The Han Dynasty (Traditional Chinese characters: 漢朝, Simplified Chinese characters: 汉朝, pinyin Hàncháo 202 BC - AD 220) followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China.
During the Han Dynasty, China officially became a Confucian state and prospered domestically: agriculture, handicrafts and commerce flourished, and the population reached 50 million. Meanwhile, the empire extended its political and cultural influence over Vietnam, Central Asia, Mongolia, and Korea before it finally collapsed under a mixture of domestic and external pressures. The first of the two periods of the dynasty, namely the Former Han Dynasty (Qian Han 前漢) or the Western Han Dynasty (Xi Han 西漢) 206 BC - AD 9 seated at Changan (now Xian). The Later Han Dynasty (Hou Han 後漢) or the Eastern Han Dynasty (Dong Han 東漢) AD 25 - AD 220 seated at Luoyang. The western-eastern Han convention is used nowadays to avoid confusion with the Later Han Dynasty of the Period of the Five Dynasties and the Ten Kingdoms although the former-later nomenclature was used in history texts including Sima Guang's Zizhi Tongjian. The dynasty was founded by the Liu family.
Intellectual, literary, and artistic endeavors revived and flourished during the Han Dynasty. The Han period produced China's most famous historian, Sima Qian ( 145 -87 BC?), whose Records of the Grand Historian provides a detailed chronicle from the time of legendary Xia emperor to that of the Emperor Wu ( 141- 87 BC). Technological advances also marked this period. Two of the great Chinese inventions, paper and porcelain, date from Han times.
It is fair enough to state that contemporary empires of the Han Dynasty and the Roman Empire were the two superpowers of the known world. Nonetheless Hou Hanshu (History of the Later Han) recounted that only one Roman convoy set out by emperor Antoninus Pius reached the Chinese capital Luoyang in 166 and was greeted by Emperor Huan.
The Han dynasty, after which the members of the ethnic majority in China, the "people of Han," are named, was notable also for its military prowess. The empire expanded westward as far as the rim of the Tarim Basin (in modern Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region), making possible relatively secure caravan traffic across Central Asia. The paths of caravan traffic are often called the "Silk Road" because the route was used to export Chinese silk. Chinese armies also invaded and annexed parts of northern Vietnam and northern Korea toward the end of the second century BC. Han control of peripheral regions was generally insecure, however. To ensure peace with non-Chinese local powers, the Han court developed a mutually beneficial "tributary system." Non-Chinese states were allowed to remain autonomous in exchange for symbolic acceptance of Han overlordship. Tributary ties were confirmed and strengthened through intermarriages at the ruling level and periodic exchanges of gifts and goods.
Within the first 3 months after Qin Dynasty emperor Qin Shi Huangdi's death at Shaqiu, widespread revolts by peasants, prisoners, soldiers and descendants of the nobles of the Six Warring States sprang up all over China. Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, two in a group of about 900 soldiers assigned to defend against the Xiongnu, were the leaders of the first rebellion. Continuous insurgence finally toppled the Qin dynasty in 206 BC. The leader of insurgents was Xiang Yu, an outstanding military commander without political expertise, who divided the country into 18 feudal states to his own satisfaction. The ensuing war among those states signified the 5 years of Chu Han Contention with Liu Bang, the first emperor of the Han Dynasty, as the eventual winner. The beginning of the Han Dynasty can be dated either from 206 BC when the Qin dynasty crumbled or 202 BC when Xiang Yu committed suicide.
The new empire retained much of the Qin administrative structure but retreated a bit from centralized rule by establishing vassal principalities in some areas for the sake of political convenience. After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Gao divided the country into several "feudal states" to satisfy some of his wartime allies - but planned to get rid of them once he had consolidated his power.
After his death, his successors from Emperor Hui to Emperor Jing tried to rule China combining Legalist methods with the Taoist philosophic ideals. During this "pseudo-Taoism era", a stable centralized government over China was established through revival of the agriculture sectors and fragmentations of "feudal states" after compression of the Rebellion of the seven states.
During the "Taoism era", China was able to maintain peace with Xiongnu by paying tribute and marrying princesses to them. However, Under Emperor Wu's leadership, the most prosperous period ( 140 - 87 BC)of the Han Dynasty, the Empire was able to fight back. At its height, China incorporated the present-day Qinghai, Gansu, and Vietnam into its territories.
