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Han Dynasty Classical China

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James Spagnoletti
James Spagnoletti

The Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE) established China's first empire under Shi Huangdi. It promoted legalism, bureaucratic administration and centralized control. Shi Huangdi ordered the burning of Confucian texts and buried scholars alive. The dynasty collapsed after his death due to oppression and succession struggles. The Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE) established a synthesis of legalism and Confucianism. Emperor Wu strengthened the government and expanded the empire through war and colonization, but struggled against the nomadic Xiongnu. The Han developed a stable bureaucracy and society structured around Confucian family and social values. The Silk Road flourished during this period, facilitating trade and cultural exchange between China and the

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Han Dynasty Classical China
Han Dynasty Classical China
Qin [Ch’in] Dynasty, 221-206 B.C.E.  Established China’s first empire   Shi Huangdi (221-206 B.C.E)  Legalist rule   Bureaucratic administration  Centralized control  Military expansion – focus on military power  Book burnings  targeted Confucianists  Buried protestors alive!  Built large section of the Great Wall
The Qin Dynasty  Competing Ideologies of Empire  Struggle between Legalism and Confucianism  Qin rejected Confucian respect for the past and for living a moral example  Ordered Confucian texts burned  Qin favored Legalism with its strict laws and enforcement
Execution of Confucian Scholars  A history of China, written centuries after the Qin, depict the reported book burnings and burying of Confucian scholars
The Qin Dynasty  Administrative Power  Autocracy – a government with unlimited power  Established a centralized bureaucracy of trained officials – chose officials based on merit and talent  Government jobs were no longer passed down to sons – reduced the power of the nobles  Anyone who can afford it may own land  Empire divided into 36 provinces each controlled by appointed officials
The Qin Dynasty  Military Power and Mass Mobilization  Qin defeated regional states by 221 B.C.E.  Armed forces essential to Qin success  Defeated Koreans and nomadic tribes  Mass mobilization of men for public works including Great Wall of China  700,000 workers used to create capital city  Qin Shi Huangdi tomb included 7,000 life- size figures of soldiers
The Qin Dynasty  Economic Power  Standard round coin with hole in center – banliang  Standardization of weights, measures, etc.  Public works intended to improve economy  Canal and river transport systems  Road network for trade and communication  Irrigation in Sichuan for grain production  Acquisition of areas rich in iron ore and two ironworking facilities
The Qin Dynasty  The Fall of the Qin Dynasty  Dynasty collapsed with death of Qin Shi Huangdi in 210 B.C.E.  Oppression brought backlash – revolts of people eager to escape the burdens of Qin labor and military service  Succession fight within Qin – several assassinations  Rebellions in regional capitals - first rebellion led by peasant farmer Chen Sheng (Dazexiang Uprising)  Had lost the Mandate of Heaven
Han Dynasty Classical China
Han Dynasty Overview 206 B.C.E.-220 C.E.  “People of the Han”  original Chinese  Expanded China’s borders and developed a system of government that lasted for centuries  Paper invented [105 B.C.E.]  Silk Road trade develops; improves life for many  Confucianism became foundation of society  Buddhism introduced into China
Liu Bang - Founder  First emperor of the Han Dynasty (202 – 195 BCE)  Emerged as victor from the post-Qin power struggles – mighty will + sheer luck  Modest background, low-level official  Established capital at Chang’an  Main challenge: form a government that could secure order and dynastic stability without reminding the people of the Qin’s harsh rule
Liu Bang - Administration  Centralized government—Central authority controls the running of the state (Qin system maintained of direct administration of localities by court appointed officials)  Meritocracy – officials appointed by the court based on their talent and abilities, not birth  Officials took care of many responsibilities including public works, military, taxes, ceremonies, judging lawsuits  Departed from Legalism  Lowered taxes and softened punishments  Set a model for succeeding emperors
Han Synthesis  The Han Synthesis- term refers to continued reliance on Legalism (military, legal system), but combined with Confucian education and ethical system  Moral basis of superior-subordinate relationships – subjects owed loyalty & responsibility  Han dynasty recorded Confucius’s teachings and put a big emphasis on family.  Tried to replace Confucian books lost during the Qin Dynasty
Emperor Wudi – Martial Emperor  Ruled 141 – 87 BCE – longer than any other Han ruler  Main Challenge: Foreign policy and expansion – How will he expand China’s borders and secure its trade routes from the western and northern nomadic warrior tribes?
