TRA: Lesson - China: The Han Dynasty

China: The Han Dynasty

In 202 BCE, a new dynasty emerged, replacing the brief Qin Dynasty, called the Han Dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE). The most notable portion of the Han Dynasty occurred under Emperor Wen (180-157 BCE) and his grandson Emperor Wu (141-87 BCE). They both used Confucianism and Daoism to guide their government, instead of Legalism like the Qin Dynasty. Emperor Wen reversed the harsh Qin Dynasty laws and created exams for civil service (government) offices. This action opened government positions to whoever could pass the tests.

Emperor Wu's reign lasted fifty-three years, making it one of the longest reigns in Chinese history. For day-to-day activities, Wu chose to do nothing and to allow the empire to function on its own. However, Wu established the Imperial University to train bureaucrats to run the government using Confucian principles. Under Emperor Wu, Confucian political ideals became the official doctrine of the Han Dynasty.

Stopping the Xiongnu and Pax Sinica

The most serious threat that the Han Dynasty faced, at least militarily, came from the Xiongnu people in the north. The Xiongnu, who were also called the Huns, were nomads who really liked to ride south and take advantage of the disorder during the Warring States Period. In 120 BCE, Emperor Wu started successfully defeating the Xiongnu and driving them back north. This marked the beginning of Pax Sinica, or Chinese Peace in Latin. Pax Sinica was an era known for the peace experienced domestically and the prosperity of its purses and people.

The Han dynasty is responsible for the invention of the ship rudder, the compass (pictured above), water wheel, steel, and paper (pictured to the left). The Han also created the Silk Road, an interconnected trade network that stretched from China to the Roman Empire.

Practice Activity

[CC BY 4.0] UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED | IMAGES: LICENSED AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION