About 356-338 Shang Yang strengthened the Qin state by centralizing it.

** Shang Yang

Legalism is a pragmatic political philosophy synthesized by Shang Yang and Han Fei.

Both Shang Yang and Han Fei promoted the absolute adherence to the rule of law, regardless of the circumstances or the person.

* Shang Yang, Legalist founder and pivotal Qin reformer

** The Book of Lord Shang, attributed to Shang Yang.

Shang Yang, a scholar from the Legalist School, in his book " The Book of Lord Shang, refers to several measures taken by the state.

Another Legalist, Shang Yang implemented Legalist and meritocratic reforms in the state of Qin by abolishing the aristocracy and promoting individuals based on their skill, intelligence, and initiative.

The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring States Period.

Lord Shang Yang, a Qin statesman, introduced a number of militarily advantageous reforms from 361 BC until his death in 338 BC, and also helped construct the Qin capital, Xianyang.

Marble bust of statesman Shang Yang

Shang Yang was executed in 338 BC due to a grudge by the leader King Wu over a student who had been executed because of Shang Yang's insistence that law applied even to nobility.

Other philosophers, theorists, and schools of thought in this era were Mozi, founder of Mohism ; Mencius, a famous Confucian who expanded upon Confucius ' legacy ; Shang Yang and Han Fei, responsible for the development of ancient Chinese Legalism ( the core philosophy of the Qin Dynasty ); and Xun Zi, who was arguably the center of ancient Chinese intellectual life during his time, even more so than iconic intellectual figures such as Mencius.

* Shang Yang, Chinese statesman of Qin ( executed )

Leading contemporary visual artists include Ai Weiwei, Cai Guoqiang, Cai Xin, Fang Lijun, Huang Yan, Huang Yong Ping, Kong Bai Ji, Lu Shengzhong, Ma Liuming, Ma Qingyun, Qiu Shihua, Song Dong, Li Wei, Christine Wang, Wang Guangyi, Wang Qingsong, Wenda Gu, Xu Bing, Yang Zhichao, Zhan Wang, Zheng Lianjie, Zhang Dali, Zhang Xiaogang, Zhang Huan, Zhu Yu, Yan Lei, Ma Kelu, Ding Fang, Shang Yang, Wei, Ligang ( modern calligraphist ), Yue Min Jun, Zheng Fan Zhi, Liu Fengzhi, and Zhang Yue.

* With his reforms initiated in this year, the Chinese prime minister Shang Yang starts to transform the once marginal and frontier State of Qin to become the most dominant military force amongst the Warring States of China by the 3rd century BC.

The I Ching ( Book of Changes ) is an ancient text in China, dating back to the Shang Dynasty ( Bronze Age 1700BC-1050BC ), and utilizes a system of Yin and Yang which it places into Hexagrams for the purposes of divination.

It began to become aggressive after the Shang Yang reforms of about 356 and then played a very active role in the final 180 years ( 300-221 BC ).

The most notable schools of thought include Mohism, expounded by Mozi ; Confucianism, represented by Mencius and Xunzi ; Taoism, represented by Zhuangzi, and Legalism, represented by Shang Yang and Han Feizi.

The reforms of Shang Yang in Qin, and of Wu Qi in Chu, both centred around increased centralisation, the suppression of the nobility, and a vastly increased scope of government based on Legalist ideals, which were necessary to mobilise the large armies of the period.

The early thought behind Legalism was first formed by Shang Yang in the book of Lord Shang and was further developed by Li Si as a realist reform oriented philosophy meant to strengthen government and reinforce adherence to the law.

Stone and bone needles found in ancient tombs have made Joseph Needham speculate that acupuncture might have originated in the Shang dynasty.

Jacques Gernet claims that the Zhou dynasty, which conquered the Shang, made more use of the chariot than did the Shang and " invented a new kind of harness with four horses abreast ".

Shang are traditionally consecrated and made of sophisticated metallic alloy.

Shang kings claimed that Shangdi made himself accessible through the souls of their royal ancestors.

Yuan Shao died two years later and his youngest son Yuan Shang was made his successor.

In 158 BC, when Xiongnu made a major incursion into the Commanderies of Shang ( 上, modern northern Shaanxi ) and Yunzhong ( 雲中, modern western Inner Mongolia, centering Hohhot ), Emperor Wen made a visit to the camps of armies preparing to defend the capital Chang ' an against a potential Xiongnu attack.

Apart from the effects on Qin's military, Shang Yang's reforms also increased labour for numerous public works projects aimed at boosting agriculture, and made it possible for Qin to maintain and supply an active military force of more than a million troops.

Meanwhile, in Yi Province, in 303, Luo Shang, after causing Li Te to be ready by offering a truce, made a surprise attack against Li's forces and killed him.

For the time, however, Emperor Zhongzong's son Li Chongmao the Prince of Wei, also by a concubine, was made emperor ( as Emperor Shang ).

Dings were originally made of ceramic materials then later, from the time of the Shang Dynasty ( 1600-1046 BCE ), were cast in bronze for " ritual bronzes ", which were often buried in the tomb of their owners for use in the afterlife.

Zhu Xi ( 1130 – 1200 ) was inspired by the raised-relief map of Huang Shang and so made his own portable map made of wood and clay which could be folded up from eight hinged pieces.

The accounts reveal that it was made by the carpenters Adam and Patrick Shang and George Tod.

Shang also made furniture in Edinburgh, including an oak bed for Queen Mary's half-brother, the Earl of Moray.

Sun Bu ' er is most known for her journey from Shang Dong to Luoyang, where she intentionally made herself ugly by splashing boiling oil on her face to destroy her beauty.

The earliest known armour used by the warriors of the Shang dynasty was light plated armour made from turtle shells tied together with cords.

In 158 BC, when Xiongnu made a major incursion into the Commanderies of Shang ( 上, modern northern Shaanxi ) and Yunzhong ( 雲中, modern western Inner Mongolia, centering Hohhot ), Emperor Wen made a visit to the camps of armies preparing to defend the capital Chang ' an against a potential Xiongnu attack.

A guang () is a particular shape used in Chinese art for vessels, originally made as Chinese ritual bronzes in the Shang dynasty, and sometimes later in Chinese porcelain.

Several key officers under Li Huaiguang — including Han Yougui ( 韓遊瓌 ), Dai Xiuyan ( 戴休顏 ), Luo Yuanguang ( 駱元光 ), and Shang Kegu ( 尚可孤 ) — however, refused to follow Li Huaiguang and instead accepted commands from Li Sheng, whom Emperor Dezong made the commander of Tang forces in the region.

With Emperor Dezong beginning to become paranoid about generals having too much power by this point, it was soon thereafter that rumors spread by Shang and Li's political enemy Zhang Yanshang, then a chancellor, made Emperor Dezong suspicious of Li Sheng, who was then the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit ( 鳳翔, in modern Baoji, Shaanxi ).

In late 2 BC, after Ding's successor Wei Shang ( 韋尚 ) died of an illness, Emperor Ai made Dong, at the age of 22, the commander of the armed forces ( 大司馬, da sima )-one of the Three Excellencies, along with the prime minister ( 大司徒, da situ ) and the prime examiner ( 大司空, da sikong )-and the security chief for the capital.