How did job roles differ in the Shang dynasty?
People living the Shang dynasty had very different jobs based on their place in society.
The roles ranged from the rich and powerful king to prisoners, who had no choice in how they lived or what tasks they had to do each day.
Everyone working in the Shang dynasty had a part to play in society.
Important words
Important words on what jobs there were in Shang society.
| Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|
| Astronomer | A person who studies the stars and space. |
| Noble | In the royal court, these wealthy and powerful people advised the king. |
| Scribe | A person who could read and write. |
| Weaver | A person who uses threads to create a fabric. |
Watch: Jobs in the Shang Dynasty
Watch the video to learn more about jobs in the Shang dynasty.
Narrator: In the Shang Dynasty you weren’t allowed to choose what job you did. It all depended on which class you belonged to.
King: What a lovely day this is turning out to be.
Priest: We can thank the gods for that.
Narrator: At the top were the wealthy ruling class. Then came priests, soldiers, craftsmen, farmers and prisoners.
The ruling class worked on important jobs for the Shang government and were really rich.
Woman: The people think you’re a brilliant king.
Narrator: Priests were thought to be able to predict the future.
Priest: It looks like our army will be victorious in battle.
Narrator: Soldiers were respected and honoured for their fighting skills.
The craftsmen were in the middle class. Their job was to make pottery, sculpture and metal work.
Shopper: How much for that pot?
Craftsman: I will give you a bargain.
Shopper: Wonderful, I’ll take twenty.
Narrator: Most people belonged to the lower class and worked as farmers. Although respected for the food they grew, it was a tough life and most of the work was done by hand.
Farmer: Phew, when will the rains come and break this heat?
Narrator: Prisoners were the lowest class of all and were captured during battles. They were forced to do anything that their masters wanted.
Master: Hurry up, those rocks won’t smash themselves.
What did richer Shang people do?
The king was born into the royal family. He was advised by nobles who were often very powerful and wealthy people. They were part of the royal court.
Some important jobs at the royal court included:
- astronomers - who studied the stars and space
- dog officers - who managed the hunting dogs
- guards - who protected those at court
- military generals - who led armies and trained soldiers
- musicians - who entertained the people
- priests - who worshipped the gods
- scribes - who wrote down and read important information
What jobs did ordinary people have?
Some ordinary people were made to fight in the army.
Others were craftspeople or miners.
Most people were labourers that worked on farms.
Women were not allowed to have jobs that men had, or take exams.
Women often did home‑based jobs, such as working as a weaver where they used threads to create fabric.
Which job could you have done?
Read the description and then click the answers to find out what job you may have had in the Shang dynasty.
Do your friends ask for your advice and help?
Do you like making things, drawing and painting?
Are you really sporty?
You might have been a military general or a noble.
They had to make difficult decisions.
You might have been a jade carver.
These craftspeople spent a long time making jewellery from the pale green stone, jade.
- You might have been a soldier.
They fought using spears and bows and arrows.
Think like a historian
Have a look at the thinking points below and think about your answer to each question. You could even write them down on a piece of paper or discuss them with somebody else if you want to.
There are normally more records and artefacts about kings and nobles. Why might this be?
Why were the farmers important to the success of the Shang dynasty?
Did you think about how much wealth the nobles and the king had? They could pay for objects to be created and these were often made from expensive metals or precious stones like jade. These materials could last a long time when buried in the ground. Scribes would also write down information about the activities of the king and nobles at court.
Perhaps you thought about how the dynasty needed to feed its population so they could have the energy to carry out their jobs. Without farmers producing enough food, others would not have time to carry out other important roles, such as priests or craftspeople.
Activities
Activity 1: Which is the correct job?
Click through the interactive and identify which person has the correct Shang civilisation job.
Activity 2: Shang Dynasty jobs quiz
Grown-ups corner
Are you a parent, carer or teacher?
Take a look at some of the links below on KS2 History which are packed full of knowledge, videos, quizzes and activities.
History KS2: The Story of China - The Rise and Fall of the Shang
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
History KS2: The Story of China - How the Early Chinese Made Bronzes
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
History KS2: The Story of China - How We Know About the Shang
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade game! game
Play Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade KS2 History
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