Who did the Shang people pray to?

The Shang people worshipped many gods and believed the gods held power over them.

They also worshipped their ancestors, family members from the past who lived before a person was born.

Their rituals sometimes involved sacrifices - when animals or people were killed as an offering to the gods. Sometimes during rituals, priests asked questions that were written on animal bones. These bones were covered in writing and were called oracle bones.

Important words about the religious beliefs and practices of the Shang people.

Watch this video to learn more about the gods the people of the Shang Dynasty worshipped.

The Shang religion was very well organised.

The Shang people believed in and worshipped many gods.

We know about significant dates, rituals, people and gods from writing on animal bones called oracle bones. These bones were covered in ancient writing.

Archaeologists have excavated tombs, where the dead were buried, by digging down into the earth. They found skeletons laid out facing the same direction.

The Shang made sacrifices to Shang Di (also called Di, which can mean 'high god'). They believed he controlled important forces of nature, like the sun and the mountains.

The Shang also believed that their ancestors still held power over what happened in their lives. Before making important decisions they performed rituals to ask for their their approval and help.

Divination was the act of trying to gain knowledge about the future. It sometimes involved cracking a turtle shell or bones , often the shoulder blade of an ox, while people asked a question to the spirits of their ancestors or their gods. Afterwards, they looked at the cracks to discover a meaning and wrote the answer onto the object.

Shangdi was the highest spiritual power.

The Shang people believed he ruled over all other gods. They believed that only the emperors could communicate with Shangdi - through the souls of their royal ancestors.

He was thought to have control over many of the things that could affect people's lives and whether they would be happy or troubled.

The Shang believed he controlled:

• victory in battle
• the harvest
• the floods of the Yellow River

The Shang seem to have believed in an afterlife (a belief that there is another life after death).

Historians believe this because of the burial tombs built for dead rulers.

Often carriages, utensils, sacrificial vessels (a container used in religious rituals, usually made of bronze), and weapons would be included in the tomb.

A king’s tomb could contain up to a few hundred humans and horses, placed there to accompany him into the afterlife.

Tombs often contained ornaments including ones made from a hard green stone called jade. The Shang people may have believed that jade protected the body and spirit after death.

Have a look at the thinking point below and think about your answer to the question. You could even write them down on a piece of paper or discuss your answer with somebody else if you want to.

• How do we know that religion was important to the Shang people?

Click through the interactive to solve the Shangdi puzzle.

Let's find out what you know about the religious practices and beliefs of the Shang people.

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