CHIN 50 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Shang Dynasty, Xia Dynasty, Erlitou Culture
Document Summary
Founder of civilization and inventor of culture. Mother saw lightning and lit up the sky, after witnessing this his mother became pregnant, and after 25 months gave birth. Commands all animals and ruled over kunlun, and rules the center of the world. All techniques and crafts were started by the yellow emperor. Three sage kings: yao, shun, yu founders of political order all still myths. Yao is a demigod, first of the three. Proven to be worthy and effective administrator. First instance of dynastic rule inheriting rule. Settlements with defensive walls, metal weaponry, tombs with human sacrifice. Archaeological sites distributed around henan area, earliest bronze vessels. Archaeological materials such as ritual tomb objects: bronze vessels, jades. Anyang excavated, royal tombs and palace foundations discovered. Tomb of lady hao, wife of shang king, contained massive cache of ritual objects. Words of a king that are forming the questions.
