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Han Dynasty

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Mhia Lu
Mhia Lu

The Han Dynasty ruled China from 206 BCE to 220 CE, divided into the Western Han and Eastern Han periods. It followed the Qin Dynasty and was a time of Chinese cultural and economic prosperity. The dynasty was founded by peasant-turned-general Liu Bang and established a centralized bureaucratic government with the capital at Chang'an. Emperor Wudi expanded the empire through military campaigns. The Han developed advanced technology, agriculture, trade, and a merit-based civil service system based on Confucian philosophy. However, inheritance laws concentrated wealth and the government overtaxed peasants, causing social inequality until the dynasty's eventual collapse.

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The Han Dynasty of China: A Chinese Golden Age (206 BCE-220 CE) © Student Handouts, Inc.
Historical Setting of the Han • Followed the Qin dynasty – 221-206 BCE – Qin ended in rebellion and civil war due to weak ruler and unrest (206-202 BCE) • Han dynasty was China’s second imperial dynasty – 206 (or 202) BCE-220 CE • Over 400 years • Followed by the Three Kingdoms – 220-265 CE
Liu Bang – Emperor Gaozu of Han • Civil war – Two strong leaders • Xiang Yu (aristocratic general) • Liu Bang (peasant-class general under Xiang Yu) • 202 BCE – Liu Bang beat Xiang Yu for good • Liu Bang declared start of Han dynasty Liu Bang reigned 202 BCE-195 BCE.
Two Periods of the Han Dynasty • Former Han – Also called the Western Han – 206 BCE-9 CE • Interrupted by the Xin dynasty – Under Wang Mang – 9-23 CE • Later Han – Also called the Eastern Han – 25-220 CE
Government under the Han • Centralized government – Capital cities • Chang’an – 206 BCE-9 CE (all of the Former or Western Han) and 190-195 CE (Later or Eastern Han) • Luoyang – 25-190 CE and 196 CE (most of the Later or Eastern Han) • Xuchang – 196-220 CE (very end of the Later or Eastern Han) • Lowered taxes • Less harsh punishments
Han Dynasty
Empress Lu • One of Liu Bang’s widows • Retained power by naming various children as emperor in turn • Example of power gained through the manipulation of court politics – Families vied for power – Alliances among powerful and influential people
Wudi – The Martial Emperor • Wudi lived 141-87 BCE • Used warfare to expand the Chinese empire – Northern steppes • Xiongnu – steppe nomads from the north and west • Commonly raided Chinese villages • Traditionally kept at bay through bribery • Wudi made allies of the Xiongnu’s enemies and sent in 100,000 soldiers • Pushed the Xiongnu back • Settled soldiers on former Xiongnu lands • But the nomads of the steppes provided ongoing conflict – Modern-day Korea, Manchuria, Vietnam, etc. • Conquered and colonized • Borders under Wudi nearly what they are today
Social Classes under the Han
Bureaucracy under the Han • Taxes supported the government and military • Merchants – Paid taxes • Peasants – Gave the government a portion of their annual crops – Each year gave a month of labor (for public works projects) or of military service
Civil Service under the Han • Over 130,000 employees • 18 ranks of employees • Civil service exams – Confucian principles described the qualities that emperors wanted in civil servants – Wudi set up a Confucian-themed school – Formal examinations in Confucianism, history, law, and literature for civil service positions – Theoretically a merit-based system • But poor could not afford to educate their children – In effect until the downfall of China’s last dynasty in 1912
Technology under the Han
Agriculture under the Han • Population of 60,000,000 to be fed • Farming thought to be a pivotal and honored occupation • But in reality small farmers were burdened by government taxes and became heavily indebted to the rich Ancient Chinese wheelbarrow
Commerce and Trade under the Han • Trade and commerce were not respected but were still very important • Government had monopolies – Salt mining – Iron forging – Coin minting – Alcohol brewing • Government engaged in industry – Silk weaving • Growth of trade along the Silk Roads
Silk Roads under the Han • Trade routes across Asia – To Mediterranean (access to Europe) in the west • Chinese silks were sold in the marketplaces of the ancient Roman empire – To Yellow Sea and China Sea (access to Japan) in the east • Traded silk and other goods • Cultural diffusion – Trade goods reflected the many cultures across this trading region
Unification of the Han Empire
Historians during the Han Period
Roles of Women under the Han
Rich vs. Poor • Inheritance law was the root cause of the problem – Land divided among male heirs (sons) – Reduced the size of plots with each generation – Small farmers couldn’t support themselves and had to borrow money • Became indebted to rich, aristocratic landowners • These aristocratic landowners did not have to pay taxes – Decreased tax revenue for the government • Government pressed peasants even harder for taxes – Rich grew richer and poor grew poorer
Rich Get Richer, Poor Get Poorer
Wang Mang • 32 BCE-9 CE – unstable, chaotic period • 3-9 CE – Wang Mang, a Confucian scholar, served as regent for an infant Han emperor • 9 CE – Wang Mang overthrew the Han and became emperor • Wang Mang’s rule called the Xin dynasty
Xin Dynasty under Wang Mang • Changes under Wang Mang – Minted more money to solve the budget crisis • Led to inflation – Established public granaries to feed the poor • Cost more money – Land redistribution • Upset wealthy, aristocratic landowners
End of the Xin Dynasty • 11 CE – flood killed thousands and displaced millions – Not enough food – Peasant revolts – Wealthy aristocrats joined the revolts • Upset over land redistribution • 23 CE – Wang Mang assassinated • 23-25 CE – chaos • 25 CE – Han family regained power
Later (or Eastern) Han Dynasty • 25-220 CE • Imperial family eventually regained power after Wang Mang • Initially brought prosperity to China • Eventually fell apart for largely the same reasons that the Former (Western) Han fell apart • Followed by the Three Kingdoms

