The change of the oath-making conventions from the Shang to the West Zhou Dynasty went through three periods of development starting from about a time between King of Cheng and King of Kang. During this period of time, the practice of the Zhou people to accept people of other families into their patriarchal rule was the key policy to integrate the Zhou people with different tribes and the Shang family. Enfeoffment, court meeting, sacrifice-offering and execution made patriarchal ideas and oath-making conventions mutually influence, which changed considerably the social structure and national distinctions in those days.

ages of the Shang and the Zhou Dynasty; oath-making convention; patriarchy; social structure; national integration