6.9 Rise and Fall of the Han

Directions: Watch the "Rise and Fall of the Han" video to help you answer the questions on your worksheet. Add more facts from the class discussion to the right.

The fighting that toppled the Qin dynasty lasted for several years. Finally, a rebel general named Liu Bang (LYOH bahng) gained control of China. In 206 BCE, he founded the Han dynasty. The Han ruled China for about 400 years. Today, the largest ethnic group in China still call themselves the “Han.” Later dynasties were established that were governed by Confucian principles using scholar-officials. Maintaining the philosophy laid out in the Mandate of Heaven was crucial to following Confucian principles.

The first Han emperor came from a poor family. His success was, in part, due to his ability to surround himself with capable advisors. As emperor, he consulted with a Confucian scholar who pointed out that the Qin lost power because of cruel policies. The emperor encouraged learning, lowered taxes, and ended many of the Qin’s harsh rules.

Confucian scholars throughout the Han gave practical advice and encouraged rulers to set an example of mercy and proper behavior. Han emperors kept many of the Qin laws and policies to standardize Chinese life, but avoided the harsh rule that had caused unrest. 

The Han not only stayed in power, they expanded China’s territory. Much of this expansion took place under the fifth Han emperor, Wudi (woo dee). Remembered as one of the country’s greatest emperors, Wudi ruled for more than 50 years. Wudi sent his armies west to conquer lands far into Central Asia. He extended his empire north to the Korean peninsula and south into what is now Vietnam.

At its height, the Han dynasty ruled some 60 million people. It ruled China for over 400 years. Then, like other powerful empires, it went into a decline. Once again, the central government weakened and warlords competed for power. China was plunged into disunity for several centuries. Still, the idea of a unified China never died. Future dynasties eventually emerged, modeling themselves on the Han.

China under the Han was peaceful compared to the chaotic Warring States period. The Han emperors lowered the high taxes that Shi Huangdi had collected. China prospered in this more stable time.

Farmers were the backbone of China’s economy. They made up about 90 percent of the population. As one Han emperor said,

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Agriculture is the foundation of the world. No duty is greater. -Emperor Wen, Hanshu

Most farms in Han China were small. Farmers grew wheat, millet, barley, beans, and rice. Farmers with more land might also grow fruit or bamboo. Farming families often made their own cloth.

Silk production was especially important as trade along the Silk Road increased. On small farms, the women of the family tended silkworms and wove silk. In wealthy households, the women hired workers to help make silk. Workshops in cities also employed many weavers. Workshops bought silk thread from farms. They specialized in making the most expensive, high-quality cloth. 

Industries, such as iron production, also became important. Iron was useful for making tools and weapons. Salt mining was another key industry. These industries became so important that one Han emperor, Wudi, turned them into state monopolies. A monopoly is when a single group controls the production of a good or service. The monopolies brought in money. Profits from selling iron and salt helped support Wudi’s military adventures.

Wudi’s monopoly was also a way to try to keep important producers and merchants from becoming too powerful. Some producers of salt and iron had become very wealthy. They bought huge areas of land and employed large numbers of people. The Han emperors worried that these producers could become so influential that they could challenge the emperor’s power. The emperors also worried that too many farmers were leaving their fields to work for these producers. Without enough farmers, China might face food shortages.

The Han emperors also made policies to try to control prices. For example, in years when crops were good, the government bought up the extra grain. In years when the harvest was bad, the grain harvest decreased and grain became expensive. The government then sold back the stored grain to keep prices lower and avoid a shortage.

Despite the benefits of these policies, there were many problems. Some officials tried to make money by selling stored goods at high prices. Also, there were complaints that iron tools produced by the government monopoly were poor quality. Many emperors after Wudi either changed or gave up these policies.

China’s social order was based on Confucian values. Confucius and his followers valued mental work more than physical labor. Scholars, therefore, were highly respected. Farmers were also highly respected because they produced the most important and basic goods: food and cloth. Artisans were valued for their skill and hard work.

Confucius and many other early Chinese thinkers had little respect for merchants because merchants do not produce anything. As a result, merchants fell lower in the social order. The government placed restrictions on merchants. They were not allowed to wear fine clothing or own land. Their children could not become officials. Still, many merchants became wealthy and powerful. They lived comfortable lives despite the lack of respect for trade.

At the bottom of the social order were a small number of slaves. When someone committed a serious crime, family members might be punished with slavery. Other people were sold into slavery when their families fell deep into debt.

Han emperors followed the example of the Qin by creating a strong central government. In this way, they avoided the problem of disunity that the Zhou dynasty had faced. As the Zhou dynasty had expanded, local noblemen became more powerful than the Zhou king. The Han emperors tried to make sure that local leaders remained too weak to challenge their authority. When the Han emperors conquered new lands, they administered this land directly rather than giving it to a nobleman.

The Han government was organized like a pyramid. The broad base of the pyramid was made up of China’s many towns and villages. At the top of the pyramid were the emperor and his chief advisors. Many layers of government lay between. At each level, officials, that is, people assigned to a position in the government, took orders from those above them and gave orders to those below them.

The prosperity of Han China helped support many cultural achievements. Artists, writers, and musicians created works of beauty. Scientists and inventors also made important advances.

Perhaps the greatest craft of the Han period was lacquerware. Lacquer is a protective coating made from the sap of a special tree. Han artists brushed it on wood or metal objects to create a hard finish. The process required many layers of lacquer and many hours of work. When color was added, the lacquerware seemed to glow.

Han China is also known for scientific advances. Astronomers studied the sky and made precise calculations of the length of the solar year.

Han doctors made progress in medicine. They studied ancient texts on medicine and developed new theories to explain and treat illness. Herbal medicines were one important treatment. Another was acupuncture, a therapy that uses needles to cure sickness and stop pain.