The Han dynasty began in 206 BC after Liu Bang defeated the Qin dynasty government. The dynasty aimed for unification and Confucian principles, leading to a shift towards rule based on merit. Military expansion and improved trade led to the establishment of the Silk Road. Education and diplomacy also grew during this period. The dynasty ended when rebellious peasant warlords separated it into three kingdoms.
The Han dynasty began in China in 206 BC after Liu Bang led his rebels to defeat the Qin dynasty government. After the four-year Chu-Han War between Liu Bang and his rival, Xiang Yu, Bang emerged as the victor and founded the Han Empire and its capital Chang’an in 202 BC Two of the new dynasty’s main goals were the unification of China and the incorporation of Confucian principles.
The transition to Confucianism was determined by the strengthening of the economy, the fortification of the royal palace, the reduction of civil servants, the decline of government power over the peasantry and the rise of aristocratic families. Confucianism taught that people are born with a potential for morality, and the new Han government incorporated this into their state policy, believing that rulers should uphold this morality. Thus, the Han period saw a great reduction in harsh laws and punishments, and a shift towards rule based on the doctrine of merit.
The Han Dynasty (206 BC to AD 220) was ruled by over twenty different emperors whose contributions to Chinese culture last to the present day. Two distinct dynasties were established during this period. The Western Han Dynasty lasted from 206 BC to AD 24 and the Eastern Han Dynasty was in effect from AD 25 to AD 220. Consortium royal families and their disputes with each other led to the collapse of the Western Han Dynasty. China saw a re-emergence of its thriving culture during the Eastern Han period, in its new capital, Luoyang.
Military expansion and improved trade were key successes during the Han dynasty. During Wu Ti’s reign, which lasted from 141 BC to 87 BC, China saw its borders expanded to Vietnam and Korea. Furthermore, Wu Ti succeeded in stimulating the colonization of the northwestern areas and expelling the Hsiung south of the Gobi.
These types of expansions during the Han dynasty led to an increase in trade, especially the establishment of the Silk Road. By this time, Chinese in outlying areas had better access to trade with people from inland regions. Thanks to improved travel routes, better quality tools, and expanding irrigation technology, agriculture also saw a great improvement during the Han Empire. Important trade goods included silk, copper, iron and salt.
With the introduction of a new aristocracy, education also grew during this period. History books and encyclopedias were compiled on a much larger scale than at any point in earlier Chinese history. During the Han Dynasty, the Chinese people first made an organized attempt to record history for future posterity.
During the Han period, China saw an increase in diplomatic relations and was able to reach out to other governments including Japan, Rome, and those in Western and Central Asia. The Han Empire came to an end when rebellious peasant warlords, the Red Eyebrows, Yellow Turbans, and Five Wheat Sinks sect, separated the dynasty into three kingdoms.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
