Life during the Shang dynasty
Narrator: Life was really different in the Shang dynasty to life today.
Buildings were built from mud and wood, even palaces and towers and horses were the fastest form of transport.
Builder: Fetch some more wood for the roof.
Narrator: The Shang people didnât eat rice or drink tea. These only became popular hundreds of years later.
Instead they ate bread, wheat, cheese and drank beer.
Girl: Oh no, bread again.
Narrator: Life was very different depending on whether you were rich or poor.
Poor people lived difficult livesâŠ
Poor Man: Please, could you spare something to eat?
Narrator: âŠwith very little food and often nowhere to live.
Rich and powerful people lived easy lives and had plenty to eat and drink, fine clothes and jade jewellery.
King: Bring me the finest exotic fruits.
Narrator: The richest had servants who would work for them.
The King could do almost anything he liked and ruled with complete power over his people.
Description
The civilisation was based on agriculture, hunting and animals.
Student Description
- The civilisation was based on agriculture, hunting and animals. Buildings were built from mud.
- The oldest surviving records from Anyang tell us that under the late Shang dynasty writing was fully developed.
- We also know there were musical instruments and astronomers observed the planet Mars and comets.
- People did not eat rice or drink tea but ate bread, wheat, cheese and beer.
Shang Dynasty
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