The Shang Dynasty: Bronze, Writing, and Kingship

The Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BCE) is the first Chinese dynasty unambiguously confirmed by contemporary writing, thanks to the oracle-bone inscriptions recovered from its final capital, Yin, near the present-day city of Anyang. According to tradition, the dynasty was founded by Tang the Victorious, who overthrew the last Xia king, Jie, remembered as a decadent tyrant, a narrative pattern of virtuous founder replacing corrupt predecessor that Chinese historiography would repeat at the fall of the Shang themselves. The early Shang phase, known archaeologically as Erligang and centered on the walled city of Zhengzhou, already shows territorial expansion and ritual bronze production considerably beyond that of Erlitou. Chinese tradition records that the Shang capital was relocated several times, up to six according to some sources, before its final and longest-lasting establishment at Yin around 1250 BCE, where twelve successive kings are said to have ruled until the dynasty's fall in 1046 BCE.