Around 1122 BCE, a group called the Zhou took control of the Huang He valley away from the Shang.
According to the Zhou, Heaven allowed their leader, King Wu, to defeat the Shang because the Shang leaders were dishonest and cruel. The Zhou was the longest-ruling dynasty in China’s history, lasting about 860 years, from around 1122 BCE to 256 BCE. The Zhou began the period of China’s greatest dynasties. It was followed by the Qin and the Han dynasties. Together, these three dynasties had an influence on Chinese society that lasted for thousands of years.
