Title: Frequent Capital Moves in the Shang Dynasty: Throne Disputes, the Flooding of the Yellow River, and the Mystery of the Bronze Mines.
Hello everyone, as a history blogger, I will take you today to ** the reasons for the frequent capital moves of the Shang Dynasty, revealing why this ancient dynasty was always busy moving.
The contradiction between the flooding of the Yellow River and the relocation of the capital.
The Shang Dynasty established its capital in Bo (present-day Shangqiu, Henan), however, Bodi was frequently plagued by the flooding of the Yellow River. The ancient Yellow River was not the stable river it is today, but a willful little daughter. From time to time, she would change the course of the river, so that the Shang Dynasty had to move its capital everywhere. The history of Dayu's water control depicts the instability of the Yellow River at that time, which was a frequent disaster for the Shang Dynasty. Liangtian Meiju was washed away by the river, and the livelihood of the people was damaged, which was one of the important reasons why the Shang Dynasty had to consider moving the capital.
Throne strife: Rivalry and division of rulers.
After the establishment of the Shang Dynasty by Chengtang, the strongest controllers in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River attracted the surrounding princes to pay tribute. However, after the death of Naruyu, the succession to the throne was in question. During Taijia's reign, he did not abide by the rules of Chengtang and was exiled by the auxiliary minister Yiyin. After Taijia was exiled, there was confusion in the succession to the throne, and there were many disputes over the throne. This period was the period when the Shang Dynasty frequently moved its capital, and the dispute over the throne became an important reason for the relocation of the capital.
Social unrest and class struggle.
The society of the Shang Dynasty was divided into three levels: slave owners, nobles, commoners, and slaves. The rule of the aristocracy was decaying, and the practice of human sacrifice prevailed. In the early days of Pan Geng's reign, there was social turmoil and sharp internal struggles. In order to eliminate the panic of the people and change the phenomenon of corruption, Pangeng moved the capital to Yin. This move became an important turning point in the history of the Shang Dynasty and one of the reasons for moving the capital.
The possibility of finding a bronze mine.
Bronze casting was the most important handicraft industry during the Shang Dynasty. Some scholars believe that the frequent capital movements of the Shang Dynasty may have been related to the search for bronze mines. There are many types of bronze and fine craftsmanship, and the expansion of the scale and technical level of the bronze industry during the Shang Dynasty made it the backbone of the economy. Therefore, the Shang Dynasty may have moved to the capital in search of new copper ore resources to ensure sustainable economic development.
Epilogue. The reasons for the frequent capital moves of the Shang Dynasty were many and complex, ranging from natural disasters to the effects of throne strife and social unrest. The search for bronze mines may have been another important factor in the Shang Dynasty's relocation of the capital. The mystery of the relocation of this ancient and mysterious dynasty still intrigues historians and archaeologists to this day. The story of the frequent relocation of the capital of the Shang Dynasty is not only a page of history, but also a witness to the development and evolution of human society. Let's walk into this period of history together, feel the changes of that era, and explore the deep reasons behind the relocation of the capital.