The Tomb of Fu Hao, Ancient China's Warrior Queen - Ep 34

Written By Rachel Roden

In 1976 near the ruins of the ancient capital Yin, archaeologists rediscovered the tomb of Fu Hao and it transformed our understanding of the Shang Dynasty. Most royal tombs were ravaged by looters, but the final resting place of Fu Hao remained perfectly preserved. Now we know in addition to her duties as queen, she was also a military general, priestess, and she managed lands of her own.

For Women's History Month, learn about the life of this legendary figure through the contents of her tomb. From bronze Yue axes symbolizing her military authority to the world’s oldest jade archery ring to trade goods from far off lands, learn about some of the artifacts that helped us rediscover a warrior queen from the first dynasty of Ancient China.

Offline Sources Cited:

  • Chinese Academy of History. 2025. Rituals of the Xia and Shang Dynasties (c. 2070–1046 BCE). In: A Concise History of Chinese Civilization. Springer, Singapore..

  • Kwok, Kian-Chow. 1984. The Tomb of Fu Hao. Thesis, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

  • Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Science (Ed.). 2003. Zhongguo kaoguxue, xiashangjuan [Chinese archaeology, Xia and Shang dynasties]. China Social Sciences Press.

  • Schwartz, Adam C. 2019. The Oracle Bone Inscriptions from Huayuanzhuang East: Translated with an Introduction and Commentary. De Gruyter.

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Rachel Roden
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