The Shang Dynasty was the first Chinese dynasty for which people has written and archaeological evidence.Most historians now date the dynasty from 1600-1046 BC when it was succeeded by the Zhou Dynasty.The Shang Dynasty was centred around the Yellow River in North East China but moved it's capital on a number of occasions.The artistry of it's craftsmen has made the dynasty famous for it's bronze and jade work.

1.The first ruler of the Shang was Tang Shang, a military leader.There were thirty Shang Emperors; a dynasty is in succession of rulers from the same family or line.

2.The Shang built their houses and public buildings out of wood and mud.They built mud banks to try and hold back flooding.Defensive walls and towers were also built of mud.

3.Shang society was divided into different classes.At the top were the ruling class under the royal family, then came priests, an administrative, class, warriors, craftsmen, traders, farmers and slaves.Most people were farmers.

4.Noble warriors paid tributes to the Emperors who granted them land in return for their loyalty.

5.The Shang were specialists in bronze work and many beautiful artefacts have been recovered from their tomes.

6.The Shang believed in a supreme God, Shang Di, as well as subsidiary powers or spirits.Ancestors worship family were central to their religious practice.They also believed in an afterlife and were buried with the goods, slaves and animals they believed would be useful to them.

7.The Shang were the first Chinese developed writing.They used pictographs, characters which could convey more then one meaning.

8.The Shang year of 390 days was comprised of 12 months of 30 days.It was based on the lunar month and solar year.An additional month was added when necessary.

9.In order to predict the future, or ask questions of the gods, people would engrave questions on oracle bones (tortoise shells or cow bones).These would then be burned and the priests would 'read' the cracks which then appeared.

10.Chinese people used to grind down these ancient animal bones to make traditional medicines.In 1899 some scholars noticed engravings on the bones and discovered they had come from North East China.In 1928 excavations began and evidence of the Shang was discovered.