The Han Dynasty
23.1Introduction
In Chapter22, you learnedaboutein Shihuangdi,China'sfirst emperor.
theQindynastylastedonly abour l4 years.In this chapter,you'll learnabout
China's
nextdynasty.the Han dynasty. It lastedover 400 years,fiom about
206s.c.E.to 220 c.E.
TheHan (pronouncedfuthn)dynastyaroseduring a time of unrest.The
Chinese
peoplewere unhappywith the harsh,Legalistgovernmentof the
Qin.Afterthe first emperor'sdeath,they rebelledagainsttheir ein rulers.
TheHandynastybeganwhen Liu Pang,a rebelwho had gainedcontrolof
theHankingdorn,conqueredthe ein anry and established
his own empire.
Overtime,Han emperorsbeganto changethe way China was rulecl.
Hanleaders
cameto believethat they could not rule peoplewith fbrce
alone.
Gradually,they incorporatedConfucianidealsof moral behavior
intothegovernment.
Underthe Han,Chinaenjoyeda
golden
age,a long periodof stability
and
wealth.Education,literature.
and
artflourished.Many important
pactices,
inventions,and discoveriesimproved
people'slives.
TheHandynastywas also known
itsmilitaryachievements.
Han
expandedthe empire
faraspresent-day
Koreaand
OnceCentralAsia was
itscontrol,the Han estabtraderelationships
with
West.
F
t\
I
I
7
Inthischaprer,
you'll explore
government,
Iture, industry, art,
and science under
Handynasty.
TheHanDynasty 223
23.2 Warlare
l'hc llan !'\ccllc(l in tarlulc'. Theil rrrrlitar,v.
tacticsand neu
23.i
\\'ciLl)ons
helpctl thcnr cxpirrrtlthcir crnpirc.At its height. the
Tht
l nrpro
c'nlpilcrerclrcLlrrcst into ccnl|al Asia. casl to ptcscnt-dat Korel.
er nllt c
lntl soLrlhto prc\cnt-(ll\ Victnirnr.
'I'he llan hld u lalgc arrducll-organizcdarn.ry.All nren tiom
tralire
bl,Enr
But th
ahoul irgcsl-5 to 60 hnd 1o scrrc t\\o \cllrs in thc arnr\. Historiiint
c'stirtlrtelhut Han alrnies hutl l-.10.(XX)
1o .l(X).(XX)
nrcn.
'l'hc irlnrr u ls helpcd br nct techrrokrgics.
Advirrrccsin iron
rr.lirkingirnprorcd lhc strdngth nd tlurrlitVol'anror. Han ironuorlcls prodLrccda kind ol lislr-scalcann()r that llcrcd and
rnorctl t ith tlrc hotlr. Thc l lan \\ r'r'L'tnlons the lilst l)copleto
rnukc irorr su olds. Thc strcnglhof irorr lllowcd thcnr to fashirrn
Iortlcr su ords. With a long su ord. lr soltlicl could s\\'ingat an
cncrrr l.l1rrnl s li'r (li\lancc.
,.\ttotltc'r'litrolitc
*eapolr ol lhc Han uas the crossbou.A
crossbos is nr.ulcol trl() picccsol uootl ilr thc shlpe ol a cross.
A slfir)r.li\ lllirchc(l to each cnd ol thc r ertical piecc.Thal s lrins
is prrllcdback in oltlcr lo \ll()()tln lrrrou lirln thc crosshou.
'I
hc Han inrcrttctlthc kitc antl useclil in clelcl uays lor militar\ l)url)o\cs.Accolding to orrc Icgcntl.ir Han gcnclal onceu\ed
rukitc to nleil\r.rrc
thc u itltlr ol a hcar ilr Suurded\\ illl. Kitessere
tusetl1o scntl nle\\rgc\ lirrrrr orre part ol iul lrrnt to lnothcr. Thet
ucrc:rlso usedto liightcn thc cncnrv.Kitcs nith hantboopipes
rrcrc lloun o\cr cncr))\ cirlrp\ irt night. I-.nenr1'soltlicls
rvould
hclrr rLghostlr noisc conrins lirrn thc tlalkncssahorc lhcm. lt
sountlctllikc '/ir, /ii ("hcuirlc. hculrc"). Tlrc frightcrrcdsoldiers
olicrt nrn att rr\.
