The QinDynasty falls and…

Han Dynasty Begins

206 BCE-220 CE

The Majority of Chinese People call themselves

‘People of the Han’

Qin Dynasty:Qin Shi Huang Di

Rejects Confucian Governance Rules

Orders Slaughter of 400 Scholars

Orders ALL Confucian Documents/Books Burned

Qin Dynasty:Qin Shi Huang Di

Builds Great TombTerracotta Warriors – 8000 + and still counting

Terracotta Army

Why did the Qin fall?

Failed to rule with humanity

Many peasant rebellions, 3 assassination attempts, Shi Huangdi’s death, His son failed as a ruler Lost the Mandate of

Heaven

Han Dynasty 206 B.C.E.-220 C.E. (c. 400 years)

OverviewThe Han continued the Q’in

organization and empire to build a stronger but more humane government with great wealth and a good Confucian education for upper class men Important inventions and excellent long distance trade.

Han Politics Liu Bang 1st Han Emperor Replaced Legalism with

Confucianism Chang’an is capital Wu di important emperor Confucianism teaches that

Emperor is Responsible for keeping

harmony Must model goodness and

virtue Often attacked from central

Asian nomads

Han Gaozu – First Emperor

• Originally a commoner• Rose to prominence as a general in an army trying to overthrow the Qin

• Overthrows his own king to become Emperor when they succeed The prince is the boat;

the common people are the water.

The water can support the boat, or the water can capsize the boat.

Chang’an • Largest city in the world

• Carefully planned

• Great trade center on Silk Road

• Wealthy and beautiful

Confucian Civil Service

Examination Han government officials chosen by

scores on a Confucian poetry and moral code test

Han started schools to train candidates Curriculum is Confucius’s teachings,

Chinese history, and Chinese law.

Han Economy Peasant life

Military service required of oldest male

A month’s labor for govt per year Textile manufacturing-Silk water mills iron casting led to steel Chinese traders were able to sail into the

Indian Ocean, expanding trade tremendously.

SILK Road across Asia to Middle East connects China to Persia, India and Rome

…the Infamous Silk Roads

Rome

Persia

3000 B.C. Silk first produced in China

1500 B.C. Semi-nomadic stockbreeding tribes inhabit steppes

753 B.C. Rome founded

500 B.C. Chinese adopt nomadic style, wear trousers and ride horses

551 - 479 B.C. Confucius born in China

350 B.C. Greek culture spreads into Central Asia (Persia conquered by Alexander the Great)

300 B.C. Roman expansion begins around Mediterranean region

Shi Huangdi’s Qin dynasty unites entire China for the first time

Qin Dynasty begins Great Wall

Han dynasty overthrows the Qin and develops its vast empire

Buddhism begins to spread north out of India and into China

Paper first made in China

200 B.C. The Xiongnu (Huns) rise to power in Central Asia and invade Chinese western border regions

Emperor WuDi orders Zhang Qian to travel the Western Regions and open the trade route (Silk Road) to the west

100 B.C. Rome becomes an empire

1 A.D. Silk first seen in Rome

Buddhism begins to spread from India into Central Asia

Christianity begins to spread in the world

100 A.D. Roman empire at its largest

The first Roman envoy arrives in China

Buddhism reaches China

200 A.D. Han dynasty falls and the China breaks up

300 A.D. The secret skill of sericulture (silk production) begins to spread west along the Silk Road

Xiongnu (Huns) invades China and China further dissolved into fragments

500 A.D. Silkworm breeding appears in Europe

A Timeline History of Silk production from its origins in China to its arrival in Europe.

18.

Han Problem Tax System based on Land and Agriculture

Great Families are Tax ExemptMajor revenue problem

Han SolutionIron, Salt, and Liquor Monopolies imposed to boost government revenue

Han Dynasty: Solving Food ProblemsGrain Storage and Arbitrage Government buys grain in good times Stores it Government sells grain in shortage periodsIntent: Profit and Government RevenueOutcome: Price Stabilization Avoid Famine Stabilize political system and support

Rice

HAN Religion/Philosophy Confucianism becomes VERY influential in

government and social life SOCIAL ORDER!! Buddhism came to China via the Silk Road

Han Dynasty EFFECTS Population tripled to 50

million less land per person Farming techniques

improved Many people moved to

cities - URBANIZATION Chinese migrated into

Central Asia Government must provide

peace & prosperity, & education

Diagnosed diseases.herbal remedies used anaesthetics.Acupuncture

Wrote texts on chemistry, zoology, and botany.Astronomy popularInvented seismograph

SCIENCE MEDICINE

TECHNOLOGY

Paper invented Invented the rudder, fore/aft sails to sail into the windfishing reels, wheelbarrows, and suspension bridges.

Han Dynasty Innovations

Han Dynasty InnovationsPaper-Making

Han Dynasty InnovationsSails and Rudders

Invented During the Han Dynasty – Junk Ships are still used today in China

Other Han Dynasty Innovations

Adjustable Oil Lamps

Furnaces and smelting techniques Water Wheels

                                 

 

Halley's comet in 12 BCE, seen here in its 1986 reappearance

Seismograph

Geometry of the Lunar Ecilpse

Han and The Great Wall of

China

Extended the Q’in wall 1500 miles

Many more towers and soldiers to guard China

The Han Dynasty Falls Han rulers love for wealth and pleasure weakened

the government; often corrupt and brutal. The Han dynasty fell in 220 CE

Fiscal crisis (they went broke) Raised taxes to compensate for lost revenue Peasants get angry and begin following other

leaders REVOLTS Revolts lead to the downfall of the HAN The Huns attack over the wall China descends into chaos and warlike states rule

for 350 years

Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) Western Han (206 BC-24 AD)Revival of Confucianism. Civil Service exams began. Silk Road to West opened.Eastern Han (24-220 AD)Paper invented. First records of Buddhism in China. Zhang Heng (78-139) invented a seismograph, and calculated pi to five decimal places

54 BC Caesar invaded Britain

Birth of Christ

50 AD Nero

70 AD Destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem

Period of Disunity (220-581)221-265: The Three Kingdoms of Wei, Wu and Shu

struggled for supremacy. Non-Chinese nomadic people became increasingly influential. Buddhism spread rapidly. Population shift to Yangzi Valley.

340 Rome adopted Christianity

410 Visigoths sacked Rome

451 Attila the Hun defeated

CHINA ROME

China’s Time of Troubles

220-581 China is not unified under a single Emperor

Return of regional rule and many small regional wars

Han Art grand temples and

palaces. jade and ivory

carvings and ceramic figures.

Improved bronzeworking and silkmaking techniques.

Revival of Chinese landscape painting.

Han Warfare (FYI) “The bandits were numerous, and Yang's forces very weak, so

his men were filled with alarm and despondency. But he organized several dozen horse-drawn vehicles carrying

bellows to blow powdered lime strongly forth, he caused rags of fire to be tied to the tails of a number of horses, and he prepared other vehicles full of bowmen and crossbowmen.

The lime chariots went forward first, and as the bellows were plied the smoke was blown forwards according to the wind, then the rags were kindled and the frightened horses rushed forwards throwing the enemy lines into confusion,

after which the bowmen and crossbowmen opened fire, the drums and gongs were sounded, and the terrified enemy was utterly destroyed and dispersed.