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Home — Essay Samples — History — History of China — Han Dynasty
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202 BC–9 AD; 25 AD – 220 AD
Today parts of China, Vietnam and North Korea
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China and ruled China from 206 B.C. to 220 A.D. The Han dynasty is considered a golden age in Chinese history, it known for its promotion of Confucianism as the state religion and opening the Silk Road trade route to Europe.
The dynasty was founded by Liu Bang in 202 B.C. He established the Han capital of Chang’an along the Wei River and took the name Emperor Gaozu. This period of time known as the Western Han and it would last until around 23 A.D. After Gaozu’s death, the Empress Lu Zhi made an attempt to take control by murdering Gaozu’s family members. However, it ended when Emperor Wan became emperor.
In 138 B.C., Zhang Qian was sent on a mission to the west. Thirteen years after he had left, Zhang Qian came back and mapped out his route. The map and this route developed into the international trade route known as the Silk Road.
The Western Han ended in 9 A.D. Wang Mang took power by declaring “the New Dynasty.” Soon, an uprising ensued, that resulted in the destruction of Chang’an and the beheading of Wang Mang. Later, Liu Xiu took control and established a new capital in Luoyang and the new dynasty known as the Eastern Han.
The end of the Han dynasty refers to the period of Chinese history from 189 to 220 CE. The end of the Han dynasty initiated an age of conflict between three states: Cao Wei, Eastern Wu, and Shu Han.
In the hierarchical social order, the emperor was at the apex of Han society and government. The Han-era family was patrilineal. The Western Han accepted the philosophical teachings of Legalism, Huang-Lao Daoism, and Confucianism.
In Han government, the emperor was the supreme judge and lawgiver and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Theoretically, there were no limits to his power.
The Han dynasty was a unique period in the development of Chinese science and technology. The Han invented paper, used water clocks and sundials, and developed a seismograph.
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