Ancient China was a place of many aspiring technological breakthroughs. There were also many great people such as Confucius (kung Fozi) and laozi that had long lasting major impacts on chinese society. Three great dynasties found their homes along the yellow river valley. they were the Xia, the Shang, and the Zhou dynasties in that order. The Xia came about when a group of nomadic people came across fertile land and settled down in agricultural villages along the yellow river valley.The image to the left depicts the Xia dynasty at the height of its rule. The Xia were the first unified civilization of china thus creating the foundation for the dynasties to come. The Xia were succeeded by the Shang who ruled China from 1600 to 1046 BCE an amazing 554 years. The Shang played an even more important role in the development of Chinese culture than the Xia. The Shang Dynasties borders expanded further south reaching the fertile lands of the Yantze River and eastward to the Yellow sea. The Shang ruled their dynasty from their capital city of Yin. There were also many technological advances to take place in this era. Such as the advent of porcelain and the increased production of silk goods. scientific and mathematical advances took place during this time such as the development of a more accurate calender system, and the recording of lunar and solar eclipses and stars. The Shang prvided a great foundation fo the following dynasty the Zhou.