Emperor Wu decided that Taoism was no longer suitable for China, and officially declared China to be a Confucian state; however, like the emperors before him, he combined Legalist methods with the Confucian ideal. This official adoption of Confucianism led to not only a civil service nomination system, but also the compulsory knowledge of Confucian classics of candidates for the imperial bureaucracy, a requirement that lasted up to the establishment of the Republic of China in AD 1912. Confucian scholars gained prominent status as the core of the civil service.
Emperor Wu also dispatched Zhang Qian twice as his envoy to the Western Regions, and in the process pioneered the route known as the Silk Road from Chang'an (today's Xi'an, Shaanxi Province), through Xinjiang and Central Asia, and on to the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Good exchanges such as Chinese silk, Africa ivory, and Roman incense increase the contacts between the East and West. This lead to the introduction of Buddhism to China from India in the first century.
See also: silk road
To draw funds for his triumphant campaigns against the Xiongnu, Emperor Wu relinquished land control to merchants and the riches, and in effect legalized the privatization of lands. Land taxes were then drawn based on the sizes of fields, and no longer on harvest. Though the Han government guaranteed itself a steady influx of taxes, most peasant depended on harvest for their income and hence could not guarantee to pay their taxes completely. Incomes from selling harvest were often market-driven - a stable amount could not be guaranteed especially after harvest-reducing natural disasters. Merchant and prominent families then lured peasants to sell their lands since land accumulation guaranteed living standards of theirs and their descendants' in the agricultural society of China. Lands were hence accumulating into a new class of landholding families. The Han government in turn imposed more taxes on the remaining independent servants in order to make up the tax losses, therefore encouraging more peasents to come under the landholding elite or the landlords.
Ideally the peasants pay the landlords certain periodic (usually annual) amount of income, who in turn provide protection against crimes and other hazards. In fact an increasing number of peasant population in the prosperous Han society and limited amount of lands provided the elite to elevate their standards for any new subordinate peasants. The inadequate education and often complete illiteracy of peasants forced them into a living of providing physical services, which were mostly farming in an agricultural society. The peasants, without other professions for their better living, compromised to the lowered standard and sold their harvest to pay their landlords. In fact they often had to delay the payment or borrow money from their landlords in the aftermath of natural disasters that reduced harvests. To make the situation worse, some Han reigns ever double-taxed the peasants under the landlords. Eventually the living conditions of the peasants worsened as they solely depended on the harvest of the land they once owned.
The landholding elite and landlords, for their part, provided inaccurate information of subordinate peasants and lands to avoid paying taxes; to this very end corruption and incompetence of the Confucian scholar gentry on economics would play a vital part. Han court officials who attempted to strip lands out of the landlords faced enormous resistance that their policies would never be put in to place. In fact only a member of the landholding families, for instance Wang Meng, was able to put his reforming ideals into effect despite failures of his "turning the clock back" policies.
After 200 years, Han rule was interrupted briefly during AD 9-24 by Wang Mang, a reformer and a member of the landholding families. The economic situation deteriorated at the end of Western Han Dynasty. Wang Mang, believing the Liu family had lost the Mandate of Heaven took power, turning the clock back with vigorous monetary and land reforms, which damaged the economy even further.
A distant relative of Liu royalty, Liu Xiu, led the revolt against Wang Mang with the support of the landholding families and merchants. He "re-established" the Han Dynasty at Luoyang, which would rule for another 200 years, and became Emperor Guangwu of Han China.
In 105, During Eastern Han Dynasty, an official and inventor named Cai Lun invented the technique for making fine paper. The invention of paper is considered a revolution in communication and learning, dramatically lowering the cost of education.
Nevertheless the Eastern Han emperors failed to put forward any groundbreaking land reforms after the failure of its precedent dynasty. Rife bureaucratic corruption and bribery contributed into lingering adverse consequences of land privatizations throughout the dynasty. Prestige of a newly founded dynasty during the reigns of first three emperors were barely able to hinder the corruption; however Confucian scholar gentry turned on eunuchs for their corrupted authorities when consort clans and eunuchs struggled for power in subsequent reigns. None of these three parties was able to improve the harsh livelihood of peasants under the landholding families. Land privatizations and accumulations on the hands of the elite affected the societies of the Three Kingdoms and the Southern and Northern Dynasties that the landholding elite held the actual driving and ruling power of the country. Successful ruling entities worked with these familes, and consequently their policies favored the elite. Adverse effects of the Nine grade controller system or the Nine rank system were brillant examples.
