The Shang Dynasty

The Shang Dynasty arose from a tribe in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. According to legend, its founding ancestor Xie lived at the same time as Yu. The Shang people passed through three periods: Pre-Shang, Early Shang, and Late Shang. The dynasty had 31 kings and lasted for more than 500 years. After the Xia Dynasty, Tang of Shang overthrew Xia and established the Shang Dynasty. Under Shang rule, the capital was moved frequently until King Pan Geng moved it to Yin, where it finally remained. After Pan Geng's death, the throne passed to his younger brother Xiao Xin, then to Xiao Yi, and then to Xiao Yi's son Wu Ding. This was the Shang Dynasty's most powerful period. Its last ruler, Di Xin, was defeated by King Wu of Zhou at the Battle of Muye and died by setting himself on fire.

In the early Shang Dynasty, the throne was passed from elder brother to younger brother; later, it passed from father to son. During this period, the Shang state had already established the foundations of its power. Under the slave system, slave-owning aristocrats became the ruling class, forming a vast bureaucratic administration and army. The Shang Dynasty's sphere of influence extended beyond the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, reaching south of the Yangtze River and spreading across vast areas to the north. Under Shang rule, China's earliest systematic writing appeared: oracle bone script and bronze inscriptions. Online drama distribution permit: Screening Permit (Drama Review Online) Permit: Record Number: 0105097240105010