Shop:
Shen Yun Creations
Artist Fashion
Shen Yun Collections
Shen Yun Performing Arts
  • The Performance
    9 Characteristics of Shen Yun
    Classical Chinese Dance
  • The Company
    Our Story
    Artists
    Challenges We Face
    About Shen Yun
    Performing Arts
    Symphony Orchestra
    Press Releases
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Blog
  • 5,000 Years
    Chinese Dance
    Music
    Vocal Music
    Shen Yun Costumes
    Digital Projection
    Shen Yun Props
    Stories and History
    Shen Yun and Traditional Chinese Culture
  • FAQ
  • Newsletter Support Employment Search
    English
  • 中文正體
  • 中文简体
  • 日本語
  • 한국어
  • Česky
  • Deutsch
  • Español
  • Français
  • Indonesia
  • Italiano
  • Nederlands
  • Polski
  • Português
  • Pусский
  • Svenska
  • Việt
  • עברית
  • Buy Tickets What's New
    Menu
    Shen Yun Logo
    Tickets
    What’s New
    Menu
    • The Performance
      • 9 Characteristics of Shen Yun
      • Classical Chinese Dance
    • The Company
      • The Company
      • Our Story
      • Artists
      • Challenges We Face
      • About Shen Yun
        Performing Arts
      • Symphony Orchestra
      • Press Releases
    • Videos
    • Reviews
    • News
    • Blog
    • 5,000 Years
      • 5,000 Years
      • Chinese Dance
      • Music
      • Vocal Music
      • Shen Yun Costumes
      • Digital Projection
      • Shen Yun Props
      • Stories and History
      • Shen Yun and Traditional Chinese Culture
    • FAQ
    • Shop
      • Shen Yun Creations
      • Artist Fashion
      • Shen Yun Gift Shop
    Shen Yun 9 Characteristics Link Image

    What Makes Us Unique?

    DISCOVER THE 9 CHARACTERISTICS
    • Employment
    • Support
    • Subscribe
    • Search
    Language
    • 中文正體
    • 中文简体
    • 日本語
    • 한국어
    • Česky
    • Deutsch
    • Español
    • Français
    • Indonesia
    • Italiano
    • Nederlands
    • Polski
    • Português
    • Pусский
    • Svenska
    • Việt
    • עברית
      Explore
      Back Explore > The Han Dynasty

    The Han Dynasty

    A
    A

    The Han Dynasty (206 B.C.E.–220 C.E.) is often considered China’s first golden age. The period fostered the development of Confucian philosophy, as well as Buddhist and Taoist spiritual practices. Many Han emperors governed by following the ancient spiritual ideals of the Yellow Emperor and Lao-Tzu (Laozi) to maintain peace and prosperity. Capable scholars and generals of the imperial court energized the empire with new ideas, opportunities for education, and territorial expansion.

    The Han Legacy

    The Han Dynasty began in 206 B.C.E. when a peasant-born military leader named Liu Bang and his generals overthrew the incumbent Qin Dynasty. Liu Bang established his new capital in Chang’an, which became one of the largest cities in the world and served as China’s capital for several dynasties to come.

    The royal court promoted Confucianism—and its ideals of respect, filial piety, humanity, and justice—as the basis for evaluating proper conduct. Confucian scholars established the Imperial University, an institute dedicated to bringing together China’s brightest minds and training a new generation of intelligent and virtuous officials.

    During this period, China’s territory nearly doubled. The Han Dynasty defeated hostile tribes in the north and signed treaties with clans to the west. This made traveling safer, which spurred the future emergence of the Silk Road that connected China with the distant Roman Empire, fostering economic and cultural exchange.

    The legacy of the Han Dynasty continues to be felt today. The majority ethnic group in China is called “Han Chinese.” Traditional dress is called “Han clothing.” The writing system is called “Han characters.” And the Chinese language calls itself the “Han language” (漢語 or hàn yǔ). Even a hero is called hǎo hàn (好漢), which means “a good Han.”

