Q:Why doesn't the article give details on how and when Shang writing was developed?
A:Although many examples of developed Shang writing have been found, archaeological evidence of how their writing system evolved is still lacking.
Q:Why are two different Chinese characters used for "dynasty" in the article?
A:The character 朝 is usually read as "dynasty" and 代 is usually read as "period." Since historical periods in China and elsewhere are often named after the ruling dynasty, the two words can be used interchangeably in this context.
Q:Why are multiple dates of establishment given?
A:Because the Shang were so ancient, all dates come from either classical historians or modern archaeology and scholarship. These sources often differ, and they all have advantages and disadvantages. Instead of insisting on only using one source and arguing over which should be used, a few sources and their dates are mentioned at the beginning of the article
Q:Why are the Shang called the "first civilization in Chinese history?"
A:While there is some archaeological evidence for the existence of the earlier Xia dynasty, written records documenting an era are required for that era to be "historical." The Shang oracle bones are the earliest known written records in Chinese history. Therefore, earlier cultures and even the Shang prior to the use of writing are part of Chinese "prehistory."
Q:The article says that the geographical extent of the Shang is uncertain so how did the shape of the map come about?
A:The current map is a vector image based on an earlier raster image, which consisted of multiple, disconnected regions and dots. These regions corresponded to archaeological sites that suggest some connection to the Shang dynasty, which is itself a controversial topic. The current map draws a more intuitive boundary line around these sites, but this line does not represent a certain political or military border. It is a rough approximation to the region under Shang influence based on ties to the culture at Yin.