Taiping Taoist ideals of equal rights and equal land distribution quickly spread throughout the peasantry. As a result, the peasant insurgents of the Yellow Turban Rebellion swarmed the North China Plain, the main agricultural sector of the country. Power of the Liu royalty then fell into the hands of local governors and warlords, despite suppression of the main upraising of Zhang Jiao and his brothers. Three overlords eventually succeeded in control of the whole of China proper, ushering in the period of the Three Kingdoms. The figurehead Emperor Xian reigned until AD 220 when Cao Pi forced his abdication.
In 311, around one hundred years after the fall of the Eastern Han, its capital Luoyang was sacked by barbarians.The Emergence
Taoism and Feudal System
Emperor Wu and Confucianism
Beginning of the Silk Road and Buddism
Rise of landholding class
Interruption of Han rule
Rise and Fall of Eastern Han Dynasty
| Posthumous names | Chinese family names and given namess | Period of Reigns | Era names and their according range of years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese Convention: "Han" + posthumous name + "di" excluding Liu Gong, Liu Hong, Liu He, Liu Ying, Liu Yi and Liu Bian | |||
| Western Han Dynasty 206 BC-AD 9, 23-25 | |||
| Gao (高 py. gāo) | Liu Bang (劉邦 py. liú bāng) | 206 BC-195 BC | Did not exist |
| Hui (惠 py. hùi) | Liu Ying (劉盈 py. liú yíng) | 195 BC-188 BC | Did not exist |
| Empress Dowager Lü (呂太后 py. Lü Taihou) | Lü Zhi (呂雉) | 188 BC-180 BC | Did not exist |
| Shao (少 py. shao4) | Liu Gong (劉恭 py. liú gōng) | 188 BC-184 BC | Did not exist |
| Shao (少 py. shao4) | Liu Hong (劉弘 py. liú hóng) | 184 BC-180 BC | Did not exist |
| Wen (文 py. wén) | Liu Heng (劉恆 py. liú héng) | 180 BC-157 BC | Houyuan (後元 py. hòu yúan) 163 BC-156 BC |
| Jing (景 py. jĭng) | Liu Qi (劉啟 py. liú qĭ) | 157 BC-141 BC | Zhongyuan (中元 py. zhōng yúan) 149 BC-143 BCHouyuan (後元 py. hòu yúan) 143 BC-141 BC |
| Wu (武 py. wŭ) | Liu Che (劉徹 py. liú chè) | 141 BC-87 BC | Jianyuan (建元 py. jìan yúan) 140 BC-135 BC Yuanguang (元光 py. yúan gūang) 134 BC-129 BC Yuanshuo (元朔 py. yúan shùo) 128 BC-123 BC Yuanshou (元狩 py. yúan shòu) 122 BC-117 BC Yuanding (元鼎 py. yúan dĭng) 116 BC-111 BC Yuanfeng (元封 py. yúan fēng) 110 BC-105 BC Taichu (太初 py. tài chū) 104 BC-101 BC Tianhan (天漢 py. tīan hàn) 100 BC-97 BC Taishi (太始 py. tài shĭ) 96 BC-93 BC Zhenghe (征和 py. zhēng hé) 92 BC-89 BC Houyuan (後元 py. hòu yúan) 88 BC-87 BC |
| Zhao (昭 py. zhāo) | Liu Fuling (劉弗陵 py. liú fúlíng) | 87 BC-74 BC | Shiyuan (始元 py. shĭ yúan) 86 BC-80 BCYuanfeng (元鳳 py. yúan fèng) 80 BC-75 BC |
| King of Changyi (昌邑王 py. chāng yí wáng) | Liu He (劉賀 py. liú hè) | 74 BC | Yuanping (元平 py. yúan píng) 74 BC |
| Xuan (宣 py. xūan) | Liu Xun (劉詢 py. liú xún)or Liu Bingyi (劉病已 py. liú bìngyĭ) |
