The Shang Dynasty ( 1600-1046 BC )


The Shang Dynasty has the earliest recorded written history. The Shang (16th-11th century BC) lasted over 500 years, with 31 kings belonging to 17 generations.



Shang Tang had spent 17 years in fighting against the Emperor Jie before he overthrew the Xia Dynasty. When he came to the throne, he was found to be a good and virtuous ruler. He was always thinking of the good for his people. He was full of benevolence not only for his people, but also for the animals. Hehas been considered as a model ruler and his example was imitated by every monarch. He was succeeded by his grandson Tai Jia.

In the whole period of the Slave-Owning System in the Shang Dynasty, struggles for the throne occurred many times, and the internal contradictions of the nobility intensified. Misery spread wide among the people, and the dynasty declined. There were thirty-one kings in seventeen generations. The last two kings were Di Yi and Di Xin. Di Xin or Zhou, the king of Shang, is known in history as a cruel and debauched tyrant. He devised many cruel laws and means of torture, oppressing and expoiting the slaves and common people. Building luxurious palaces and gardens, he led a debauchery life. By the end of the dynasty, King Zhou set aside the old nobles and only favored those congenial to him. This aggravated the contradictions among the nobility and caused internal dissention. The intensification of class contradictions brought about great confusion. Taking advantage of the opportunity, King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty launched an attack and overthrew the Shang Dynasty. The account of the fall of the Shang Dynasty that appears in traditional Chinese histories follows closely the story of Xia.