Han dynasty

The Han dynasty was an <a href="/facts/Dynasties_of_China/a19LJP2u">imperial dynasty of China</a> (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by <a href="/facts/Liu_Bang/nNvXYAt3">Liu Bang</a> and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived <a href="/facts/Qin_dynasty/TeBU8Nh3">Qin dynasty</a> (221–206 BC) and a warring <a href="/facts/Interregnum/Hzvwhu8Q">interregnum</a> known as the <a href="/facts/Chu%E2%80%93Han_Contention/UoELS0FG">Chu–Han Contention</a> (206–202 BC), and it was succeeded by the <a href="/facts/Three_Kingdoms/VPwdBTMA">Three Kingdoms</a> period (220–280 AD). The dynasty was briefly interrupted by the <a href="/facts/Xin_dynasty/scf67UIn">Xin dynasty</a> (9–23 AD) established by the usurping regent <a href="/facts/Wang_Mang/q9Lkne8Q">Wang Mang</a>, and is thus separated into two periods—the Western Han (202 BC – 9 AD) and the Eastern Han (25–220 AD). Spanning over four centuries, the Han dynasty is considered a <a href="/facts/Golden_ages_of_China/CIXA6FU0">golden age in Chinese history</a>, and had a permanent impact on Chinese identity in later periods. The majority ethnic group of modern China refer to themselves as the "<a href="/facts/Han_people/CURfe6rs">Han people</a>" or "Han Chinese". The <a href="/facts/Spoken_Chinese/MNGv4yrP">spoken Chinese</a> and <a href="/facts/Written_Chinese/F3QbQvtk">written Chinese</a> are referred to respectively as the "Han language" and "<a href="/facts/Han_characters/5pn1PFvj">Han characters</a>".
<a href="/facts/List_of_emperors_of_the_Han_dynasty/CUSRr0bN">The Han emperor</a> was at the pinnacle of <a href="/facts/Society_and_culture_of_the_Han_dynasty/pFkfJGcF">Han society and culture</a>. He presided over the <a href="/facts/Government_of_the_Han_dynasty/C2YPwSF2">Han government</a> but shared power with both <a href="/facts/Chinese_nobility/l1vV7H4w">the nobility</a> and the appointed ministers who came largely from the scholarly <a href="/facts/Gentry_(China)/bmgv0kWS">gentry class</a>. The Han Empire was divided into areas directly controlled by the central government called <a href="/facts/Commandery_(China)/MNVSrpgD">commanderies</a>, as well as a number of <a href="/facts/Kings_of_the_Han_dynasty/krsuEfmg">semi-autonomous kingdoms</a>. These kingdoms gradually lost all vestiges of their independence, particularly following the <a href="/facts/Rebellion_of_the_Seven_States/x9zhK0nC">Rebellion of the Seven States</a>. From the reign of <a href="/facts/Emperor_Wu_of_Han/Dd9zwMuk">Emperor Wu</a> (r. 141–87 BC) onward, the Chinese court officially sponsored <a href="/facts/Confucianism/Nlbwgmxw">Confucianism</a> in education and court politics, synthesized with the <a href="/facts/Cosmology/yM19zM7Y">cosmology</a> of later scholars such as <a href="/facts/Dong_Zhongshu/KxKPALme">Dong Zhongshu</a>.
The Han dynasty oversaw <a href="/facts/Economy_of_the_Han_dynasty/L1a8Dwjf">periods of economic prosperity</a> as well as significant growth in the <a href="/facts/History_of_Chinese_currency/k1uE4AIl">money economy</a> that had first been established during the <a href="/facts/Zhou_dynasty/70beuGpa">Zhou dynasty</a> (c. 1050 – 256 BC). <a href="/facts/Ancient_Chinese_coinage/v4RfhJXt">The coinage</a> minted by the central government in 119 BC remained the standard in China until the <a href="/facts/Tang_dynasty/FFhmVfwM">Tang dynasty</a> (618–907 AD). The period saw a number of limited institutional innovations. To finance its military campaigns and the settlement of newly conquered frontier territories, the Han government nationalised private salt and iron industries in 117 BC, creating government monopolies that were later repealed during the Eastern period. There were significant advances in <a href="/facts/Science_and_technology_of_the_Han_dynasty/PyqmqxRd">science and technology</a> during the Han period, including the emergence of <a