Ancient China was one of the earliest civilizations in which social and philosophical thought emerged and developed. Science and culture in China evolved in a distinctive and unique manner. By the middle of the second millennium BCE, a structured economic system had been established in the Yin (Shang) state. In the 12th century BCE, as a result of military conflicts, political authority transferred to the Zhou tribe, and their rule continued until the 3rd century BCE. During this period, religious and mythological worldviews predominated, providing distinctive explanations for the origin of the universe and natural phenomena, while also exerting a significant influence on the development of secular knowledge.