Watch: Life in the Shang dynasty
Narrator: Life was really different in the Shang dynasty to life today.
Buildings were built from mud and wood, even palaces and towers and horses were the fastest form of transport.
Builder: Fetch some more wood for the roof.
Narrator: The Shang people didn鈥檛 eat rice or drink tea. These only became popular hundreds of years later.
Instead they ate bread, wheat, cheese and drank beer.
Girl: Oh no, bread again.
Narrator: Life was very different depending on whether you were rich or poor.
Poor people lived difficult lives鈥
Poor Man: Please, could you spare something to eat?
Narrator: 鈥ith very little food and often nowhere to live.
Rich and powerful people lived easy lives and had plenty to eat and drink, fine clothes and jade jewellery.
King: Bring me the finest exotic fruits.
Narrator: The richest had servants who would work for them.
The King could do almost anything he liked and ruled with complete power over his people.
What was life like for ordinary people?
The civilisation was based on agriculture, hunting and animals. Buildings were built from mud.
The oldest surviving records from Anyang tell us that under the late Shang dynasty writing was fully developed.
We also know there were musical instruments and astronomers observed the planet Mars and comets.
People did not eat rice or drink tea but ate bread, wheat, cheese and beer.
What happened at the royal court?
At the palace of Yinxu, near Anyang, there were as many as 53 buildings around the palace complex, as well as storage, servants鈥 quarters and housing.
The king was the military commander and was in charge of the court appointments.
The king also led the religious ceremonies which included ancestor worship.
Decorated tombs were built for the kings, who were buried with carriages, utensils and weapons for the afterlife. Servants and horses, were also buried alive with them.
Why was bronze important?
Craftspeople made cups, bowls and weapons from bronze. This needed a lot of people to do the work, and managers to watch over the craftsmen.
Bronze items were used more for religious ceremonies than in everyday life.
Ordinary people used stone or wood to make their cups and bowls.
Activities
Activity 1: Sort the Shang Dynasty foods
Activity 2: Shang dynasty quiz
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