href="/facts/Papermaking/XPErFtEk">papermaking</a>, <a href="/facts/Rudder/w675HJUP">rudders</a> for steering ships, <a href="/facts/Negative_number/LzErzCmI">negative numbers</a> in <a href="/facts/Chinese_mathematics/naFkyWeW">mathematics</a>, <a href="/facts/Raised-relief_map/udYS3zuA">raised-relief maps</a>, <a href="/facts/Hydraulic/KSIqLovc">hydraulic</a>-powered <a href="/facts/Armillary_sphere/0H2dIBdu">armillary spheres</a> for <a href="/facts/Chinese_astronomy/o84DLtYR">astronomy</a>, and <a href="/facts/Seismometer/CCc9vwqf">seismometers</a> that discerned the cardinal direction of distant earthquakes by use of <a href="/facts/Inverted_pendulum/4knRtpQX">inverted pendulums</a>.
The Han dynasty had many conflicts with the <a href="/facts/Xiongnu/wdxyuWQl">Xiongnu</a>, a nomadic confederation centred in the eastern <a href="/facts/Eurasian_steppe/mJlxBbxJ">Eurasian steppe</a>. The Xiongnu <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Baideng/1C3Wlu5U">defeated the Han in 200 BC</a>, prompting the Han to appease the Xiongnu with a policy of marriage alliance and payments of tribute, though the Xiongnu continued to raid the Han's northern borders. Han policy changed in 133 BC, under <a href="/facts/Emperor_Wu_of_Han/Dd9zwMuk">Emperor Wu</a>, when Han forces began a <a href="/facts/Han%E2%80%93Xiongnu_War/KAB0WN51">series of military campaigns</a> to quell the Xiongnu. The Xiongnu were eventually defeated and forced to accept a status as <a href="/facts/List_of_tributaries_of_China/YPp94Mj5">Han vassals</a>, and the Xiongnu confederation fragmented. The Han conquered the <a href="/facts/Hexi_Corridor/IWSbw8Nt">Hexi Corridor</a> and <a href="/facts/Han_dynasty_in_Inner_Asia/zfq20KEY">Inner Asian territory</a> of the <a href="/facts/Tarim_Basin/GPB9puNb">Tarim Basin</a> from the Xiongnu, helping to establish the <a href="/facts/Silk_Road/TLBryY39">Silk Road</a>. The lands north of the Han's borders were later overrun by the nomadic <a href="/facts/Xianbei/WP2zWN72">Xianbei</a> confederation. Emperor Wu also launched successful <a href="/facts/Southward_expansion_of_the_Han_dynasty/wjmH3tR0">conquests in the south</a>, annexing <a href="/facts/Han%E2%80%93Nanyue_War/XFDAFjIy">Nanyue in 111 BC</a> and <a href="/facts/Han_campaigns_against_Dian/0IBD47Bs">Dian in 109 BC</a>. He further expanded Han territory into the northern <a href="/facts/Korean_Peninsula/cj2kDBzc">Korean Peninsula</a>, where Han forces <a href="/facts/Han_conquest_of_Gojoseon/5alYJS9z">conquered Gojoseon</a> and established the <a href="/facts/Xuantu/r2Vbew8y">Xuantu</a> and <a href="/facts/Lelang/49cBDmqP">Lelang</a> commanderies in 108 BC. 
After 92 AD, palace <a href="/facts/Eunuchs/qGwjh0wH">eunuchs</a> increasingly involved themselves in the dynasty's court politics, engaging in violent power struggles between various <a href="/facts/Consort_clan/PAFHTDPy">consort clans</a> of the empresses and <a href="/facts/Empresses_dowager/WuljcFJD">empresses dowager</a>. Imperial authority was also seriously challenged by large <a href="/facts/Taoist/Bk79rd9J">Taoist</a> religious societies which instigated the <a href="/facts/Yellow_Turban_Rebellion/7ktmoTT1">Yellow Turban Rebellion</a> and the <a href="/facts/Five_Pecks_of_Rice_Rebellion/qz7yeYFM">Five Pecks of Rice Rebellion</a>. Following the death of <a href="/facts/Emperor_Ling_of_Han/fLE01HK9">Emperor Ling</a> (r. 168–189 AD), the palace eunuchs <a href="/facts/History_of_the_Han_dynasty/UUTsr18Y">were massacred</a> by military officers, allowing members of the aristocracy and military governors to become warlords and <a href="/facts/End_of_the_Han_dynasty/ywyeT1VX">divide the empire</a>. The Han dynasty came to an end in 220 AD when <a href="/facts/Cao_Pi/F42V8FMF">Cao Pi</a>, king of <a href="/facts/Cao_Wei/MDpLYXyC">Wei</a>, usurped the throne from <a href="/facts/Emperor_Xian/Sj2mew66">Emperor Xian</a>.

Han dynasty open-in-new

Han dynasty