Emperor Wudi, 141-87 BCE Strengthening the Power of Government  Emperor Wudi established a complex bureaucracy  New system ignored the nobles—relied instead on trained scholars (mostly sons of merchants or landowners)  Taxes paid for the large government and military  Chinese peasants owed part of their crops to the government – also a month’s worth of labor each year and two years service in the military
Emperor Wudi, 141-87 B.C.E. Strengthened Power of Government  Wudi actively sought to decrease the power & wealth of the feudal lords  Seized land, required they give expensive gifts  Required that lands be divided between all heirs – to reduce the land size controlled by a single family  Wudi actively sought to decrease the power of merchants  Government took over profitable industries (iron, salt, grain, liquor) and taxed the products heavily to build up royal treasury  Taxes on these industries – pay for military
Wudi – “Martial Emperor”  Aggressive foreign policy – expanded borders  “Martial Emperor”  expanded China’s empire through war  Colonized Manchuria, Korea & Vietnam  Chinese culture strongly impacted these regions  Needed a strong military to open up the trade routes to the West  Han as militaristic as Qin had been  Army of 300,000 to a million  Campaigns to the west for access to Central Asian trade for horses, cattle, and furs
 Expansion – 2 ways – Conquest & Migration  Military conquest brought new land and new peoples living under Chinese rule  Created military-agricultural colonies on borders  North faced flooding and war casualties – causing migrations to the south  South -- better rice growing – shifting population over centuries from north to south  Southern residents faced fewer threats to life Emperor Wudi, 141-87 BCE Foreign Policy / Expansion
Han Dynasty Classical China
 Foreign policy - tribute system Way to manage relations with nomadic tribes to the west and north without going to war Goal – maintain peace and trade Tribes had to recognize Chinese superiority Tribal leaders presented gifts and hostages to the Han emperor in return for valuable gifts from emperor such as silk and gold Tribes also got the right to trade at frontier markets In reality – China had little power over these Emperor Wudi, 141-87 BCE Foreign Policy / Expansion
Xiongnu Challenge  Foreign policy challenge—the Xiongnu confederacy of tribes raiding northern frontiers  Nomadic pastoralists –sheep, cattle, horses  Moved about in search of water and pastures  Did not farm, no writing – oral culture  Expert horsemen & archers – trained from boyhood  By 209 BCE – the Xiongnu tribes had established a growing empire in Mongolia  Frequent border raids into China -- constant struggles between China and the northern tribes will last for 1,500 years
Han Dynasty Classical China
Xiongnu Challenge – Passive Foreign Policy  Refused to become a tributary state of China –to be subservient to the emperor  Traditional tribute system failed  200 BCE – Xiongnu attacked and surrounded the first Han emperor and his army  China had to make annual gifts of expensive goods, food, royal women to the tribal chieftains to maintain peace  Xiongnu ranked as a co-equal state
Wudi (Emperor Wu) & the Xiongnu  Wudi took a different course of action  Wudi aggressively sought allies among the nomadic tribes to fight the Xiongnu  Part of Central Asia came under the tribute system – Wudi gained horses to increase cavalry  133 BCE – Wudi went on the offensive and attacked the Xiongnu with over 100,000 men  Despite initial success – Wudi’s army could never completely defeat them  Border war – costing government a fortune, hard on soldiers – losing morale, people living near borders faced constant warfare
Xiongnu Foreign Policy  Effective strategy of extortion in dealing with the Han  Military strategy – lightning strike deep into China and then retreat  Policy – alternating military strikes with diplomatic negotiations to gain more goods from the Han  Demanded to be treated as a co-equal state
Han – Expansion of Great Wall
The Great Wall with Towers
Xiongnu – Peace Treaty  Civil war and political problems weakened the Xiongnu after Wudi’s death – finally brought under the tribute system in 51 BCE when a peace treaty was negotiated  Xiongnu continued to have the upper hand in diplomacy with the Han – demanded ever increasing amounts of silk and other gifts  Peace on the frontiers -- important for the growth and protection of Silk Road trade routes
Han Social Hierarchy
Other Classes • Third class composed of artisans, made useful items, luxury goods • Merchants occupied fourth class, trade not valued by Confucianism • Slaves at bottom of society • Military not an official class, but part of government and offered way to rise in status - required two years of service – infantry made up largest part of the military, cavalry increased under Han – use of the crossbow Social StructureSocial Structure • Han society highly structured, clearly defined social classes • Emperor at top, ruled with mandate from heaven • Upper class of palace court, nobles, government officials, scholars • Second, largest class consisted of peasants, who grew empire’s food— agriculture highly valued by Confucianism—big population—food supply huge concern Han Social Structure
