How was society structured?
Shang society had a clear hierarchy, where people in society were organised based on how powerful their roles were. The king was at the top and prisoners were at the bottom.
People did not get to choose their role and the role of the king was hereditary - this meant the title was passed down through a family.
Each of the roles in society played a part in the success of the civilisation.
Important words
Important words on what jobs the Shang people did.
| Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|
| Hereditary | Something inherited and passed down through a family. |
| Hierarchy | A way of organising people in a society based on how powerful they were. |
| Scribe | A person who could read and write. |
| Weaver | A person who uses threads to create a fabric. |
Watch: Jobs in the Shang Dynasty
Watch the video to learn more about jobs in the Shang dynasty.
Narrator: In the Shang Dynasty you weren’t allowed to choose what job you did. It all depended on which class you belonged to.
King: What a lovely day this is turning out to be.
Priest: We can thank the gods for that.
Narrator: At the top were the wealthy ruling class. Then came priests, soldiers, craftsmen, farmers and prisoners.
The ruling class worked on important jobs for the Shang government and were really rich.
Woman: The people think you’re a brilliant king.
Narrator: Priests were thought to be able to predict the future.
Priest: It looks like our army will be victorious in battle.
Narrator: Soldiers were respected and honoured for their fighting skills.
The craftsmen were in the middle class. Their job was to make pottery, sculpture and metal work.
Shopper: How much for that pot?
Craftsman: I will give you a bargain.
Shopper: Wonderful, I’ll take twenty.
Narrator: Most people belonged to the lower class and worked as farmers. Although respected for the food they grew, it was a tough life and most of the work was done by hand.
Farmer: Phew, when will the rains come and break this heat?
Narrator: Prisoners were the lowest class of all and were captured during battles. They were forced to do anything that their masters wanted.
Master: Hurry up, those rocks won’t smash themselves.
What did the higher classes do?
The position of king in the Shang Dynasty was hereditary. Passed down, usually from father to son, this meant you had to be born into the royal family to be king.
In Shang society, nobles had a lot of wealth and power, depending on their relationship with the royal family.
There were many other positions at the royal court though, including:
- agricultural officials - who helped organise farming
- astronomers - who studied the stars and space
- dog officers - who managed the hunting dogs
- guards - who protected those at court
- military generals - who led armies and trained soldiers
- musicians - who entertained the people
- priests - who worshipped the gods
- scribes - who wrote down and read important information
We know this from discovering oracle bones with writing on them.
What did ordinary Shang people do?
Ordinary people were forced to join the army more soldiers were needed. This is called being conscripted.
A lot of people worked in the mines digging for copper, tin and lead. Others transported these metals which were used to make bronze.
Artisans and labourers made bronze vessels and weapons.
Most people worked as craftspeople or as labourers on farms.
What did Shang women do?
Women were not allowed to have the jobs in public life that men had.
They were also not allowed to take exams.
Instead, they learned skills and had roles that people at the time thought were suitable for women, such as becoming weavers, who used threads to make fabric.
However, some women still became very powerful. One example of a powerful woman from the time is Fu Hao, a wife of the king who became a military general and high priestess.
Which job might you have done during the Shang Dynasty?
Read the description and then click the answers to find out what job you may have had in the Shang dynasty.
Are you creative?
- Do you like making things, drawing and painting?
- Are you a patient person who loves trying new things?
Are you confident?
- Are you the leader of your friends?
- Do they ask for your advice and you help them?
- Do you like making up new games for you all to play?
Are you active?
- Are you really sporty?
- Do you like running, climbing and playing games outside?
- Can you not sit still for very long?
You might have been a jade carver.
Jade carvers would spend a long time making detailed jewellery from the pale green stone, jade. It's a job that would suit someone who likes art.
You might have been a noble or military general.
Nobles and military generals had to make difficult decisions. People would rely on their advice and looked up to them. It's a job which would suit a confident person.
You might have been a soldier.
Soldiers had to be very brave. They fought using spears and bows and arrows. There weren't any guns or cannons. This job might suit someone who is very sporty.
Think like a historian
Have a look at the thinking points below and think about your answer to each question. You could even write them down on a piece of paper or discuss them with somebody else if you want to.
There are normally more records and artefacts about kings and nobles. Why might this be?
Why were the farmers important to the success of the Shang dynasty?
Did you think about how much wealth the nobles and the king had? They could pay for objects to be created and these were often made from expensive metals or precious stones like jade. These materials could last a long time when buried in the ground. Scribes would also write down information about the activities of the king and nobles at court.
Perhaps you thought about how the dynasty needed to feed its population so they could have the energy to carry out their jobs. Without farmers producing enough food, others would not have time to carry out other important roles, such as priests or craftspeople.
Activities
Activity 1: Which is the correct job?
Click through the interactive and identify which person has the correct Shang civilisation job.
Activity 2: Shang Dynasty jobs quiz
Let's find out what you know about jobs in the Shang Dynasty.
Grown-ups corner
Are you a parent, carer or teacher?
Take a look at some of the links below on KS2 History which are packed full of knowledge, videos, quizzes and activities.
History KS2: The Story of China - The Rise and Fall of the Shang
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
History KS2: The Story of China - How the Early Chinese Made Bronzes
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
History KS2: The Story of China - How We Know About the Shang
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade game! game
Play Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade KS2 History
More on China
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