I n-!l st)
brough
into
-sl
The
g()\ crn
hinr ru
goVcrn
this tin
A hurc
a p-\,ra
at thc t(
b( ) t t ( ) l .
dircct rl
The
thc erD
Their rc
also hac
in caser
Onc
civil scr
of l'icials
Han. thc
To bc.co
civil scr
Candida
spentsc
they \\'er
Once
in thcir I
fiorn iv
-!:
years.th,
could be
llJ
('haptcrl.l
23.3Government
tew
e
{orea.
impror
cnr crrt:in Chinc:c sor -
tro rr.)
br Empcl olQin Shihuln-rdi.
\tO rlan S
Butlhc\ s()li!'n!'dtlrc hirlrlr lul
TheHartnri.rdcsignilicirnt
ernmcnl.
T hc\ il(loplcdlhc ccngo\
truli,/cd !'nuncnt c:lirhl i:hcd
ingstvlcol thc crnpolcl lrtl
I iron
ond
c t()
shion
la n
brought
Cortlircilrt itleas hrrck
gor
inlo elnrncnl.
Thccntpcrol rrsctllttrnr
ollicials to hclp
!o\ernnrcnt
himrLrnhis r usl crnpirc.1'hc
!o\crnnlcr)t
ol Clrina tlLrrinq
lhi\limr \\ il\ ir bureaucracy.
AburclLrcrirct
i5 stnrctulodlikc
cross.
string
lprllnritl .uith ir lt'u pcople
rllhetoPi lr)(lrlill)\, irl tl]L'
bottont.
At clch lcvcl. pcoplc
r nri l i :c used
ls were
r. They
rpes
ould
dirctttlt,'..'\\ lr(|;lr( l\\'lr'\\ llrr'I|r.
.l r
Onckcr intl.rlorc'nrcnl
nlu(lcbv tltc llan cOnccrnctlthe tvirt'
cttil:crrlnls uclc lrilctl. Belirrc thc Hirn tlr rurslr'.govcrnnrcnl
,oldiers
Thclop Harrolliciuls lrred in thc cirpitirlirntl glrc irdricc to
thecnrpcror.
Loucr-lcrcl olliciuls lirctl tlrrorrghoutthc crrrpirc.
T h isb ro n z set a t u es h o w sa H a n
o f f ic iarid
l in gin a c h a r i owt i t ha n
e s co rtwalk ing b e h rn d.
Their
rcsponsihilitics
inclLrrlctl
chccking roltls irntl currirls.Thcr
diohadto rttakesurc tlllt clr()ughgllirr u lrs protlucctlantl storcd
incascol I urninc'.
oillcills
ucrc cltosc'rtbu:ctl ort thcil soeialstirtu\.['n(ldl thc
Han.
thcl rrcrc clro:cn l.ru:cdon tlrcir irbilitr irntl knos lctlgc.
Tobeconrc
ollieials. \ouns nrcn hltl to plss l )ong and tlill'icult
cnilrcrrict' L'\ltt . 'I'ltec\irnl \\ rr\ bu:cd on tltc cllssic ri ritittgr.
bureaucracy a formof qovthatis structured
like
ernment
a pyramid,
witha few people
at
thetopandmanyat thebottom
Crndidatc:
hatl to lcirln lir c l.rrxrksbr heult. l-cgcnd sars thcr
lpent
\e\eftrltlrrrs in tinr r.()()nls
tirlinq tllc !'\lnl. .,\ll thc ulrilc.
hetuercnatched br gtraldslo prc\enl thcnr ll-orl chcating.
