Mystical rituals and beliefs of the Shang Dynasty.
The Shang Dynasty, a real and mysterious era, has a history that is intimidating to a certain extent. The people of this period believed in the gods, especially the reverence for the Emperor, who believed that everything in nature and the human world was governed by the Emperor. The Shang kings were considered to be the spokesmen of the Emperor of Heaven in the earthly world and had supreme power.
During the Shang Dynasty, sacrificial activities were an indispensable part of people's lives. People pray for the blessings of the gods through sacrifices to maintain the prosperity of the country. In these sacrificial activities, human sacrifice and burial became a widespread phenomenon. The Shang Dynasty believed that burying living people or livestock together would better serve their ancestors and gods to ensure the long-term peace and stability of the country. According to archaeological records, burial creatures such as dogs, pigs, and cows were often found in the tombs of the Shang Dynasty. And in the tombs of nobles or royal families, there are even people who were buried, some buried intact, and some dismembered and placed in the burial chamber. The number of people who were buried in the tombs of Shang kings was so large that it sometimes even reached hundreds.
In addition to this, the rulers of the Shang Dynasty firmly believed that the Mandate of Heaven was immutable. In order to please the gods, they need to perform regular rituals to maintain a connection with the gods. The Shang Dynasty believed that it was only through respecting and pleasing the gods that the prosperity of the country and the well-being of the individual could be guaranteed. In general, the horror of the Shang Dynasty was mainly manifested in the excessive worship and sacrificial rituals of the gods, as well as the phenomenon of human sacrifice and burial. Although these actions may seem incomprehensible to modern times, they were part of the life of the Shang dynasty.
However, we also cannot ignore the great achievements of the Shang Dynasty in terms of culture and civilization, such as those exquisite bronze and jade objects. These precious cultural relics bear witness to the glorious history of the Shang Dynasty.