Shang
Henan, S. Shanxi
Zhou
S. Shaanxi
Wucheng
Jiangxi
*Sanxingdui
Sichuan
10m x 3.6m
24 human teeth
1 young female, 2 infants
475 bronze objects
232 weapons, 51 tools, 50 vessels, 4 bells
356 pieces of pottery
150 jades
Walled city, ca. 1500 BCE
12 sq km
2 sacrificial pits, ca. 1200 BCE
Bronze analysis shows a common metal source with those at Xin’gan (Wucheng culture)
*Western Zhou (1045-771 BCE)
*Eastern Zhou (770-256 BC)
*1) Shijing (Book of Songs/Poetry)
2) Shang shu (Book of Documents)
3) Yijing/I-Ching (Book of Changes)
4) Later Histories, 5th-1st c. BCE
5) Oracle bones
6) Bronze inscriptions
7) Material culture
Modern S. Shaanxi
*"Cradle of Dynasties"
Capital at Feng
Near modern Xi’an
Oracle bone references, 1080s BCE
King Wen 文 (Accomplished/Civilized), r. ca. 1099-1050 BCE
King Wu 武 (Martial), r. 1049-1043 BCE
Invasion, 1045 or 1046 BCE
700,000 Shang vs. 45,000 Zhou troops
Shang king, Di Xin
Speech of King Wu in Book of Documents
“The king of Shang does not revere Heaven above and inflicts calamities on the people below. Abandoned to drunkenness and reckless in lust, he has dared to exercise cruel oppression…He has burned and roasted the loyal and good. He has ripped up pregnant women. Great Heaven was moved with indignation and charged my deceased father to display its terrors.”
Moral basis for government
Religious sanction for government
*Di=high god
King (Wang)
*Tian (Sky/Heaven)=high god
King (Wang) & Son of Heaven (Tianzi)
King Wu dies 1043
Regents for King Cheng
Duke of Shao (W.)
Duke of Zhou (E.)
“Five Cities”
Main Capital: Feng
Administrative and military officials
External warfare
Rong
Di
“King Yi boiled the leader of the state of Qi, Duke Ai, in a cauldron” ca. 860
King Xuan (r. 827-782 BCE)
Conflicts over succession in the state of Lu
Attack on Lu, 796 BCE
“From this time on, the many lords mostly rebelled against royal commands.” Shiji
King You r. 781-771 BCE
Legend of Baosi
Natural disaster
Earthquake
Succession dispute
Son of Baosi vs. Son of Western Shen princess
Zhou capital at Feng sacked
Western Shen and Zong states, and Xianyuan
King Ping
r. 770-729 BCE
New capital at Chengzhou (Luoyang)
1. According to Rawson, what types of objects were found in the tomb of Lord of Rui and his wife Zhong Jiang?
2. On the final page of the chapter, Rawson argues that “Two forces were at work on the Lord of Rui, which were expressed in his objects.” What were these forces, and how were they represented by artifacts in the tomb?
Which artifacts were typical of Eastern Zhou tombs?
According to Hansen (pp. 52-54), what is Rawson's thesis about a "ritual revolution" that occurred in Western Zhou bronzes and rituals?
According to Rawson, what artifacts in the tomb of Lord of Rui and his family represent new evidence that a "ritual revolution" had occurred during his lifetime in the 8th century BCE?
Which artifacts are unusual for Eastern Zhou tombs?
The Lord of Rui’s wife Zhong Jiang has a set of ritual bronzes that is larger than her husband. According to Rawson, why might this be the case? Do you agree with her?
Why does Rawson argue that these objects provide evidence of contacts with nomadic peoples of the steppe to the north?
3. How does Rawson’s argument about “two forces” challenge the narrative of Eastern Zhou history in Hansen’s textbook?