Shang was an ancient tribe along the lower reaches of Yellow River. It is believed that Shang's ancestry can be traced back to Qi, whose mother gave birth to him after swallowing an egg of a swallow. Shang's tribe in its early period often moved about: its capital had been changed five times during its reign of 300 years. After Emperor Pangeng chose Yin ( in the northeast part of today's Anyang, Henan province ) as its capital, Shang Dynasty experienced a period of prosperity. During Wuding's 50 years rule, Shang Dynasty reached its heyday.

The last monarch of Shang Dynasty, King Zhou, is said to have been a cruel despot who neglected state affairs and abandoned himself to sensuous pleasures. Rare birds and aniamls dedicated to him were raised, flat platforms were built for storing numerous amount of money and valuables, wine was pored into the pool and meat was hung up on trees. As an extremely cruel king, he invented various kinds of intruments of torture to punish his opponents. "The punishment of Pao Luo" - torture with hot pillar, was one of them. The bronze pillar covered with ointment was heated on the burning fire of charcoal. His prisoners were forced to walk on the pillar. They fell down and burned to death.

King Zhou's tyranny and atrocities accelerated the speed and downdfall of Shang Dynasty. A vassal kingdom of Shang Dynasty called Zhou was growing powerful in Weishui River Valley. The king of Zhou, named Wen, was an able enlightened administrator who valued agriculture and made good use of talented people. Assisted by his able prime minister Jiang Taigong, King Wen and his son King Wu made his realm rich and powerful.

In the mid-11th century BC, the new ruler, King Wu, led an alliance of the western and southern tribes, toppled the tottering Shang Dynasty by defeating King Zhou at the Battle of Muye (in today's Henan province). The victory was aided by a revolt in Shang army, which consisted mostly of conscripted slaves. Seething of hatred, they led Zhou army into the capital instead of fighting back. King Zhou burnt himself to death, and his throne was taken by King Wu. Supported by small states and tribes, King Wu founded Zhou Dynasty in 1046 BC, and located his capital in Hao (in southwest of today's Xi'an, Shaanxi province). This era is known as that of Western Zhou Dynasty.