Final answer:
The Zhou dynasty created an aristocratic society with a focus on agriculture and herding, influenced by Shang culture but with their own advancements like iron processing. They established a feudal system, with rituals performing a key societal role, and made significant contributions to East Asian civilization through literature and philosophy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Zhou Dynasty Society and State
The Zhou dynasty established a society that was highly aristocratic, where political power was concentrated in the hands of a small elite class. This elite ruled over a population largely composed of serfs and commoners who were engaged in agriculture, fishing, and herding using primarily wood and stone tools. The Zhou society inherited significant cultural aspects from their predecessors, the Shang, such as bronze-making, divination, and logographic script, but they also introduced their own innovations like advanced iron processing technologies, which ushered in the Iron Age in China.
Beyond domestic advances, the Zhou dynasty was characterized by its feudal system, which allowed extension of their territory and incorporation of various lifeways into Zhou culture. They positioned themselves as mediators between heaven and earth, performing elaborate rituals to legitimize their right to rule. The Zhou dynasty was marked by the declining scale of human sacrifices and the phasing out of divination with oracle bones.
While the Zhou dynasty proved more long-lasting than the Shang, over time, their feudal system weakened as regional lords gained power. This period is often divided into the Western Zhou and later phases, reflecting shifts in power and authority throughout the dynasty. Despite this decentralization, the influence of the Zhou dynasty on East Asian civilization, through their poetry, prose, and philosophy, cannot be overstated.