0nccciril srr\lnl: \\crc hirctl. thcl \\ L'rcnot alloucd to sc'rrc
inthcir
honrcdistrict.This nrlc tirr intentledto l)r'cvcnlthcnl
fiomgiring
spccirrlluvors to ll'icntlsurrtllclatircs. I:rcrr threc
fear\.
thcirrrork \\ ls cr irluirletl.[]i.rscdon lhciI cr I Lrllion. thc.'
l
could
bc protnotc'tlot dcrttotc'tl.
' I' hc l l l n I)r nast r
ll5
Inthispainting,
a thatched
rool
menfromthesunasthoy
shades
workthepedals
of a chainpump,
bringing
waterto theirfields.
23.4 Agriculturo
Ancient Chinesefarmen facedmanv difficulties.
advancesin agricultureunderthe Han dynastyimproved
lives.
Han farmerswereexpectedto grow enoughfood to fccd
own families and help stock the sharcdgranaries,or grain
houses.In additionto growing crops,farmershad to make
clothing, build their homes,and give one month of unpaid
to the govemmentfor building projectssuchas canalsand
All this was hard enough,but floods and droughtoften
crops,presentingfarmerswith yet anotherchallenge.
One inventionthat helpedfarmerswas the chain pump.
chainpump madeit easierto move water from low
dirchesand canalsup to the fields. Workersusedpedalsb
a wheel,which pulled a seriesof woodenplanks.The
movedwateruphill to thefields.
The Han skill in ironwork also cameto the farmers'
Chinesewere the first to leam how to pour meltediron
molds.This processmadeit easierto makc strongiron
Han plows were designedto pushthe dirt away from thc
beingplowedso that it did not pile up in front of the
Finally, the Han inventedthe wheelbarrou The
wheelbanowhad one large wheelin the center.Goods
carriedon either sideof the wheel.It was much easierfor
to pusha heavyload in a wheelbarrowthan to carry it on
backsor in bucketssuspendedfrom a pole acrosstheir
226 Chapter23
23.5Industry
F$l
:b It, '.'l
kit
$ul;
, q^.$
ff+ *:"
ili!
ffYr"
I
il
ffi
t
Inant
t hei r
:d thcir
I st()ree their
I labor
d roads.
lstroyed
Likeaqricultutc.intlustrr henclitc rllirrl irdriurccsntadc
rrntlcr
theHandlnaslt'.Tlre HlLn
controllcd thc,luo nrost
-go\'!.rnntenl
Inporlnl industricsin China. silk lLndsirlt.Both intlustrics
rrcre
helpcd
br ncu irtrcntions.
Silkis a rlater-iulproduccrilhrnr thc libcrs ol.a silkuorrrr
cocrxrn.
FoI lhc ilncicntChinesc.nrakingsilk rits dil.l.icLrlt
irncl
llme-consulnins.
During thc Hun (i\ nl5l\. thc Chincse,clcrcktpctl
creclr'achinc thul \\olln(i l'ibcrs.nt.itl,r.gc rccl. r.citdr
'i001-Po\\
lorusc.
N{lkrlg silk producriorrntor-ccllicienl \\it\ intltortirnl
T h ep ro d u c t ioonf s ilkwa sa n
becluse
silk \\ls \cr\ rllLnhlc irr tritdc rrith pcoltlc oLrtsidcol.
Chrna.
Thc srlk tladc bcgun undcr.thcHun. \irrr.ll lcur.nlnor.t,
about
it in the nc\1 cltill)lL'r.
Sallrrls tn L'cluullvinlllorlitnl tra(lcitclt).SrLilu as \ alulhlc
to
peopie
rn ancicnl tinrc'sbcciruscthcr Lrscdil lo hClp
ntCat
ltrcSr'rYC
Jnd
resetr blcs.
At f ir.st.pcoplc
onlrknctr horr to gct siLll
lronr
these'u.DLrringtht' Han
Lirnartr.
the Ch irrcsclcarned
lr \ to nllnc srll lhrnt untlcr.
lhegrountl.
Slhu ltc'r'.ol lrrinc.crisls
decp
benctlh[:alth's sLrr.litcc.