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Han Dynasty

  • 1. The Han Dynasty of China: A Chinese Golden Age (206 BCE-220 CE) © Student Handouts, Inc.
  • 2. Historical Setting of the Han • Followed the Qin dynasty – 221-206 BCE – Qin ended in rebellion and civil war due to weak ruler and unrest (206-202 BCE) • Han dynasty was China’s second imperial dynasty – 206 (or 202) BCE-220 CE • Over 400 years • Followed by the Three Kingdoms – 220-265 CE
  • 3. Liu Bang – Emperor Gaozu of Han • Civil war – Two strong leaders • Xiang Yu (aristocratic general) • Liu Bang (peasant-class general under Xiang Yu) • 202 BCE – Liu Bang beat Xiang Yu for good • Liu Bang declared start of Han dynasty Liu Bang reigned 202 BCE-195 BCE.
  • 4. Two Periods of the Han Dynasty • Former Han – Also called the Western Han – 206 BCE-9 CE • Interrupted by the Xin dynasty – Under Wang Mang – 9-23 CE • Later Han – Also called the Eastern Han – 25-220 CE
  • 5. Government under the Han • Centralized government – Capital cities • Chang’an – 206 BCE-9 CE (all of the Former or Western Han) and 190-195 CE (Later or Eastern Han) • Luoyang – 25-190 CE and 196 CE (most of the Later or Eastern Han) • Xuchang – 196-220 CE (very end of the Later or Eastern Han) • Lowered taxes • Less harsh punishments
  • 7. Empress Lu • One of Liu Bang’s widows • Retained power by naming various children as emperor in turn • Example of power gained through the manipulation of court politics – Families vied for power – Alliances among powerful and influential people
  • 8. Wudi – The Martial Emperor • Wudi lived 141-87 BCE • Used warfare to expand the Chinese empire – Northern steppes • Xiongnu – steppe nomads from the north and west • Commonly raided Chinese villages • Traditionally kept at bay through bribery • Wudi made allies of the Xiongnu’s enemies and sent in 100,000 soldiers • Pushed the Xiongnu back • Settled soldiers on former Xiongnu lands • But the nomads of the steppes provided ongoing conflict – Modern-day Korea, Manchuria, Vietnam, etc. • Conquered and colonized • Borders under Wudi nearly what they are today
  • 10. Bureaucracy under the Han • Taxes supported the government and military • Merchants – Paid taxes • Peasants – Gave the government a portion of their annual crops – Each year gave a month of labor (for public works projects) or of military service
  • 11. Civil Service under the Han • Over 130,000 employees • 18 ranks of employees • Civil service exams – Confucian principles described the qualities that emperors wanted in civil servants – Wudi set up a Confucian-themed school – Formal examinations in Confucianism, history, law, and literature for civil service positions – Theoretically a merit-based system • But poor could not afford to educate their children – In effect until the downfall of China’s last dynasty in 1912
  • 13. Agriculture under the Han • Population of 60,000,000 to be fed • Farming thought to be a pivotal and honored occupation • But in reality small farmers were burdened by government taxes and became heavily indebted to the rich Ancient Chinese wheelbarrow
  • 14. Commerce and Trade under the Han • Trade and commerce were not respected but were still very important • Government had monopolies – Salt mining – Iron forging – Coin minting – Alcohol brewing • Government engaged in industry – Silk weaving • Growth of trade along the Silk Roads
  • 15. Silk Roads under the Han • Trade routes across Asia – To Mediterranean (access to Europe) in the west • Chinese silks were sold in the marketplaces of the ancient Roman empire – To Yellow Sea and China Sea (access to Japan) in the east • Traded silk and other goods • Cultural diffusion – Trade goods reflected the many cultures across this trading region
  • 16. Unification of the Han Empire
  • 17. Historians during the Han Period
  • 18. Roles of Women under the Han
  • 19. Rich vs. Poor • Inheritance law was the root cause of the problem – Land divided among male heirs (sons) – Reduced the size of plots with each generation – Small farmers couldn’t support themselves and had to borrow money • Became indebted to rich, aristocratic landowners • These aristocratic landowners did not have to pay taxes – Decreased tax revenue for the government • Government pressed peasants even harder for taxes – Rich grew richer and poor grew poorer
  • 20. Rich Get Richer, Poor Get Poorer
  • 21. Wang Mang • 32 BCE-9 CE – unstable, chaotic period • 3-9 CE – Wang Mang, a Confucian scholar, served as regent for an infant Han emperor • 9 CE – Wang Mang overthrew the Han and became emperor • Wang Mang’s rule called the Xin dynasty
  • 22. Xin Dynasty under Wang Mang • Changes under Wang Mang – Minted more money to solve the budget crisis • Led to inflation – Established public granaries to feed the poor • Cost more money – Land redistribution • Upset wealthy, aristocratic landowners
  • 23. End of the Xin Dynasty • 11 CE – flood killed thousands and displaced millions – Not enough food – Peasant revolts – Wealthy aristocrats joined the revolts • Upset over land redistribution • 23 CE – Wang Mang assassinated • 23-25 CE – chaos • 25 CE – Han family regained power
  • 24. Later (or Eastern) Han Dynasty • 25-220 CE • Imperial family eventually regained power after Wang Mang • Initially brought prosperity to China • Eventually fell apart for largely the same reasons that the Former (Western) Han fell apart • Followed by the Three Kingdoms