• Confucianism shaped Chinese society • Confucius taught that family was central to well-being of the state • Officials promoted strong family ties – Fathers head of family – Filial piety stressed – Obedience, devotion to parents, grandparents Family LifeFamily Life • Children served parents as they aged, honored dead at household shrines • Han officials believed dutiful children made respectful subjects • Some men even received government jobs because of respect shown parents Dutiful ChildrenDutiful Children Han SocietyHan Society
Women in Han Society  Most women’s lives were centered on the home— maintaining the household, raising and educating children, managing household finances  Rural women worked in the fields, city women ran shops, practiced herbal medicine—important contributions to the family’s economic well-being  Wealthy women pursued education and culture  Ban Zhao – female historian and Confucianist  Husband was a court official and also a writer  She wrote a guidebook for women called Lessons for Women—women should be humble and obedient – but argued for the education of girls - based on Confucianism
 A Confucian Bureaucracy – 130,000 officials  Wudi chose educated men with Confucian principles Established elite academy to teach Confucianism – knowledge of Confucian thought became requirement for promotion Civil service exam system – complex Exam covered law, history, literature, and Confucianism Emperor Wudi, 141-87 BCE Politics Influences Society
History – Unites Society **Han writers produced important works of history to express a shared Chinese experience Sima Qian (known as the Grand Historian, 145-85 B.C.)  Wrote Records of the Grand Historian  Believed in visiting historical sites, talking to eyewitnesses, not glorifying the past  This early history became model for Chinese historical writing
Unification of Chinese Culture: Non-Han Peoples  Han emperors expanded the empire—brought foreigners living under Chinese rule  Farmers encouraged to move south to new lands and marry locals  Assimilation program—process of making conquered peoples part of the Chinese culture  Intermarrying, schools set up to teach Confucianism, local scholars were appointed to government, Chinese written language spread
Trade Routes of the Ancient World China’s Han period was a time of great prosperity, growth and achievement, defining imperial Chinese civilization for years..
Foreign Policy & Origins of theForeign Policy & Origins of the Silk RoadsSilk Roads As they conquered areas of Central Asia, the Han learned people farther west wanted Chinese goods Zhang Qian was sent by Wu to secure alliances in Central Asia against the Xiongnu - returned from failed diplomatic mission, 126 BC  Told of region’s riches, demand for Chinese goods  Events led to increased trade with west Zhang Qian—SilkZhang Qian—Silk Road pioneerRoad pioneer
Merchants traveling between China, Central Asia , and the West used overland routes. The most famous were called the Silk Roads. This network of routes eventually stretched from China over 4,000 miles to Mediterranean Sea, and linked China to India, the Middle East, and the Roman Empire.. • Travelers on Silk Roads crossed rugged, barren terrain • Faced attacks by bandits • For protection, traveled in huge camel caravans • Bactrian camels – crucial to success of the routes • Stopped at stations along way – oasis stops – grew into market towns TravelTravel • Most merchants traveled only part of way • Traded goods with merchants from distant lands • Most goods traded were luxury items • Small, valuable, highly profitable TradeTrade The Silk Roads -OverviewThe Silk Roads -Overview
Silk RoadsSilk Roads  Bactrian camel – essential to the successful workings of the Silk Roads
Silk Roads – 50 BCE – 250 CE  Silk Roads allowed for large-scale economic exchange over a vast area stretching from China to the Mediterranean  It isn’t a road – several interconnecting routes  50 BCE – 250 CE marks the first era of the Silk Roads – coincides with the rise of stable, powerful empires (Augustus in Rome, Han China, Parthian in Persia, Kushan in Central Asia)  Empires provided security, improved road systems, coinage, transport technology
Han Dynasty Classical China
Silk Roads – 50 BCE – 250 CE  Role of the pastoral nomads in Central Asia – important role in exchange network  Their domesticated horses and camels – sought after by the Chinese  Nomads were acclimated to the harsh environment of the steppes – relied on for assistance by travelers  Acted as middle men moving goods through the region  Han China – wanted horses, jade, farming products (grapes, wine, fruits), Roman glassware  Rome – wanted silk, paper, Han iron, exotic spices from China & India, incense and oils from Arabia – spent fortunes on these items
