近年新發現的應公鼎銘文、黃組征人方卜辭、周公廟遺址寧風卜辭等甲骨文、金文材料,為"周承殷制"的觀點提供了新證據,說明周王朝建立之初,在政體、祀典、名號制度等方面,很大程度上繼承殷商舊制。西周中期以後,周代禮樂文明之特色才逐步凸顯,並漸成主流。周人克商後,任用大批曾服務於殷王朝的史官,史官家族對殷周文化制度的延續有深遠影響。直至春秋時代,魯史中仍可見殷人史官的記事傳統。殷代、西周、春秋時期貴族宗法社會形態,是貴族禮制文化連續發展的外部環境,戰國以後,商文明對傳統貴族社會的影響逐漸消弭。

The inheritance and evolution of the cultural systems of the Shang and Zhou dynasties have long attracted scholarly attention.The inscription on the Yinggong bronze tripod,the oracle inscriptions about the Huangzu expedition against the Renfang,those on the Ningfeng ritual at the archeological site of the Duke of Zhou Temple and other recently found oracle bone and bronze inscriptions have provided new evidence for the view that in many respects,including its form of government,sacrificial ceremonies and system of titles,Zhou dynasty institutions were inherited from the Shang dynasty.It was not until the middle of the Western Zhou period that Zhou ritual,music and cultural styles emerged and became mainstream.After the Zhou conquered the Shang,they appointed a large number of Shang history officials,and these families had a profound influence on the continuation of the culture and institutions of the Shang dynasty.Their tradition of record-keeping can still be seen in the Spring and Autumn Annals(Chun Qiu),the historical record of the State of Lu in the Spring and Autumn Period.The social pattern of aristocratic clan society under the Shang and Western Zhou and in the Spring and Autumn Period provided an external environment for the development of the ceremonial culture of the aristocracy.However,the influence of Shang civilization on the aristocracy lessened from the Warring States Period on.