The Han Dynasty: Founding, Governance, and the Confucian Turn
206 B.C.E.–9 C.E.
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Opening question: The Qin created China's first unified empire but collapsed in just 15 years.
What lessons did its successors learn?
Chinese history is often organized around five "great" unified dynasties that each lasted more than two centuries:
Each set lasting patterns for Chinese civilization that influenced all successors.
| Xiang Yu (項羽) | Liu Bang (劉邦) |
|---|---|
| Aristocratic background (Chu nobility) | Commoner (village headman) |
| Brilliant military commander | Mediocre general |
| Proud, suspicious of advisors | Humble, listened to advisors |
| Ruled through terror and violence | Built coalitions through rewards |
| Most powerful army | Skilled at recognizing talent |
The aristocratic warrior who dominated the post-Qin chaos:
His story became a cautionary tale about military prowess without political wisdom.
The commoner who became Emperor Gaozu:
His rise from commoner to emperor became proof that the Mandate of Heaven could pass to anyone worthy.
202 BCE: Liu Bang defeated Xiang Yu at the Battle of Gaixia
Xiang Yu committed suicide rather than surrender
Liu Bang declared the Han Dynasty
Understanding Chinese imperial names:
Chinese emperors are typically referred to by their temple names or reign era names, not their personal names (which were taboo to use).
Philosophy: "Resting with the people" (與民休息)—let society recover from war
The Problem: "Very soon he [Gaozu] recognized that giving followers independent resources was a mistake, and he spent much of his reign eliminating the fief holders who were not relatives."
The most serious internal threat to the early Han:
The rebellion proved that the kingdom system was too dangerous to maintain. Centralization accelerated afterward.
Compare Qin and early Han governance:
What did the Han keep from Qin?
What did they change?
Why do you think the Han approach was more sustainable?
Take 2 minutes to think, then discuss with a neighbor.
Breaking down the title:
His posthumous title reflects his military expansion—campaigns against the Xiongnu, into Korea, and Central Asia. But he also made lasting cultural and administrative changes.
Personal name: Liu Che (劉徹). Came to throne at age 15, ruled for 54 years.
The scholar who convinced Emperor Wu to adopt Confucianism:
Note the irony: Dong Zhongshu's proposal sounds almost Legalist—using state power to enforce intellectual conformity!
Officials were selected based on knowledge of these texts:
Although Qin had burned books, some scholars had hidden copies, and others could recite entire texts from memory.
A distinctive feature of Chinese government for 2,000 years:
Han government drew from both traditions:
This synthesis became the foundation of Chinese imperial governance.
Who filled the vacuum?
The first woman to dominate Chinese imperial politics:
Her example showed both the potential and the limits of female power at court.
A distinctive feature of Chinese (and other East Asian) court politics:
From the textbook: "Court officials looked on palace eunuchs with contempt. Emperors who had grown up with them, however, often saw them as more reliable than officials because they had no outside base of power."
A complex figure—usurper, idealist, or both?
Traditional historians condemned him as a usurper. Modern scholars note he was trying to realize Confucian ideals—and failed spectacularly.
The Problem: These reforms looked good on paper but disrupted the existing system without helping ordinary people.
Consider Wang Mang's story:
He was a learned Confucian who tried to implement policies from the classics.
His reforms failed disastrously.
Question: What does this suggest about the relationship between ideals and practical governance?
Take 3 minutes to write your thoughts.
The Xin Dynasty: Lasted only 14 years (9–23 CE)—shorter even than Qin!
A peasant uprising that helped destroy Wang Mang:
Like Chen Sheng's revolt against Qin, the Red Eyebrows showed that peasant desperation could bring down emperors.
The Han model worked—but it had vulnerabilities that would resurface again and again.
Reading: Chapter 3, "Chinese Society in Han Times," "Central Asia and the Silk Road," through the end