Silk Roads & Cultural ExchangeSilk Roads & Cultural Exchange Traders carried ideas as well as goods over the Silk Roads The stirrup, invented in Central Asia, changed warfare – mounted warriors could stand & charge enemy with a lance Buddhism spread to China from India  Reached China in first century CE  Seen as a foreign religion by government and ignored  Han government became less stable, violence increased  Buddhism’s message of rebirth offered hope Buddhism gained popularity by 200 CE among merchants, lower classes  Mahayana Buddhism developed (less strict form, focus
Han Economy  Economic Power  Developed ironworking techniques  Spread trade routes to the west  Raised land revenues and nationalized private enterprise (creating government monopolies) Confucianists opposed these policies but also opposed commercial activity in general
Trade grew in Han period • Agriculture basis of economy • Growth of trade increased prosperity • Led to contact between China, other civilizations Production of silk • Most prized Chinese product • Secret method for making silk • Revealing secret punishable by death Han products • Ironworkers made iron armor, swords • Artisans made pottery, jade and bronze objects, lacquer ware Major industry • Raised silkworms, unwound threads of cocoons • Dyed threads, wove into fabric • Fabric beautiful, soft, strong • Clothing costly, in high demand Han Economy & Industry
Economy: Silk Production  By 2400 B.C. the Chinese has domesticated the silkworm and its main food source, the mulberry tree (fully domesticated insect)  Sericulture (science of silk production)—heavily guarded secret—punishable by death if revealed to foreigners due to its economic importance  Production involved killing the worm and unwinding its cocoon in a continuous thread of more than 2,000 feet long
Silk Production **Women played the predominant role in silk production
Han Commerce & Industry • Emperor Wudi viewed the growth in Chinese industry as a means for the government to make money to pay for the military •119 BCE government monopolies were established on the production of iron, salt, liquor –private businessmen now lost a big source of profit •Government also stored grain and waited until prices went up to sell it…goal was to provide more constant prices and more profit
Papermaking • One of most important Han inventions - paper • Made by grinding plant fibers into paste, paste dried in sheets • Created “books” by connecting several sheets of paper into long scroll Farming • Inventions included iron plow, wheelbarrow, collar harness allowed oxen to pull heavier loads • With a two-bladed iron plow, farmer could till more land • Water mill—used to grind grain Han AchievementsHan Achievements Science & TechScience & Tech • Created seismograph to measure earthquake tremors; approximated pi • Mining advances, use of natural gas as furnace fuel • Made advances in acupuncture • Invented an early magnetic compass, ship’s rudder, calendar based on movements of both sun and moon , water clock, stronger iron
Classical AgeClassical Age • During Han period, arts flourished, sciences and technology improved life • Han China boasted magnificent palaces, multistoried towers (none survived) Artisans and ArtistsArtisans and Artists • Calligraphy – important art form after the invention of paper • Artisans produced glazed ceramic, bronze figurines, jade carvings, silk cloth • Artists painted portraits and nature scenes on walls, scrolls, room screens • During Later Han, Buddhist art flourished, including temple wall paintings Han AchievementsHan Achievements
Han Achievements ***Replica of Han*Replica of Han seismometer c. 132 CEseismometer c. 132 CE Hydraulic chain pumpsHydraulic chain pumps Replica – grainReplica – grain storage towerstorage tower Gilded oil lampGilded oil lamp
Han Decline - Wang Mang  Usurping of Han power  Xin dynasty [9-23 CE]  Death of a child emperor led to attempt of by military official Wang Mang to create new dynasty – Confucian reformer  Flooding and course changes of the Yellow River disrupted daily and economic life  Invasions of Xiongnu and rebellion in 23 CE opened door for return of Han
Later or Eastern Han  Return of the Han– Later Han Dynasty  A Weakened Han Dynasty [23-220 CE]  Han weakness enabled barbarians to live inside the Great Wall, serve in army, and intermarry with Chinese  Led to sinicization (adoption of Chinese culture) of barbarians  Han failed to force local government officials to send tax revenues to central government
Decline of the Eastern or Later Han Dynasty  Wide gap between the rich and poor  Small farmers were in debt  Rich landholders were not required to pay taxes  Economic problems then led to political instability  184 – 205 CE – The Yellow Turban Rebellion  Peasant revolt against the government united by teachings of Daoism  Agrarian crisis – famine in north sent farmers into the south looking for work – labor surplus exploited by wealthy landowners  Later Han Dynasty ruled until 220 CE – emigration of nomadic peoples into the north kept the nation divided