74 BC-49 BC | Benshi (本始 py. bĕn shĭ) 73 BC-70 BCDijie (地節 py. dì jíe) 69 BC-66 BC |
| Yuan (元 py. yúan) | Liu Shi (劉奭 py. liú shì) | 49 BC-33 BC | Chuyuan (初元 py. chū yúan) 48 BC-44 BCYongguang (永光 py. yŏng gūang) 43 BC-39 BC |
| Cheng (成 py. chéng) | Liu Ao (劉驁 py. liú áo) | 33 BC-7 BC | Jianshi (建始 py. jìan shĭ) 32 BC-28 BCHeping (河平 py. hé píng) 28 BC-25 BC |
| Ai (哀 py. āi) | Liu Xin (劉欣 py. liú xīn) | 7 BC-1 BC | Jianping (建平 py. jìan píng) 6 BC-3 BCYuanshou (元壽 py. yúan shòu) 2 BC-1 BC |
| Ping (平 py. píng) | Liu Kan (劉衎 py. liú kàn) | 1 BC-6 | Yuanshi (元始 py. yúan shĭ) 1-6 |
| Ru Zi (孺子 py. rú zi) | Liu Ying (劉嬰 py. liú yīng) | 6-9 | Jushe (居攝 py. jū shè) February AD 6- October AD 8 Chushi (初始 py. chū shĭ) November AD 8-January AD 9 |
| Xin Dynasty (AD 9-AD 23) | |||
| Continuation of Han Dynasty | |||
| Gengshi (更始 py. gèng shĭ) | Liu Xuan (劉玄 py. liú xúan) | 23-25 | Gengshi (更始 py. gèng shĭ) 23-25 |
| Eastern Han Dynasty AD 25 - AD 220 | Guangwu (光武 py. gūang wŭ) | Liu Xiu (劉秀 py. liú xìu) | 25-57 | Jianwu (建武 py. jìan wŭ) 25-56Jianwuzhongyuan (建武中元 py. jìan wŭ zhōng yúan) 56-58 |
| Ming (明 py. míng) | Liu Zhuang (劉莊 py. liú zhūang) | 57-75 | Yongping (永平 py. yŏng píng) 58-75 |
| Zhang (章 py. zhāng) | Liu Da (劉炟 py. liú dá) | 75-88 | Jianchu (建初 py. jìan chū) 76-84Yuanhe (元和 py. yúan hé) 84-87 |
| He (和 py. hé) | Liu Zhao (劉肇 py. liú zhào) | 88-106 | Yongyuan (永元 py. yŏng yúan) 89-105Yuanxing (元興 py. yúan xīng) 105-106 |
| Shang (殤 py. shāng) | Liu Long (劉隆 py. liú lóng) | 106 | Yanping (延平 py. yán píng) 106-107 |
| An (安 py. ān) | Liu Hu (劉祜 py. liú hù) | 106-125 | Yongchu (永初 py. yŏng chū) 107-113Yuanchu (元初 py. yúan chū) 114-120 |
| Shaodi (少帝 py. shào dì or Marquess of Beixiang (北鄉侯 py. bĕi xīang hóu) | Liu Yi (劉懿 py. liú yì) | 125 | Yanguang (延光 py. yán gūang) 125 |
| Shun (順 py. shùn) | Liu Bao (劉保 py. liú báo) | 125-144 | Yongjian (永建 py. yŏng jìan) 126-132Yangjia (陽嘉 py. yáng jīa) 132-135 |
| Chong (冲 py. chōng) | Liu Bing (劉炳 py. liú bĭng) | 144-145 | Yongxi (永熹 py. yōng xī) 145 |
| Zhi (質 py. zhí) | Liu Zuan (劉纘 py. liú zŭan) | 145-146 | Benchu (本初 py. bĕn chū) 146 |
| Huan (桓 py. húan) | Liu Zhi (劉志 py. liú zhĭ) | 146-168 | Jianhe (建和 py. jìan hé) 147-149Heping (和平 py. hé píng) 150 |
| Ling (靈 py. líng) | Liu Hong (劉宏 py. liú hóng) | 168-189 | Jianning (建寧 py. jìan níng) 168-172Xiping (熹平 py. xī píng) 172-178 |
| Shao Di (少帝 py. shào dì) or King of Hongnong (弘農王 py. hóng nóng wáng) | Liu Bian (劉辯 py. liú bìan) | 189 | Guangxi (光熹 py. gūang xī) 189Zhaoning (昭寧 py. zhāo níng) 189 |
| Xian (獻 py. xìan) | Liu Xie (劉協 py. liú xíe) | 189-220 | Yonghan (永漢 py. yŏng hàn) 189Chuping (初平 py. chū píng) 190-193 |
For a complete list of Chinese sovereigns, check Chinese sovereign.