ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with the Neolithic cultures on the middle Huang He (Yellow) River in China. Religion and ritual practices, including ancestor veneration and burial methods, of the Yangshao and Longshan cultures are profiled. Discussion focuses on the growing social stratification of society during these periods and how this affected elite rule of the people and religious practices. The chapter then goes on to present the Shang and Late Shang Dynasties and their complex belief system. The chapter ends with the rise of the Zhou Dynasty. The theme of religion as a method of social control will be a main focus.
