Sheldon A. Ayers
(All, except #4, at the New Haven Public Library)
1. Appel, Benjamin. Why the Chinese are the Way they Are. Boston: Little Brown and Company, 1968, pp. 29-32
2. Li, Dun. The Ageless China. New York: Charles Scribners’ Sons, 1971, pp. 37-42
This text may look intimidating but it has an excellent section on Shang culture. The author examines the two major developments of their civilization: the evolution of oracle bone inscriptions into a writing system and the technological advancement of bronze metallurgy.
3. Meskill, John. An Introduction to Chinese Civilization. New York: Columbia University press, 1973, pp. 6-11
In this book the author delves into four aspects of Shang civilization- The Emergence of History: The Shang Dynasty, Rulership, The People and Shang Religion. The sections are concise. Chapter XIV is filled with illustrations that depict a range of bronze artifacts. Facts are well presented and allow connections between the different Chinese dynasties.
4. Neill, Mary. Communion of Scholars Chinese Art at Yale. New York: China House Gallery, 1982, pp. 20-41
This book has great full color photographs of Chinese art at the Yale University Art Gallery. The photographs help the reader appreciate the bronzes, ceramics, sculptures and paintings in the Yale collection. Each artifact is accompanied with an informative synopsis about the origin, style and history of the piece.
5. Yap, Young & Cotterel, Arthur. The Early Civilization of China. New York: G.P. Putnam Sons, 1975, pp. 24-29
This book gives a detailed explanation about the Kingship role in Shang religion and government. The text clearly explains Shang archaeological finds, funeral ceremonies and oracle bone inscriptions. Oracle bone inscriptions are illustrated and analyzed for the readers. A very informative work.
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Cooperative Group Assignment
Lesson 3(B)
Instructions: Working in groups of three, students will organize facts about religion and religious rituals in Shang society.
Fact: The Shang worshipped spirits which they believed lived in nature. The Shang also believed that ancestors shaped their fortunes.
Question: How were oracle bones used by the king?
( Fill in the sequence on this flowchart )
Discussion Question: Do we try things to predict our future? Why?
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Cooperative Group Assignment
Lesson 3
Instructions: Working in groups of three, students will organize facts about religion and religious rituals in Shang society.
Fact: The Shang believed that their king was divinely inspired. The king received his power from the spirits and his wisdom from the ancestors.
Graphic Organizer: What role did Shang kings play in the religious traditions?
SHANG
KINGS
Discussion:
Why was the king well respected and honored?
Why was religion and the government so closely linked in Shang culture?
Name: ______________________
Graphic Organizer (Lesson 2)
Instructions: Create a birds eye view map of a Shang city.
Map Key:
Name: _________________
Graphic Organizer (lesson 2 continued)
Instructions: Create a three paragraph diary entry describing a typical day in the life of a ________. Choose one of the following characters: King, High Ranking official, Artisan, Peasant. Write your diary in the first person.
Roberts, JAG. A History of China-Volume I. Alan Sutton Publishing, 1996, p.6
Ibid, p.7
Chang, Kwang-Chih. Shang Civilization. Yale University ,1980, p 153
Gernet, Jacques. Ancient China. University of California, 1968, p. 36-37
Allan, Sarah. The Shape of the Turtle: Myth, Art and Cosmos …, p.130