Han Dynasty - China 202 BC – 220 AD
Jan 18, 2016
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