Han Dynasty (206BC -220AD)

From the end of Qin dynasty, one of the rebel leaders, Liu Bang, arose to seize the control of the former Qin Dynasty, and established a new dynasty called Han (206 B.C.-220A.D.). The Han dynasty that he founded is divided into two periods: the Western Han dynasty (capital at Ch'ang-an, present day Xi'an) and the Eastern Han dynasty (capital at Loyang).

The Han dynasty was one of golden ages of imperial era. 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. The Han rulers modified some of the harsher aspects of the previous dynasty; Confucianism as the official ideology, out of favor during the Qin dynasty, became the creed of the Han dynasty. In the 2nd century B.C., the first imperial university was established to teach students the five classics of the Confucianism to prepare them to become bureaucrats. Written examinations initiated were used to identify the best-qualified people for the civil service. Intellectual, literary, and artistic endeavors rejuvenated and flourished. The Han dynasty gave rise to China's most famous historian, Sima Qian (145-87 B.C.?), whose 'Historical of History' provides a detailed chronicle from the legendary Xia dynasty to the time of the Han emperor Wu Di (141-87 B.C.). Technological advances also marked this period. Two of the great Chinese inventions, paper and porcelain, can be dated from Han Dynasty. The Chinese economy grew rapidly in Han dynasty. By 2nd AD, the population had reached 58 million. Trade and industry flourished, cities grew, and Chang'an and Luoyang became important cultural centers attracting the best writers and scholars from all over China.

The dynasty, after that the ethnic majority people of China, named by Han, was notable for its military power. The empire expanded westward as far as central Asia after several successful military campaigns against nomadic Xiong Nu who lived in the arid steppe region north of China, grew stronger and posed a threat. One of the great achievements of the campaigns was the opening of 'Silk Road'. In order to seek allies' assistances against Xiong Nu, in about 100 BC, the Han Emperor Wudi sent the diplomat Zhang Qian far into Central Asia, where he found the countries of central and western Asia, raised the beautiful horses that could the Han emperor built up a strong cavalry army. He also discovered that these regions were already importing Chinese products, particularly silk, from merchants who traded along overland routes across Asia. Therefore the trade of the horses with Chinese silk started between China and those countries. Eventually, the paths of caravan traffic were called the 'Silk Road'. With time passing by, Silk Road turned to a network of overland trade routes between Asia and Europe. It is also regarded as ancient Trans-Asia Highway for economy, culture and religious exchanges.

Chinese armies invasion to northern Vietnam, northern Korea and other neighboring countries by the end 2nd century B.C., extended its political and cultural influence over those countries before finally collapsing under a mixture of domestic and external pressures. In order to ensure peace with these non-Chinese local powers, the Han emperor developed a mutually beneficial 'tributary system'. Non-Chinese states were allowed to remain autonomous in exchange for symbolic acceptance of Han overlord-ship. Tributary ties were confirmed and strengthened through intermarriages at the ruling level and periodic exchanges of gifts and goods.

After 200 years, Han dynasty was interrupted briefly (in 9-24 A.D. by Wang Mang), and then restored for another 200 years. The successive Han dynasty emperors, however, were unable to adjust to what centralization had wrought: a growing population, increasing wealth and resultant financial difficulties and rivalries, and ever-more complex political institutions. Riddled with the corruption characteristic of the dynastic cycle, by A.D. 220 the Han dynasty collapsed.