
Sammy Yukuan Lee Lecture on Chinese Archaeology and Art
Tang Jigen
23rd Annual Sammy Yukuan Lee Lecture on Chinese Archaeology and Art
Anyang is known as the last capital site of Shang, the earliest state to have left written records in Chinese history. Since 1928, archaeologists have devoted great efforts to the study of the Shang. In the first ten years of the current century, archaeological work in Anyang has allowed a deeper understanding of the mysterious state, thanks to the adoption of new fieldwork strategies and research methods. Tang Jigen discusses the latest knowledge of the Shang, focusing mainly on its residential layout and social organization. Tang will also explore the association between the loss of cultural diversity and the collapse of the Shang state.