What were the influences that the Xia and Shang dynasties have on later chinese history?
Very little is known of the Xia Dynasty and most scholars consider it to be mythical. But the Shang Dynasty was really China’s first historical dynasty. It began about 1766 B.C. and lasted to about 1045 B.C. It was centered in northern Henan province, with its capital at Anyang. The Shang Dynasty was the beginning of the bronze age in China. Many bronze vessels, weapons, and other bronze objects date from this time. Also jade objects were carved and silk was woven. Writing begins in China during the Shang dynasty. Early writing appears on oracle bones and tortoise shells. The Shang society was headed by a priest-king and had two classes of people; commoners and nobles. The people worshiped their ancestors and had many gods. The Chinese began to keep a calender during the Shang period. Keeping historical records gave rise to a rich tradition of historical and philosophical scholarship. I hope that this has been a help to you.
