1766 – 1045BC - The Shang Dynasty was China’s first true dynasty, and existed after the legendary Xia Dynasty. Centered in the Huang He Valley, the Shang kingdom was a highly developed society governed by a hereditary class of aristocrats. The agrarian Shang society was divided into two social classes – the nobility and the commoners – and headed by a priest king.

Famous for its fine jade carvings, woven silk and bronze work, the horse-drawn war chariot and a system of writing were also developed during this period. The Shang writing system used more than 3,000 symbols, carved into pieces of bone and turtle shell. This 'oracle' language later evolved into characters used in the Chinese language.

The Shang people worshipped their ancestors and a pantheon of gods. They occasionally practised human sacrifice, including burying slaves alive in the tombs of their masters. The Shang Dynasty ended when a slave rebellion toppled the last emperor, who was a despot.