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
If the Shang knew about Xin’nag culture, how would it be described on the oracle bones?
What can we know about Xin’gan culture based on this limited find?
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)
On pages 143-145, Li Feng revises this traditional account based on Zhou oracle bone inscriptions. How have these new finds changed our view of a transition in religious belief from Shang to Zhou?
King Wu dies 1043
Regents for King Cheng
Duke of Shao (W.)
Duke of Zhou (E.)
Uprising in East
Shang ruler, Wu Geng
Continuation of conquests
“Five Cities,” Li Feng, p. 123
Main Capital: Feng
Administrative and military officials
“Duke” Gong 公
How were appointments to outer domains made in inscription on Yihou Ze gui–tureen (Li Feng, p. 129)?
Based on what you may know about medieval European feudalism, does he convince you that China had a unique “fengjian” system?
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)