Sentence Correction

In addition to being China's first administrators, in the sense that they developed a
coherent bureaucracy for their empire, the first literate culture in East Asia were the
Shang, and they were well known for crafting ornate bronze ritual vessels.
A. the first literate culture in East Asia were the Shang, and they were well known
for crafting
B. the first literate culture in East Asia were the Shang, well known as the crafters of
C. the Shang, as the first literate culture in East Asia, is well known for its crafting
D. the Shang were the first literate culture in East Asia and are well known as the
crafters of
E. the Shang were the first literate culture in East Asia and well known for its crafted

IMO D

IMO D

A and B - Out for Modifier problems - It's 'Shang' that is/are China's first administrators and not the 'literature culture'

E - Wrong - the Shang 'were'.....well known for 'its' - Pronoun problem

C - the Shang, as the first literate culture in East Asia, is well known for its crafting - sounds awkward

that leaves us with D

In addition to being China's first administrators, in the sense that they developed a
coherent bureaucracy for their empire, the first literate culture in East Asia were the
Shang, and they were well known for crafting ornate bronze ritual vessels.
A. the first literate culture in East Asia were the Shang, and they were well known
for crafting
B. the first literate culture in East Asia were the Shang, well known as the crafters of
C. the Shang, as the first literate culture in East Asia, is well known for its crafting
D. the Shang were the first literate culture in East Asia and are well known as the
crafters of
E. the Shang were the first literate culture in East Asia and well known for its crafted

Will go with D.