In the early years of China, the Chinese began a period of affirmation in the world with ideas and teachings of new religions, shifts in power, and empire building. Simply put, the Chinese were progressing towards new technologies, scriptures and belief systems. The Chinese have seen many dynasties come and go as well as many ups and downs experienced by societies throughout history. While all nations went through a change, the Chinese experienced changes from other distant lands and produced many concepts that helped other kingdoms see the change for themselves. The Chinese have used many creative innovations to prosper as an economic power and stabilize themselves intellectually. Change combined with innovation has proven to be the basis of China's success as a powerful nation to be reckoned with due to the large numbers speaking out in favor of China. The rise and fall of dynasties is a commonly discussed characteristic of the Chinese. The Shang Dynasty (1500-1050 BC) was the foundation of innovative and progressive movements with the first to achieve a functioning writing system, metalworking, communes and chariots. They believed in sacrificing captives, excluded from slavery, to the gods and ancestors because this was thought to be a purpose for going to war. The invention of writing proved to be a phenomenal improvement as they could now keep records and deliver messages to the commanders of their warring armies. They used the logographic system; a word is represented by a pictorial sign which made literacy a royal attribute. With the successes of this resurrected dynasty, history tells us that it must fall for another to be born in order to establish a balance in control. An empire known as the Zhou Dynasty (1050-256 BC) above......middle of paper......duals. They invented tools for farming by changing the way they grew crops, planted them, and worked the soil. They saw the great improvement over modern weapons such as crossbow, chariot and the implementation of cavalry and infantry to help them emerge victoriously in battles and wars. Economically, with paper money they were able to move away from cumbersome coins and could trade with foreign nations much more easily. The creation of a writing system along with a printing system proved to be a dramatic increase in the education received throughout the country as scholars could now teach from books written before their time and not from stories passed from generation to generation. China was inventing and reinventing itself and each dynasty took power as they had their own rules, beliefs and ways of taking charge. China was growing. Works Cited History of World Societies