Decline of Han Dynasty  Infighting among ruling elites  Unequal distribution of land  Tax burden fell on peasants rather than on large landowners  Series of peasant rebellions  Political corruption  Generals usurp political power - became warlords
China – Reunification **Why was China able to reunite in 6th C. CE?  Homogeneity of culture  Strong tradition of centralized government,  Unifying values of Confucianism  Spread of language and writing system throughout East Asia  Advanced farming and technology  Absorption of nomadic tribes who came into the empire

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Han Dynasty Classical China

  • 3. Qin [Ch’in] Dynasty, 221-206 B.C.E.  Established China’s first empire   Shi Huangdi (221-206 B.C.E)  Legalist rule   Bureaucratic administration  Centralized control  Military expansion – focus on military power  Book burnings  targeted Confucianists  Buried protestors alive!  Built large section of the Great Wall
  • 4. The Qin Dynasty  Competing Ideologies of Empire  Struggle between Legalism and Confucianism  Qin rejected Confucian respect for the past and for living a moral example  Ordered Confucian texts burned  Qin favored Legalism with its strict laws and enforcement
  • 5. Execution of Confucian Scholars  A history of China, written centuries after the Qin, depict the reported book burnings and burying of Confucian scholars
  • 6. The Qin Dynasty  Administrative Power  Autocracy – a government with unlimited power  Established a centralized bureaucracy of trained officials – chose officials based on merit and talent  Government jobs were no longer passed down to sons – reduced the power of the nobles  Anyone who can afford it may own land  Empire divided into 36 provinces each controlled by appointed officials
  • 7. The Qin Dynasty  Military Power and Mass Mobilization  Qin defeated regional states by 221 B.C.E.  Armed forces essential to Qin success  Defeated Koreans and nomadic tribes  Mass mobilization of men for public works including Great Wall of China  700,000 workers used to create capital city  Qin Shi Huangdi tomb included 7,000 life- size figures of soldiers
  • 8. The Qin Dynasty  Economic Power  Standard round coin with hole in center – banliang  Standardization of weights, measures, etc.  Public works intended to improve economy  Canal and river transport systems  Road network for trade and communication  Irrigation in Sichuan for grain production  Acquisition of areas rich in iron ore and two ironworking facilities
  • 9. The Qin Dynasty  The Fall of the Qin Dynasty  Dynasty collapsed with death of Qin Shi Huangdi in 210 B.C.E.  Oppression brought backlash – revolts of people eager to escape the burdens of Qin labor and military service  Succession fight within Qin – several assassinations  Rebellions in regional capitals - first rebellion led by peasant farmer Chen Sheng (Dazexiang Uprising)  Had lost the Mandate of Heaven
  • 11. Han Dynasty Overview 206 B.C.E.-220 C.E.  “People of the Han”  original Chinese  Expanded China’s borders and developed a system of government that lasted for centuries  Paper invented [105 B.C.E.]  Silk Road trade develops; improves life for many  Confucianism became foundation of society  Buddhism introduced into China
  • 12. Liu Bang - Founder  First emperor of the Han Dynasty (202 – 195 BCE)  Emerged as victor from the post-Qin power struggles – mighty will + sheer luck  Modest background, low-level official  Established capital at Chang’an  Main challenge: form a government that could secure order and dynastic stability without reminding the people of the Qin’s harsh rule
  • 13. Liu Bang - Administration  Centralized government—Central authority controls the running of the state (Qin system maintained of direct administration of localities by court appointed officials)  Meritocracy – officials appointed by the court based on their talent and abilities, not birth  Officials took care of many responsibilities including public works, military, taxes, ceremonies, judging lawsuits  Departed from Legalism  Lowered taxes and softened punishments  Set a model for succeeding emperors
  • 14. Han Synthesis  The Han Synthesis- term refers to continued reliance on Legalism (military, legal system), but combined with Confucian education and ethical system  Moral basis of superior-subordinate relationships – subjects owed loyalty & responsibility  Han dynasty recorded Confucius’s teachings and put a big emphasis on family.  Tried to replace Confucian books lost during the Qin Dynasty
  • 15. Emperor Wudi – Martial Emperor  Ruled 141 – 87 BCE – longer than any other Han ruler  Main Challenge: Foreign policy and expansion – How will he expand China’s borders and secure its trade routes from the western and northern nomadic warrior tribes?
