Watch: Gods of the Shang dynasty
Narrator: The people of the Shang Dynasty believed in lots of gods, including the gods of wind, clouds, the Sun and the moon.
Wheat Collector: Praise to the gods, all of them.
Narrator: Shang Di was the supreme god and was believed to rule all the other gods.
Shang Di: What is the meaning of this half-hearted praise?
Narrator: The Shang people performed rituals and prayers, offered food and even human sacrifices to make sure Shang Di was happy.
Families would also worship their ancestors, if they were pleased the family would be prosperous, if the spirits were not pleased terrible things could happen.
Praying Man: Oh no, the spirits are angry.
Narrator: Priests interpreted messages from the gods and predicted the future.
Priest: Oh dear, this doesn’t look good.
Narrator: Shang kings also acted as high priests and led religious ceremonies.
They were believed to be the best people to offer sacrifices to the ancestors and the gods.
King: Shang Di, with these sacrifices we ask for your mercy.
All: Phew!
How do we know about Shang religion?
- The Shang religion was very well organised.
- The Shang people had lots of gods.
- We know about dates, rituals, people and gods from writing on animal bones called oracle bones.
- Tombs have been dug up. They show skeletons laid out facing the same direction.
What was sacrifice and divination?
The Shang made sacrifices to Di, the High God, nature powers like the sun and mountain powers.
They sacrificed to former lords, ancestors, and royal wives who were ancestors of the present king.
The Shang believed that their ancestors held power over them and performed rituals to get their approval for planned actions.
Divination involved cracking a turtle shell or ox scapula while asking a question. The answer would be written on the bone itself.
How important was Shangdi?
Shangdi was the ultimate spiritual power.
The god controlled victory in battle, the harvest and the floods of the Yellow River.
Shangdi ruled other gods and only the emperors could access Shangdi through the souls of their royal ancestors.
Shangdi also become another form of heaven.
Shangdi controlled many of the things that could affect people's lives and whether they would be happy or troubled.
How do we know about a Shang afterlife?
The Shang seem to have believed in an afterlife.
We believe this because of the burial tombs built for deceased rulers.
Often carriages, utensils, sacrificial vessels, and weapons would be included in the tomb.
A king's burial involved the burial of up to a few hundred humans and horses as well to accompany the king into the afterlife.
Finally, tombs included ornaments such as jade, which the Shang may have believed to protect against decay or even give everlasting life.
Activities
Activity 1: Shangdi puzzle
Activity 2: Shang gods quiz
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