Han Dynasty of China: A Chinese Golden Age, 206 B.C.E.-220 C.E. |
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I. Historical setting of the Han a. Followed the Qin dynasty i. 221-206 BCE ii. Qin ended in rebellion and civil war due to weak ruler and unrest (206-202 BCE) b. Han dynasty was China’s second imperial dynasty i. 206 (or 202) BCE-220 CE 1. Over 400 years c. Followed by the Three Kingdoms i. 220-265 CE II. Liu Bang – Emperor Gaozu of Han a. Civil war i. Two strong leaders 1. Xiang Yu (aristocratic general) 2. Liu Bang (peasant-class general under Xiang Yu) b. 202 BCE i. Liu Bang beat Xiang Yu for good 1. Liu Bang declared start of Han dynasty III. Two periods of the Han dynasty a. Former Han i. Also called the Western Han ii. 206 BCE-9 CE b. Interrupted by the Xin dynasty i. Under Wang Mang ii. 9-23 CE c. Later Han i. Also called the Eastern Han ii. 25-220 CE IV. Government under the Han a. Centralized government i. Capital cities 1. Chang’an a. 206 BCE-9 CE (all of the Former, or Western, Han) and 190-195 CE (Later, or Eastern, Han) 2. Luoyang a. 25-190 CE and 196 CE (most of the Later, or Eastern, Hn) 3. Xuchang a. 196-220 CE (very end of the Later, or Eastern, Han) b. Lowered taxes c. Less harsh punishments V. Empress Lu a. One of Liu Bang’s widows b. Retained power by naming various children as emperor in turn c. Example of power gained through the manipulation of court politics i. Families vied for power ii. Alliances among powerful and influential people VI. Wudi – the martial emperor a. Wudi lived 147-87 BCE b. Used warfare to expand the Chinese empire i. Northern steppes 1. Xiongnu – steppe nomads from the north and west 2. Commonly raided Chinese villages 3. Traditionally kept at bay through bribery 4. Wudi made allies of the Xiongnu’s enemies and sent in 100,000 soldiers 5. Pushed the Xiongnu back 6. Settled soldiers on former Xiongnu lands 7. But the nomads of the steppes provided ongoing conflict ii. Modern-day Korea, Manchuria, Vietnam, etc. 1. Conquered and colonized c. Borders under Wudi nearly what they are today, etc. (continues for several pages) |
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