  • 16. Emperor Wudi, 141-87 BCE Strengthening the Power of Government  Emperor Wudi established a complex bureaucracy  New system ignored the nobles—relied instead on trained scholars (mostly sons of merchants or landowners)  Taxes paid for the large government and military  Chinese peasants owed part of their crops to the government – also a month’s worth of labor each year and two years service in the military
  • 17. Emperor Wudi, 141-87 B.C.E. Strengthened Power of Government  Wudi actively sought to decrease the power & wealth of the feudal lords  Seized land, required they give expensive gifts  Required that lands be divided between all heirs – to reduce the land size controlled by a single family  Wudi actively sought to decrease the power of merchants  Government took over profitable industries (iron, salt, grain, liquor) and taxed the products heavily to build up royal treasury  Taxes on these industries – pay for military
  • 18. Wudi – “Martial Emperor”  Aggressive foreign policy – expanded borders  “Martial Emperor”  expanded China’s empire through war  Colonized Manchuria, Korea & Vietnam  Chinese culture strongly impacted these regions  Needed a strong military to open up the trade routes to the West  Han as militaristic as Qin had been  Army of 300,000 to a million  Campaigns to the west for access to Central Asian trade for horses, cattle, and furs
  • 19.  Expansion – 2 ways – Conquest & Migration  Military conquest brought new land and new peoples living under Chinese rule  Created military-agricultural colonies on borders  North faced flooding and war casualties – causing migrations to the south  South -- better rice growing – shifting population over centuries from north to south  Southern residents faced fewer threats to life Emperor Wudi, 141-87 BCE Foreign Policy / Expansion
  • 21.  Foreign policy - tribute system Way to manage relations with nomadic tribes to the west and north without going to war Goal – maintain peace and trade Tribes had to recognize Chinese superiority Tribal leaders presented gifts and hostages to the Han emperor in return for valuable gifts from emperor such as silk and gold Tribes also got the right to trade at frontier markets In reality – China had little power over these Emperor Wudi, 141-87 BCE Foreign Policy / Expansion
  • 22. Xiongnu Challenge  Foreign policy challenge—the Xiongnu confederacy of tribes raiding northern frontiers  Nomadic pastoralists –sheep, cattle, horses  Moved about in search of water and pastures  Did not farm, no writing – oral culture  Expert horsemen & archers – trained from boyhood  By 209 BCE – the Xiongnu tribes had established a growing empire in Mongolia  Frequent border raids into China -- constant struggles between China and the northern tribes will last for 1,500 years
  • 24. Xiongnu Challenge – Passive Foreign Policy  Refused to become a tributary state of China –to be subservient to the emperor  Traditional tribute system failed  200 BCE – Xiongnu attacked and surrounded the first Han emperor and his army  China had to make annual gifts of expensive goods, food, royal women to the tribal chieftains to maintain peace  Xiongnu ranked as a co-equal state
  • 25. Wudi (Emperor Wu) & the Xiongnu  Wudi took a different course of action  Wudi aggressively sought allies among the nomadic tribes to fight the Xiongnu  Part of Central Asia came under the tribute system – Wudi gained horses to increase cavalry  133 BCE – Wudi went on the offensive and attacked the Xiongnu with over 100,000 men  Despite initial success – Wudi’s army could never completely defeat them  Border war – costing government a fortune, hard on soldiers – losing morale, people living near borders faced constant warfare
  • 26. Xiongnu Foreign Policy  Effective strategy of extortion in dealing with the Han  Military strategy – lightning strike deep into China and then retreat  Policy – alternating military strikes with diplomatic negotiations to gain more goods from the Han  Demanded to be treated as a co-equal state
  • 27. Han – Expansion of Great Wall
  • 28. The Great Wall with Towers
  • 29. Xiongnu – Peace Treaty  Civil war and political problems weakened the Xiongnu after Wudi’s death – finally brought under the tribute system in 51 BCE when a peace treaty was negotiated  Xiongnu continued to have the upper hand in diplomacy with the Han – demanded ever increasing amounts of silk and other gifts  Peace on the frontiers -- important for the growth and protection of Silk Road trade routes
  • 31. Other Classes • Third class composed of artisans, made useful items, luxury goods • Merchants occupied fourth class, trade not valued by Confucianism • Slaves at bottom of society • Military not an official class, but part of government and offered way to rise in status - required two years of service – infantry made up largest part of the military, cavalry increased under Han – use of the crossbow Social StructureSocial Structure • Han society highly structured, clearly defined social classes • Emperor at top, ruled with mandate from heaven • Upper class of palace court, nobles, government officials, scholars • Second, largest class consisted of peasants, who grew empire’s food— agriculture highly valued by Confucianism—big population—food supply huge concern Han Social Structure
  • 32. • Confucianism shaped Chinese society • Confucius taught that family was central to well-being of the state • Officials promoted strong family ties – Fathers head of family – Filial piety stressed – Obedience, devotion to parents, grandparents Family LifeFamily Life • Children served parents as they aged, honored dead at household shrines • Han officials believed dutiful children made respectful subjects • Some men even received government jobs because of respect shown parents Dutiful ChildrenDutiful Children Han SocietyHan Society
  • 33. Women in Han Society  Most women’s lives were centered on the home— maintaining the household, raising and educating children, managing household finances  Rural women worked in the fields, city women ran shops, practiced herbal medicine—important contributions to the family’s economic well-being  Wealthy women pursued education and culture  Ban Zhao – female historian and Confucianist  Husband was a court official and also a writer  She wrote a guidebook for women called Lessons for Women—women should be humble and obedient – but argued for the education of girls - based on Confucianism
  • 34.  A Confucian Bureaucracy – 130,000 officials  Wudi chose educated men with Confucian principles Established elite academy to teach Confucianism – knowledge of Confucian thought became requirement for promotion Civil service exam system – complex Exam covered law, history, literature, and Confucianism Emperor Wudi, 141-87 BCE Politics Influences Society
  • 35. History – Unites Society **Han writers produced important works of history to express a shared Chinese experience Sima Qian (known as the Grand Historian, 145-85 B.C.)  Wrote Records of the Grand Historian  Believed in visiting historical sites, talking to eyewitnesses, not glorifying the past  This early history became model for Chinese historical writing
  • 36. Unification of Chinese Culture: Non-Han Peoples  Han emperors expanded the empire—brought foreigners living under Chinese rule  Farmers encouraged to move south to new lands and marry locals  Assimilation program—process of making conquered peoples part of the Chinese culture  Intermarrying, schools set up to teach Confucianism, local scholars were appointed to government, Chinese written language spread
  • 37. Trade Routes of the Ancient World China’s Han period was a time of great prosperity, growth and achievement, defining imperial Chinese civilization for years..
  • 38. Foreign Policy & Origins of theForeign Policy & Origins of the Silk RoadsSilk Roads As they conquered areas of Central Asia, the Han learned people farther west wanted Chinese goods Zhang Qian was sent by Wu to secure alliances in Central Asia against the Xiongnu - returned from failed diplomatic mission, 126 BC  Told of region’s riches, demand for Chinese goods  Events led to increased trade with west Zhang Qian—SilkZhang Qian—Silk Road pioneerRoad pioneer
  • 39. Merchants traveling between China, Central Asia , and the West used overland routes. The most famous were called the Silk Roads. This network of routes eventually stretched from China over 4,000 miles to Mediterranean Sea, and linked China to India, the Middle East, and the Roman Empire.. • Travelers on Silk Roads crossed rugged, barren terrain • Faced attacks by bandits • For protection, traveled in huge camel caravans • Bactrian camels – crucial to success of the routes • Stopped at stations along way – oasis stops – grew into market towns TravelTravel • Most merchants traveled only part of way • Traded goods with merchants from distant lands • Most goods traded were luxury items • Small, valuable, highly profitable TradeTrade The Silk Roads -OverviewThe Silk Roads -Overview
  • 40. Silk RoadsSilk Roads  Bactrian camel – essential to the successful workings of the Silk Roads
  • 41. Silk Roads – 50 BCE – 250 CE  Silk Roads allowed for large-scale economic exchange over a vast area stretching from China to the Mediterranean  It isn’t a road – several interconnecting routes  50 BCE – 250 CE marks the first era of the Silk Roads – coincides with the rise of stable, powerful empires (Augustus in Rome, Han China, Parthian in Persia, Kushan in Central Asia)  Empires provided security, improved road systems, coinage, transport technology
  • 43. Silk Roads – 50 BCE – 250 CE  Role of the pastoral nomads in Central Asia – important role in exchange network  Their domesticated horses and camels – sought after by the Chinese  Nomads were acclimated to the harsh environment of the steppes – relied on for assistance by travelers  Acted as middle men moving goods through the region  Han China – wanted horses, jade, farming products (grapes, wine, fruits), Roman glassware  Rome – wanted silk, paper, Han iron, exotic spices from China & India, incense and oils from Arabia – spent fortunes on these items
  • 44. Silk Roads & Cultural ExchangeSilk Roads & Cultural Exchange Traders carried ideas as well as goods over the Silk Roads The stirrup, invented in Central Asia, changed warfare – mounted warriors could stand & charge enemy with a lance Buddhism spread to China from India  Reached China in first century CE  Seen as a foreign religion by government and ignored  Han government became less stable, violence increased  Buddhism’s message of rebirth offered hope Buddhism gained popularity by 200 CE among merchants, lower classes  Mahayana Buddhism developed (less strict form, focus
  • 45. Han Economy  Economic Power  Developed ironworking techniques  Spread trade routes to the west  Raised land revenues and nationalized private enterprise (creating government monopolies) Confucianists opposed these policies but also opposed commercial activity in general
  • 46. Trade grew in Han period • Agriculture basis of economy • Growth of trade increased prosperity • Led to contact between China, other civilizations Production of silk • Most prized Chinese product • Secret method for making silk • Revealing secret punishable by death Han products • Ironworkers made iron armor, swords • Artisans made pottery, jade and bronze objects, lacquer ware Major industry • Raised silkworms, unwound threads of cocoons • Dyed threads, wove into fabric • Fabric beautiful, soft, strong • Clothing costly, in high demand Han Economy & Industry
  • 47. Economy: Silk Production  By 2400 B.C. the Chinese has domesticated the silkworm and its main food source, the mulberry tree (fully domesticated insect)  Sericulture (science of silk production)—heavily guarded secret—punishable by death if revealed to foreigners due to its economic importance  Production involved killing the worm and unwinding its cocoon in a continuous thread of more than 2,000 feet long
  • 48. Silk Production **Women played the predominant role in silk production
  • 49. Han Commerce & Industry • Emperor Wudi viewed the growth in Chinese industry as a means for the government to make money to pay for the military •119 BCE government monopolies were established on the production of iron, salt, liquor –private businessmen now lost a big source of profit •Government also stored grain and waited until prices went up to sell it…goal was to provide more constant prices and more profit