The
Chincse
dLr-r.r
ticcp *clls
urinriron-tippedblrrrhoo
dnll:.
Whcn thcr rcachc'clsall
\alerl\olllctintc\ l.(XX)lcct
r. The
tion
o lurn
trtlo\lhc surli.tcc).
tt hollou
L tt k s
rhltalloiicd thc sall \\ iltcr lo
d. Thc
i|]ler
lhef olc. Thc Vulrc rr trs
Ihen
closctl.itnrl the polc rrirs
hought
brck to thL'srlrlitcc
It( )
Iou s.
:S e
cre
rr tarnters
l thei r
houlders.
rmp ort an t I n d US turyn d ert h e
Ha nT h isf o o t -p o we red
reeling
ma c h rnteh re a d esdilkf ibe r s
t h ro ! g ha s e rie so f g u ide a
s nd
o n t oa la rg ere e l.
hlmboo
polc uas droppcd irrto
the
lell. Thc polc hutl l r rLlrc
urhthc\ul1rrllcr insitlc.
\\orkers
placcdth!' \\'illct.in
LJSetn'n
lr)l\. lllc Ir('l\ \\ete
heated
until thc \\ llcr c\ illl()red.
leavin.s.just
thc salt. In
lixttu\.thc ChincsccoLridscl
rdteren
il ther ucrc lrrr lirrrr
lhe
seil.
' I-l tc
H an I)r nust r
tj
2
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r r l l t r '. i L l l -
t ( i ( r l . . r n L l t r '. l tl tL r ...
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lll.r
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tri.
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l i \ ' l Li r \ ' 1l l \ ' l l r \ \ ' r l r( i f , :
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\ r . L f . 'l r \ , 1 f r i L l !r
-.",,Q t.';
i:=
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L r \ , l l r , | . 1 1 \ ! l \ . 1 1 , - r.
'
.rll, t l,Lr.. r! rl, l)i r l
.1r.r\\..rlrL r..Lrr
rr.
L l \T. .
-r
. l r l r l . L l l t t ( r , r \ ,,1 1' '.
I ll. ll
.-F;
t.
\r ..\
r l l i ' r.
l i ti 1r1rl 1r
.1I' L l rrL,L! t : ,
\\ l rLrr l l r. l ,Lrl l i,l rr. L l ,
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23.7Medicine
ln
t.
Thcy
ally.
rniquesas
m with a
;trokes,
uickly
ect li)r
rn ol'
'otc on
' bc rolled
s vcry
,o wrote
Lrtetheir
r bantbotr
s. rncy
together
was
t it was
.o use.
rapet ln
y ('.l'. not
)hcrsbut
y pcople
r was
r or silk,
rd to wnte
) easlerto
roks.
rials were
including
rnboo.
Materials
)upy pulp.
ipped into
t oul agaln.
I on the
,s paper.
Thcplactice'ol' mcdicinc
under
thcHan inrolvcdidcas
and
treatnrcnts
that arc still
used
in traditional
Chinese
healing
todal'.The ancrent
Chinese
believcdthat illnesses
happened
u hen the lirrccsol'
yinandyangin the body wcre
outofbalance.
Healcr-s
tricdto
restore
thenaturrl baliu)ceof'
lhese
oppositelir|ces.
Onetcchniquc
lirr this
purpose
i\ acupuncturc.
In
acupuncturc.
thin needlcsale
inserted
into specificparts0l'
the
bod1.
This is thoughtto
rebalance
the lirrcesol yin and
Acupunctufe
is thought
Iang.
tobeusellllirr curinsillncsscs
that
strikcquickly.likc
headaches.
A second
hcalingtcchnique
ismoxibustitx.
In ntoxibustion.
asmall
concof powdered
leates
or stickscalleda riatrr
isplaced
on thc skin and seton
firc.
Thehcatis belicrcd to
rcduce
painand pronrotehealing.
Thistechniqucis usedto
featlong-tcrm
diseascs.
such
aranhritis.
