CHAPTER THREE -
THE HAN DYNASTY IN
Further to
the East,
THE HAN
DYNASTY
In Unit 5, we discussed the
fact that Chinese civilization was politically consolidated between 221 - 206
BCE under First Emperor and the repressive but effective Qin dynasty.
However, the harsh policies of Legalism were simply unacceptable to the Chinese
people and resulted in the overthrow of the Qin Dynasty. In the midst of
rebellion and upheaval, a new leadership replaced the Qin family and claimed
the new Mandate of Heaven - this was the Han Dynasty. This
dynasty was established by Liu Bang, one of the few peasants in Chinese history
to achieve political prominence.
Han Dynasty leaders
benefited from the bureaucratic structures created by the Qin state, for
example the military draft and tax system. However, one of the most
important actions taken by the Han leadership was to reject Legalism as
the basis for rule. Although not accomplished immediately, Han leaders shifted
the focus from Legalist punishment and repression and instead utilized the
ideas and emphases of Confucianism as the basis for legitimacy and rule.
Over time Confucianism became the official ruling philosophy and justification
for Han rule and policies. Confucianism in fact became the foundation for
all dynasties that followed. This advantageous combination of a
strong state bureaucratic structure, and an acceptable ruling ideology,
produced one of the longest dynasties in Chinese history;
the Han Dynasty lasted from 206 BCE - 220 CE.
CONFUCIANISM
Confucianism
as a philosophical tradition was based primarily on the ideas of Confucius,
preserved in oral and written form after the death of Kung Fu Tzu in the 5th
century BCE. Over the centuries, other thinkers and writers contributed
additions, revisions or refinements to the ideas of Confucius - producing the
philosophical tradition of Confucianism. During the Qin
Dynasty, many Confucian texts were burnt and some scholars executed. But after
the collapse of this repressive regime and the establishment of the Han
Dynasty, Confucian knowledge and philosophy was revived as Confucianist texts were recovered and studied with renewed
interest. In some remarkable cases, Confucian classics survived only
because they were memorized by dedicated students of Confucian thought!
Thus, Confucianism as a philosophical tradition reemerged and took root during
the Han dynasty, and ultimately became a fundamental and defining influence in
Chinese life and culture. Confucianist ideas of
traditional family/social duties and obligations became deeply embedded and
practiced in social interactions during this formative dynasty.
It was also during the Han
Dynasty that a traditional educational emphasis based on Confucian ideals
became institutionalized. Reflecting the Confucian emphasis on the
past, the study of history as a discipline emerged during this dynastic
period. History remained an important field in Chinese scholarship for
the next several centuries. The power and prominence of historical study is
logical in a culture and educational system dedicated to preserving the wisdom
and patterns of the past. Some of the prominent Han historians included Ssuma Ch'ien and, notably, Ban
Zhao, a women who managed to overcome gender
barriers to became an established and renowned historian. Not just
historical and Confucianist studies flowered during
the Han, the increased focus on literacy and scholarship also resulted in
impressive achievements in Chinese science and mathematics. The Han
Dynasty was a time of astounding intellectual and cultural achievements.
Education as a core emphasis in a Confucian-based society is evident with the
establishment of the first university in 124 BCE!
Political rule and
structures during the Han period also became closely connected to
Confucianism. Specifically, the first civil service exam based on
Confucian classics and other historical texts took place during the Han
dynasty. All-important bureaucratic officials, part of the ruler-to-ruled
cardinal relationship, had the responsibility for helping to run the empire,
and maintain the Mandate of Heaven for the dynasty. These elite were
selected based on their mastery of a Confucianist
based education - selected by a civil service exam that tested that specific
knowledge. The Confucian exam solidified a connection between
Confucianism and the dominant political culture of the ruling elite - and this
connection was maintained for close to two thousand years!! The
institutionalization of a conservative, Confucianist
political culture was thus a foundation laid down during the Han.
Thus, it was during the Han
Dynasty that
EXPANSION
Another important
achievement which took place during the Han Dynasty was the expansion of the
Chinese state - an impressive empire was built that lasted for several
centuries. This expansion was made possible by the centralized tax system
and military forces put in place by First Emperor. Using these state powers,
Han leaders carried on a series of campaigns that expanded Chinese control as
far south as Vietnam, as far East as Korea, and pushing deep into Central
Asia.
Expansion into the West had
important repercussions for world history. In an effort to push back the
constant threat of Hun nomads, the Han dynasty under the leadership of emperor
Wu Ti pushed Chinese control far past the end
of the Great Wall, extending the presence of the growing Chinese state into
Central Asia and along the routes of the
The world became smaller
and increasingly tied together as
The period of the Han
Dynasty was a time of relative prosperity and stability. However, as so often
occurred in the dynastic cycle of Chinese history, problems did emerge due to
governmental corruption and infighting. In addition, empire building and
expansion was expensive and the burden of paying, and dying, for the
creation the Han empire fell heavily on the peasants. Not surprisingly,
peasants became increasingly restive and even rebellious in later years.
An increase in peasant rebellions, bitter political infighting and declining
governmental effectiveness, as well as the occurrence of natural disasters,
ultimately signaled the end of the Mandate of the Heaven for the Han
Dynasty. It collapsed by 220 CE.
The collapse of the Han
created a very dangerous situation for
Interesting Related Web Sites
Buddhism
- Links
Chinese
Poetry
Buddhist Studies Virtual
Library
Internet East
Asia History Sourcebook
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