  • 50. Papermaking • One of most important Han inventions - paper • Made by grinding plant fibers into paste, paste dried in sheets • Created “books” by connecting several sheets of paper into long scroll Farming • Inventions included iron plow, wheelbarrow, collar harness allowed oxen to pull heavier loads • With a two-bladed iron plow, farmer could till more land • Water mill—used to grind grain Han AchievementsHan Achievements Science & TechScience & Tech • Created seismograph to measure earthquake tremors; approximated pi • Mining advances, use of natural gas as furnace fuel • Made advances in acupuncture • Invented an early magnetic compass, ship’s rudder, calendar based on movements of both sun and moon , water clock, stronger iron
  • 51. Classical AgeClassical Age • During Han period, arts flourished, sciences and technology improved life • Han China boasted magnificent palaces, multistoried towers (none survived) Artisans and ArtistsArtisans and Artists • Calligraphy – important art form after the invention of paper • Artisans produced glazed ceramic, bronze figurines, jade carvings, silk cloth • Artists painted portraits and nature scenes on walls, scrolls, room screens • During Later Han, Buddhist art flourished, including temple wall paintings Han AchievementsHan Achievements
  • 52. Han Achievements ***Replica of Han*Replica of Han seismometer c. 132 CEseismometer c. 132 CE Hydraulic chain pumpsHydraulic chain pumps Replica – grainReplica – grain storage towerstorage tower Gilded oil lampGilded oil lamp
  • 53. Han Decline - Wang Mang  Usurping of Han power  Xin dynasty [9-23 CE]  Death of a child emperor led to attempt of by military official Wang Mang to create new dynasty – Confucian reformer  Flooding and course changes of the Yellow River disrupted daily and economic life  Invasions of Xiongnu and rebellion in 23 CE opened door for return of Han
  • 54. Later or Eastern Han  Return of the Han– Later Han Dynasty  A Weakened Han Dynasty [23-220 CE]  Han weakness enabled barbarians to live inside the Great Wall, serve in army, and intermarry with Chinese  Led to sinicization (adoption of Chinese culture) of barbarians  Han failed to force local government officials to send tax revenues to central government
  • 55. Decline of the Eastern or Later Han Dynasty  Wide gap between the rich and poor  Small farmers were in debt  Rich landholders were not required to pay taxes  Economic problems then led to political instability  184 – 205 CE – The Yellow Turban Rebellion  Peasant revolt against the government united by teachings of Daoism  Agrarian crisis – famine in north sent farmers into the south looking for work – labor surplus exploited by wealthy landowners  Later Han Dynasty ruled until 220 CE – emigration of nomadic peoples into the north kept the nation divided
  • 56. Decline of Han Dynasty  Infighting among ruling elites  Unequal distribution of land  Tax burden fell on peasants rather than on large landowners  Series of peasant rebellions  Political corruption  Generals usurp political power - became warlords
  • 57. China – Reunification **Why was China able to reunite in 6th C. CE?  Homogeneity of culture  Strong tradition of centralized government,  Unifying values of Confucianism  Spread of language and writing system throughout East Asia  Advanced farming and technology  Absorption of nomadic tribes who came into the empire

Editor's Notes

  1. Short-lived but very significant. Book burnings (including Confucius!) Millions of peasants were forced to build the Great Wall along the northern border. China, from Qin, developed as the name outsiders used to refer to China. But the Chinese still refer to themselves as Han people.
  2. The Han Synthesis term refers to the emphasis on Legalism, but with a touch of Confucianism. The Han dynasty recorded Confucius’s teachings (The Analects) and put a big emphasis on the family. Founded the Imperial University Required examinations to become bureaucrat (civil service system) Soldiers dropped to lowest status. Confucianists at work; Daoists at home. The Han tried to replace literature, including Confucius’s writings, lost during the Qin Dynasty. Created new works of literature and music. Scroll painting began during this time. Iron was now used for plows and weapons. Acupuncture was invented. Invented a crude seismic sensing tool, so they could send troops and food to the scene of an earthquake! Inventions include: paper (105 CE), sternpost rudder on ships, water mill, wheelbarrow, furrowed cultivation Show map for Silk Road trade. It brought Chinese together into one civilization, creating a common culture. Economically, it brought much wealth to the Han, as they exported much more than they imported. Wudi’s public schools taught Confucianism. Grand School in capital. In 100 years, 30,000 studied there.
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  4. How effective do you think this kind of fortification would have been in pre-modern times?