Han Dynasty - China

202 BC – 220 AD

The Han Restore Unity in China Troubled Empire

• In the Qin Dynasty the peasants resent high taxes and harsh labor, and rebel

• Qin Emperor loses Mandate of Heaven, overthrown

The Han Restore Unity in China Liu Bang Founds the Han Dynasty

• Liu Bang defeats a rival for power, and founds the Han Dynasty about 202 B.C.

• The Han Dynasty lasts about 400 years and has great influence on people and culture

• Liu Bang establishes centralized government: a central authority rule lowers taxes reduces punishments to keep people happy

Depiction of Emperor Liu Bang

The Han Restore Unity in China The Martial Emperor

• Liu Bang’s great-grandson Wudi rules from 141 to 87 B.C.

• “Martial Emperor” Wudi defeats nomads and mountain tribes

• Colonizes from Korea to Vietnam

Han Society

• Confucianism shaped Chinese society

• Confucius taught that family was central to well-being of the state

• Han officials believed dutiful children made respectful subjects

• Filial Piety

Family Life• Children served parents as

they aged, honored dead at household shrines

• Fathers – Head of Family

• Obedience, devotion to parents/grandparents

• Some men even received government jobs because of respect shown parents

Filial Piety

A Highly Structured Society Confucianism, the Road to Success

• Government employed 130,000; bureaucracy of 18 ranks of jobs

• Civil service jobs—government jobs obtained through examinations.

• Job applicants tested on knowledge of Confucianism

• Emperors favor Confucian scholars, schools built to train them

• Only sons of wealthy can afford expensive schooling

A Highly Structured Society• Peasant Class

• Approx. 90% of people in China were peasants 54 mil. of 60 million

• Lived in small villages in simple houses, labored long hours in fields, worked on government projects in winter

• High taxes, bad weather forced them into debt• Many had to sell lands, become laborers for

wealthy

A Highly Structured Society Emperor’s Role

• Chinese believe their emperor has authority to rule from god

Mandate of Heaven

• Believe prosperity is the reward of good rule, and troubles reveal poor rule.

A Highly Structured Society Structures of Han Government

• Complex bureaucracy runs Han government

• People pay taxes and supply labor and military service

• Government uses peasant labor to carry out public projects

Han Technology and Commerce

Technology Revolutionizes Chinese Life• Invention of paper in A.D. 105 helps

spread education• Collar harness, plow, and wheelbarrow

improve farming• Silk

Fabric beautiful, soft, strong Clothing costly, in high demand

Han Technology and Commerce

Agriculture Versus Commerce• As population grows, farming regarded as

important activity

• Government allows monopolies—control by one group over key industries

• Techniques for producing silk become state secret as profits increase

Revealing secret punishable by death

The Silk Roads Merchants traveling between China, Central Asia

used overland routes called the Silk Roads

This network of routes eventually stretched from China over 4,000 miles and linked China to India, the Middle East, and the Roman Empire

The Silk Roads

The Silk Roads Travelers on Silk Roads crossed rugged, barren

terrain

For protection, traveled in huge camel caravans

Most merchants traveled only part of way

Traded for goods from distant lands

Most goods traded were small, valuable, highly profitable luxury items

Effects of Silk Road Trade

Growth of trade increased prosperity

Demand for Chinese goods led to increased trade with west

Blood-sweating horses• To obtain them, Emperor conquered more land

Effects of Silk Road Trade Traders also carried ideas over the Silk Roads

Buddhism spread to China from India Example of cultural diffusion

• Spread of ideas from one culture to another

Han Unifies Chinese Culture Bringing Different Peoples Under Chinese Rule

• To unify empire, Chinese government encourages assimilation

• Assimilation—integrating conquered peoples into Chinese culture

• Writers encourage unity by recording Chinese history

The Fall of the Han and Their Return

The Rich Take Advantage of the Poor• Large landowners gain control of more and

more land• Gap between rich and poor increases

Buddhism gained popularity • Buddhism’s message of rebirth offered hope• Han government became less stable, violence

increased

The Fall of the Han and Their Return

Wang Mang Overthrows the Han• Economic problems and weak emperors cause

political instability• Han emperors lose Mandate of Heaven• In A.D. 9, Wang Mang seizes power and

stabilizes empire• Wang Mang is assassinated in A.D. 23; Han

soon regain control

The Fall of the Han and Their Return

The Later Han Years• Peace is restored. The Later Han

Dynasty lasts until A.D. 220