The Rise and Fall of the Shang Dynasty

The Shang Dynasty was also called "The Bronze Age Civilization." The founder of the Shang Dynasty was King Tang. The Shang Dynasty, according to traditional sources was the second Chinese dynasty; however, the Shang Dynasty actually was the first great historically documented dynasty. The period in which the Shang Dynasty ruled the greater part of Northern China was 1523 to 1027 BC. The capital city was Anyang. The Shang people built great cities, made beautiful bronze objects, and had great armies made up of royals and peasant farmers. The Shang dynasty was eventually overthrown by the Zhou Dynasty.

AGRICULTURE & MINING

Agriculture was the main occupation of the people ruled by the Shang Dynasty. Under the Shang Dynasty, occupations in the field of agriculture included farming and mining. Because the population resided around the fertile land of the Yellow River, the peasant farmers cultivated the land growing vegetables, rice and wheat. Rice and wheat were stables in every household. The peasant farmers also bred cows, horses, sheep and pigs. They even raised elephant.

Mining of ore to produce bronze was a very large part of the Shang Dynasty as well. Rulers controlled the supply of raw materials and ran the government foundries. The middle class artisans devoted much of their time to perfecting bronze pieces for religious and military purposes. The bronze work of the Shang Dynasty peasants was very well crafted and elite during this time period. There are thousands of artifacts still surviving today. The Shang elites and artisans devoted much of their time to perfecting their bronze work. The elites "organization was apparent because Shang rulers had to mobilize men and material to mine, transport, and refine the ores, to manufacture, and tool the clay models, cores, and moulds used in the casting process and to run the foundries." (Buckley 129) The mining of ore used to make bronze was done by the poorer classed and looked after by the noble class.

SKILLED ARTISANS

The skilled artisans were bronze makers, potters, and makers of musical instruments. The artisans of the Shang times were very well thought of by the rulers of the land. The produced tools fo agriculture and weapons for the army. The artisans produced many bronze items. The halberd, with a dagger-shaped blade was a favorite weapon used by the Shang. It was carried by the footed soldiers and was also swung, like a scythe, at the enemy speeding chariots. A bronze blade was easy to cast and deadly on the battlefield.