia, the Shang was once thought to be legendary. The excavation of Anyang, begun in 1928, demonstrated that the dynasty is historical. Anyang does not have a wall, which suggests the kings were confident that they could fend off invaders without one.<ref name="McCurleyShang" /> The royal tombs that have been unearthed suggest that human sacrifice was practiced.<ref>"[http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/episodes/treasure-tomb-of-the-warrior-queen/ Treasure Tomb of the Warrior Queen]", ''National Geographic'', 2010.</ref>
 The Shang calendar had 360 days with twelve months of thirty days each was developed. Intercalary months were added as necessary. The urban population were mainly engaged in metallurgy and other support services for the army and the state. In the countryside, the primary activity was growing millet.<ref name="McCurleyShang" />

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 {{language box
 |c=商朝
 |p=Shāng cháo
-|w=Shang<sup>1</sup> ch'ao<sup>2</sup>
+|w=Shang ch'ao
 }}
 Chinese writing first appeared in this period. Pictographs were written on bones, shells, and later in bronze. The Shang was the first dynasty to use chariots. Over 500 sites have been classified as culturally Shang, although not necessarily politically. These sites are located, not only in Shang heartland in the central portion of the Yellow River, but all across northern and eastern China.<ref name="McCurleyShang" /> Shang religion was a form of shamanism, with divinations made by the king. The Shang worshiped a sky deity named Shangdi ("high ruler").
-{{History of China}}
 ==Early Shang==
-The capital was initially located at Bo. Bo is identified with a walled city in Yanshi in northern Henan Province that was unearthed in 1983. Erlitou, the Xia capital, is also in Yanshi, which suggests that there was at one time a relationship between the two states. Bo was radiocarbon dated to 1600 BC. This date is considered to be the founding of the Shang dynasty.<ref>If the traditional date of 1766 BC is accepted as the actual year the dynasty was founded, that would imply that the upper layer of Erlitou is a Shang site.</ref> In the Middle Shang, the capital was moved several times. In this period, the king may be viewed as a wandering shaman, moving from one city to another in response to arcane oracles.
+{{History of China}}The capital was initially located at Bo. Bo is identified with a walled city in Yanshi in northern Henan Province that was unearthed in 1983. Erlitou, the Xia capital, is also in Yanshi, which suggests that there was at one time a relationship between the two states. Bo was radiocarbon dated to 1600 BC. This date is considered to be the founding of the Shang dynasty.<ref>If the traditional date of 1766 BC is accepted as the actual year the dynasty was founded, that would imply that the upper layer of Erlitou is a Shang site.</ref> In the Middle Shang, the capital was moved several times. In this period, the king may be viewed as a wandering shaman, moving from one city to another in response to arcane oracles.
 ==Late Shang==

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 ===Downfall===
-Dixin, the last Shang ruler, is traditionally described as an immoral tyrant. The Zhou, a people from the northeast, defeated the Shang in the battle of Muye and established a new dynasty in 1046 BC. Zhou religion is the basis of Chinese Native Religion, so the downfall of the Shang is the subject of much popular literature, including ''Investiture of the Gods''.<ref>Wan, Pin P, "[https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/handle/1773/11125 Investiture of the gods (Fengshen yanyi): sources, narrative structure, and mythical significance]" (1987).</ref>
+Dixin, the last Shang ruler, is traditionally described as an immoral tyrant. To please a concubine, he is said to have built a lake of wine around which naked men and women chased one another. The Zhou, a people from the northeast, defeated the Shang in the battle of Muye and established a new dynasty in 1046 BC. Zhou religion is the basis of Chinese Native Religion, so the downfall of the Shang is the subject of much popular literature, including ''Investiture of the Gods''.<ref>Wan, Pin P, "[https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/handle/1773/11125 Investiture of the gods (Fengshen yanyi): sources, narrative structure, and mythical significance]" (1987).</ref>
 ==Rulers==

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 ===Writing===
-About 200,000 oracle bone inscriptions have been found. The earliest date from about 1200 BC. The characters used are generally pictographs. They are often primitive versions of characters that are still used to write Chinese in modern times. Almost all of the inscriptions are proposed divinations. They address the gods concerning matters of the immediate practical significance. No Shang literature survives.<ref name="McCurleyShang" />
+About 200,000 oracle bone inscriptions have been found. The earliest date from about 1200 BC. The characters used are generally pictographs. They are often primitive versions of characters that are still used to write Chinese in modern times. Almost all of the inscriptions are proposed divinations. They address the gods concerning matters of immediate practical significance. No Shang literature survives.<ref name="McCurleyShang" />
 ===Downfall===

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 {| class="wikitable"
 ! style="background:#efefef;" colspan="2" |Ruler
-! style="background:#efefef;" colspan="2" |Accession
+! style="background:#efefef;" colspan="2" |Date of accession (BC)
 |-
 |style="background:#efefef;" |Pinyin