    Outstanding Hans

    The Han Dynasty fostered some of China’s most legendary generals. Among them are the brilliant and tolerant Han Xin (the Chinese character for “Han” in his name is different from the Han Dynasty “Han,” but is nonetheless a good way to remember which dynasty he was from), as well as the “Flying General” Li Guang who could shoot an arrow deep into stone.

    Other prominent figures from this era include China’s most famous historiographer and author of Records of the Grand Historian Sima Qian, essayist and poet Sima Xiangru, diplomats Zhang Qian and Su Wu, economist Sang Hongyang, and, not to be forgotten, the remarkable court jester Dongfang Shuo.

    The Later Han Era

    In the year 9 C.E., the Han Dynasty was suddenly interrupted when the empress’s nephew (Wang Mang) usurped the throne. His reign lasted 14 years until one of the founding emperor’s descendants (Liu Xiu) removed him from power and restored the dynasty. The revived empire became known as the Eastern Han (25–220 C.E.) to differentiate it from the previous Western Han.

    Like all dynasties, the Han had its rise, peak, and decline. Ultimately, court intrigue and major uprisings led to its downfall. In 189 C.E., the warlord Dong Zhuo led troops into the capital and roused a period of fighting. Later, Cao Cao unified the regions north of the Yangtze River, Sun Quan established his own regime in the south, and Liu Bei occupied the regions in the west. China thus entered a new period—a tripartite balance of forces well chronicled in the epic Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

    July 15, 2011

    RELATED CONTENT
    • Han Clothing V2
      Han Chinese Clothing
    • Han Xin V2
      The Great General Han Xin
    • Leading History Qin
      The Qin Dynasty
    • Leading History Ns
      The Northern and Southern Dynasties
    • Leading History Tang
      The Tang Dynasty
    • Leading History Song
      The Song Dynasty
    • Leading Img Yuan
      The Yuan Dynasty
    • Leading History Ming
      The Ming Dynasty
    • Leading History Qing
      The Qing Dynasty

    Previous

    The Northern and Southern Dynasties

    Next

    The Qin Dynasty

    Tags

    • Dynasties
    • Ancient History
    • Buddhism
    • Chinese Language & Writing
    RELATED CONTENT
    • Han Chinese Clothing
      Han Clothing V2
    • The Great General Han Xin
      Han Xin V2
    • The Qin Dynasty
      Leading History Qin
    • The Northern and Southern Dynasties
      Leading History Ns
    • The Tang Dynasty
      Leading History Tang
    • The Song Dynasty
      Leading History Song
    • The Yuan Dynasty
      Leading Img Yuan
    • The Ming Dynasty
      Leading History Ming
    • The Qing Dynasty
      Leading History Qing
      Shen Yun logo golden
      Shen Yun logo golden

      Shen Yun Performing Arts is the world's premier classical Chinese dance and music company, established in New York in 2006. It performs classical Chinese dance, ethnic and folk dance, and story-based dance, with orchestral accompaniment and solo performers. For 5,000 years, divine culture flourished in the land of China. Through breathtaking music and dance, Shen Yun is reviving this glorious culture. Shen Yun, or 神韻, can be translated as: “The beauty of divine beings dancing.”

      About
    • Shen Yun Performing Arts
    • Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra
    • Challenges We Face
    • Shen Yun & Spirituality
    • Meet the Artists
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Press Releases
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Videos
    • Latest & Featured
    • About Shen Yun
    • Meet the Artists
    • Reviews
    • News & Blog
    • News & Reviews
    • Featured
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Explore
    • Chinese Dance
    • Music
    • Vocal Music
    • Shen Yun Costumes
    • Digital Projection
    • Shen Yun Props
    • Stories and History
    • Shen Yun and Traditional Chinese Culture
    • Shen Yun Creations
      Artist Fashion
      Shen Yun Collections
      Friends of Shen Yun
      Tian Yin Music Store
      Guestbook
    • Support
    • Subscribe
    Shen Yun Performing Arts Official Website Artist Fashion Shen Yun Collections Friends of Shen Yun Copyright ©2022 Shen Yun Performing Arts. All Rights Reserved.
    Contact us Terms Privacy Site map