Underneath the aristocratic class was the priest class. The priests kept the records of the government and were also in charge of religion. The religion in the time of the Shang dynasty was based on ancestor worship and a worship of many gods; the main god was known as Shang Ti, the Lord on High.
This god ruled as a supreme god over lesser gods, the sun, the moon, the wind, the rain, and other natural forces and places. Highly ritualized, ancestor worship became a part of the Shang religion. Sacrifice to the gods and the ancestors was also a major part of the Shang religion. When a king died, hundreds of slaves and prisoners were often sacrificed and buried with him. People were also sacrificed in lower numbers when important events, such as the founding of a palace or temple, occur
red.Shang ti temple
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