Economic Activity
Much the same as most other ancient civilizations, the Shang greatly depended on agriculture. The Shang Empire flourished with wide spread production of their dominant crops such as millet, wheat, rice, mulberry, hemp and barley, as well as the cultivation of various animals such as dogs, silkworms, pigs, farm sheep’s and ox, fishing too had a great significance in the Shang Empire. Handicraft was also a prevalent part of Shang economy, most notably their bronze craftsmanship. Their advancement in bronze metal work was another clear indication towards the Shang’s civilization thus far. Not only was bronze metal craft highly important to ancient Shang economy but the invention of porcelain wares, the highly artistic jade materials that the Shang Empire produced and the fine silk fabrics that Shang artisans were capable of producing were all vital parts of Shang economic activity.
Much the same as most other ancient civilizations, the Shang greatly depended on agriculture. The Shang Empire flourished with wide spread production of their dominant crops such as millet, wheat, rice, mulberry, hemp and barley, as well as the cultivation of various animals such as dogs, silkworms, pigs, farm sheep’s and ox, fishing too had a great significance in the Shang Empire. Handicraft was also a prevalent part of Shang economy, most notably their bronze craftsmanship. Their advancement in bronze metal work was another clear indication towards the Shang’s civilization thus far. Not only was bronze metal craft highly important to ancient Shang economy but the invention of porcelain wares, the highly artistic jade materials that the Shang Empire produced and the fine silk fabrics that Shang artisans were capable of producing were all vital parts of Shang economic activity.