Social Classes
The Shang dynasty was divided into six classes, with the king at the top, followed by the nobles, craftspeople, traders, farmers and then slaves at the bottom.
- The nobles were the ones who fought in the king's army. The king did not argue with them about land, so the nobles lived a life of luxury in palaces and spent their time hunting. The king would also provide them with charms such as coins or discs.
- The craftspeople were skilled workers who made weapons for the army, religious items, for the kings or for nobles, such as decorated pots which were also a symbol of wealth. This class also included jade and bronze workers, potters and stonemasons.v
- The Shangs were very big into trading, that is why the trades were ranked above farmers. The traders mostly traded goods, and used seashells as money.
- The farmers were the largest social class, they worked on small plats of land, and grew rice, barley, nuts, fruits and vegetables. The farmers didn't get to keep most of the crops they grew, since they had to give them to the nobles who passes it on to the royal family. Though the Chinese became very advanced in bronze work, the farmers still used wooden tools. Farmers also used to raise pigs and cattle.
- The lowest class was the slaves, who were captured in war. They were the one that build buildings, dug graves and worked for people. Sometimes, when the master of a slave died, the slave would also be sacrificed, so that they could work for their master forever.