Han China

General Info

221 B.C. - 206 B.C.

Han Dynasty

Qin Dynasty

206 B.C. – 220 A.D.

Qin Shih Huangdi

First Emperor

It was short-lived.

Dynasty DynastyIt lasted over 400

years.

The Most Famous Ruler

Wu Ti

Geography

• Extended Chinese territory to the south

• Reached up to present-day Hong Kong on the South China Sea and Northern Vietnam.

Qin Dynasty

GeographyHan

Dynasty

• Extended to Korea, Indochina, and Central Asia.

TradeMaritime Silk Road- origins in the Han dynasty.

Raw and processes silk transported along the overland silk road.

The maritime routes opened by Emperor Han Wudi provided access to the Roman Empire via India.

The 7000 mile route spanned China, Central Asia, Northern India, and the Parthian and Roman Empires.

Increased the number of foreign merchants present in China

Agriculture•The Emperors encouraged the

development of agriculture.

•Grew rice, and wheat, and provided salt.

•Under Wu Di’s reign the Lou Che was invented, which was used for ploughing and sowing. This saved manual labor.

•Silk was invented and was used as currency.

Population Growth & Decline

With the advanced technology, farming flourished more. As farming became more productive, population thus naturally increased.

As the rulers expanded the Chinese territory toward such countries as Korea and Vietnam, population increased as more land was gained.

DiseaseBubonic Plague

not only decreased population, but also disrupted trade, industry, finance, and society.

European Plagues

spread over the silk roads brought down the Han Empire .

Small Pox, Measles, Chickenpox, and Rubella spread throughout countries through trade.

The East-West trade linking Rome with china through the Silk Road introduced Small pox and measles to China.

Writings were found suggesting that an ancient disease called Leprosy existed. Can be referred to as Leprosy or Syphilis.May have been introduced into China from India.

Migrations

As the empire expanded southward into present day Hong Kong, and later further towards Korea, Indochina, and Central Asia, people moved to these new areas as they provided new opportunities for farming, and overall wealth and prosperity.

vInter-migration within China

Social Structure Aristocracy & Bureaucracy

Skilled laborers, Iron workers, farmers, etc.

Unskilled laborers

In Han China, there was a three tier social system. At the top of this was the Aristocrats and Bureaucrats, followed by the skilled laborers (iron workers, farmers, etc) and then the unskilled laborers which included people like servants.

Gender Structure

Women were subordinate and had their own clearly defined roles.

Women sometimes gained power as mothers in law of younger women brought into the household.

Same gender hierarchy existed among children. Boys > Girls

Considered the head of family, the oldest son who had the most authority other than his father, inherited everything.

The ArtsHan Dynasty

•Emperors and musicians during the Han Dynasty wished to bring back the arts.

•They wanted to adapt to Confucian thought, which considered music as an intellectual pursuit.

Literature/Sacred Writings/Writing System

Several writers elaborated Confucian philosophy during the Han dynasty.

Confucian writing

Five Classics: Were used in civil service examinations. Included historical treatises, speeches, and a discussion of etiquette and ceremonies

Learning and reciting poetry became significant part of Chinese education

During the Qin Dynasty, the language was unified as one dialect.

most commonly used script: Lishu script. They used it because it was faster and more accessible, which they needed for governmental issues.

Government StructureProvided a single law code for the whole empire

Established a uniform tax system

Appointed governors to each district. These rulers had legal and military powers. They also had their own lower rulers for smaller regions.

Epitome of effective centralized government

Government Structure

Established 130,000 bureaucrats. Had to take examinations.

Han Dynasty

Judicial matters were done by local governments.

Military was not extremely strong.

Emphasized Confucian philosophy as an official Chinese values..

Sponsored public works (irrigation/canal systems)

Standardized currency to facilitate trade

Regulated agricultural supplies

Family Organization

Patriarchal families

Extended family networks through brothers, uncles, grandparents, and others.

The practice of ancestor worship was important to family authority among the affluent landowners.

Village authority was supreme over family rule among the ordinary farmers.

Religious Beliefs

Han Buddhism was popular during the Han Dynasty.

Taoism was popular during the reign of the Han Dynasty.Under the Qin Dynasty schools of Taoist philosophy began to emerge.

Confucianism was popular during both dynasties.

Buddhism originated in northern India during the 6th century.

Emperor Tai Wu persecuted Buddhism.

Buddhism

Taoism/Daoism

Confucianism

The End