商代前期：部落联盟共主向方国联盟共主的过渡

商代社会发展,可分为前后两期。在商代前期,商民族在整个部落联盟中的共主地位实际上不很稳定,其王权继承制仍保留较多的氏族社会特征,其活动中心又不断迁移。由此判断,商代前期的后半段,中原各部落也开始逐步向方国发展,商族也就由部落联盟共主转化为方国联盟共主。总起来看,商代前期是中国早期文明的发展时期。

The Early Period of Shang Dynasty:Transition from Collective Master of the Union Tribes to the Regional States

The development of Shang Dynasty can be divided into earlier and later period. In the eaelier period, the position of Shang collective master was actually instable and their inheritance style remained many characters of tribes society. Moreover, they often changed their capital. Based on the conclusion, the society character of this period was still the union of tribes. However, in the late of the early period, many tribes in the main plain areas also developing into the regional states gradually. At the same time, the Shang collective master was transited into the master of the regional states. All in all, the earlier period of Shang Dynasty is the developing time of Chinese earlier civilization.