CULTURE

Writing
One of the earliest types of texts from Zhou was the Shu jing. It showed their version of history through a large series of poems. It also explains the philosophy of the Mandate of Heaven.

The most earliest known writings and inscriptions in their alphabet had 10 to 60 characters, they carved it into pieces of bone and turtleshells. By 1400 BCE scripts were much more advanced containing around 2,500 characters. The Zhou civilization used Chinese, which is still used today.

Wine Vessel in the Shape of a Bull, Shanghai Museum, Photo by easmichael.

A Rare Eastern Zhou Dynasty Jade

This is a page of various poems in the Shu jing. With these poems we learned valuable information about the Zhou Dynasty. This particular poem is called the 書 Shū. The translation for one of these poems is read:
When a daughter is born,
She is cradled on the floor,
She is clothed in swaddling-bands,
Givin a loom-whorf as toy,
She shall wear no badges of honor,
Shall only take car of food and drink,
And not cause trouble to her parents.n

A bell forged during the Eastern Zhou dynasty, late Spring and Autumn period (770–ca. 475 B.C.).
Several of these bells were made for musical purposes during rituals and cermonies.