Editor's Notes

  • #2: Image courtesy of Wikipedia. After the Qin dynasty is the Han Dynasty which is considered to be a golden age for the Chinese. It started from 206 BCE upto 220 CE.
  • #3: So the Han dynasty went after the Qin dynasty. Because of the rebellion and civil war that the Qin dynasty experienced due to a weak ruler, Han dynasty was born. Imperial dynasty means that this dynasty was ruled by emperors.
  • #4: Who are the important people during this period? Liu Bang was a general under the rule of Xiang Yu. They started a civil war. When Liu Bang beat Xiang Yu, he declared the start of the Han Dynasty.
  • #5: So the Han Dynasty had two periods. One was former or Western Han and the other is Later or Eastern Han. We’ll talk more about Wang Mang later.
  • #6: Centralized government concentrates all political power and government responsibility into the hands of a single authority. This central authority exercises all governmental power, and any localized units of government, such as cities and counties, are subject to it, exercising only those powers the central government grants to them.
  • #7: Image courtesy of Wikipedia: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Han_map.jpg
  • #14: Image courtesy of Wikipedia.
  • #16: Export means that they sent their goods to other lands to be sold. The Chinese also imported what they needed from other countries. Import means goods that are brought in. The Chinese made profits, or money gained, from their exporting on the Silk Road.
  • #19: Ban Zhao was a paradox because she urged the women to conform to the Confucian social order which is to be at home always. Yet, she was not conforming because she was a writer. She was going against convention.
  • #22: Wang Mang was a Han Dynasty official who seized the throne from the Liu family and founded the Xin (or Hsin, meaning "renewed"[1]) Dynasty (新朝), ruling AD 9–23. The Han dynasty was restored after his overthrow and his rule marks the separation between the Western Han Dynasty (before Xin) and Eastern Han Dynasty (after Xin). Some historians have traditionally viewed Wang as a usurper, while others have portrayed him as a visionary and selfless social reformer. Though a learned Confucian scholar who sought to implement the harmonious society he saw in the classics, his efforts ended in chaos. In October of AD 23, the capital Chang'an was attacked and the imperial palace ransacked. Wang Mang died in the battle. The Han dynasty was reestablished in AD 25 when Liu Xiu (Emperor Guangwu) took the throne.
  • #25: The dynasty was about to fall apart as there were so many factions fighting for the throne. Also, internal struggle amongst the family led to the destruction of the dynasty.