TheancientChinescalso rnadcdiscovcriesabouthou' the
luman
bodywolks. For exarnple.they lerrncdto jutlge health
bylistening
to r person's
hcartbcat
or tcclinghis or her pulsc.
llepulse
is thc littlc throbin your bloodvesscls
causcdbv the
mntractim
of your herrt as it puntpsblood th|oughthe b0dy.
IheChinese
alsodiscovcrcdlha( blood circulatcsthrnt thc
hanthnrugh
thc body tnd back to thc hcart.Westernscience
Mnotmakethisdiscoverl,
until the l6(X)sc.l'.
Finally.
Handoctorsdiscuvcred
r typeo1'winethatcoultlbe
ud asananesthetic.
Thesedoctors
areperlorming
the
he alin gt e c h n iq uoef m o x r b u s t i o n .
Thrstechnrque
is stillusedtoday,
oftenin combination
with
a c u p u n c t u re .
anesthetic something
that
takesawaythefeeling
of pain
Thc Hrn Dyntstl' 229
23.8 Science
The Chineseunder the Han made a number of scientific
advances.Chineseastronomersclosely observedthe heavens.
They recordedthe appearanceof comets,which they called
"broom stars."They discoveredthat the moon shinesbecause
reflectsthe light of the sun. They also learnedthat solar
happenwhen the moon blocksour view of the sun.
The Chineseof this period also invented two useful instru36ismograph aninstrument ments,the seismograph
and the magneticcompass.A
graph is an instrumentfor detectingearthquakes.
fordetecting
earthquakes
The first
compass aninstrument
for
Chineseseismographwas a circular machinemade of bronz.
determining
direction
The machinehad a oendulumin the centerand was
lodestone a typeof ironore by eight sculptedanimalheads.During an earthquake,
the
lum vibrated.The vibration triggeredthe releaseof one of
balls.The ball would then fall in the directionof the
Using this ingeniousmachine,the Han were ableto detect
quakesup to severalhundredmiles away.
A magneticcompass is an instrumentfor determining
tion,suchas which way is northor south.The Chinese
thatit was important to place temples,graves,and homesin
correctpositionfor luck. By the 200sc.E.,they understood
a lodestone tendsto alien itself in a north-southdirection
becauseof Earth'smagnetism.With this knowledge,they
lodestonesto make compasses.The lodestonewas carved
the shapeof a spoonwith a handle that would always point
"south-pointing
TheChinese
istheoldest
known
spoon"
compass.
ilE
#J-tJat-xJ
230 Chapter23
--<- =-.
23.9Ghapter Summary
cntific
heavens.
called
; becauseit
rlarcclipses
ul instru\ seismohc first
rf bronze.
surrounded
e. the pendurneof eight
earthquake.
detectearthniningdirec:sebelieved
omesin the
:rstoodthat
trectlon
they used
arvedinto
,s point south.
Inthischapter,you readaboutthe Handynasty.The Han
Chinafor morethan400 years.Most of this periodwas
timeof peace,wealth, and achievementfor China.
Underthe Han, the Chinesemade advancesin many areas.
weaponshelped Han emperorssucceedin war and
their empire. The govemment was organizedinto
bureaucracy
staffedby civil servantswho werechosenfor
ability.A number of inventionsimproved agricultureand
importantsilk and salt industries.The invention of paper
the art of calligraphy.Healersusedtechniquesand
that are still usedtoday.Finally, Chinesescientists
importantobservationsand inventedthe seismograph
thecompass.
the manyachievementsof the Han left a deep impact on
culture.In fact, in Chinesethe word Ilan is still used
to describethe culture of the people of China.
Inearlierchapters,
you learnedthat at onetime Chinawas
from other cultures.In the next chaptet you'll leam
tlrcsilk trade encouragedan exchangeof wealth and ideas
China and the culturesof the West.
Emperor
Wudi,thefigurernthe
government
cente
r,rmproved
by
setting
up a university
to prepare
students
forthecivilservice
exam.
AE $[H
The Han Dynasty 23 |