Early+Han+Dynasty

= __Early Han Dynasty (206 BCE-9 AD)__ =

**Important People:**
 **Rise To Power**  Facts
 * Liu Pang or Kao Tsu**
 * seized control from the Ch'in Dynasty with another man called Hsiang Yü, and other leaders
 * he was the first person to get into the Ch'in central city and take it over
 * they separated the land into what is called the eighteen kingdoms
 * he battled Hsiang Yü due to his self imposed title of ruler, when Lui Pang should have been, but was denied
 * from 204 -203 BCE they battled eachother with Lui Pang's forces always losing until
 * In 203 BCE: Hsiang Yü wanted to put a truce with Lui Pang giving him half of China
 * but he had so many supporters, Liu Pang’s army took control of the entire land
 * 202 BCE he declared himself Emperor


 * reduced taxes
 * Established Confucianism rather than Legalism
 * written examinations were enforced to assign jobs
 * based jobs on merit rather than previous dynasty's idea of status
 * devoted to the five elements theory:
 * he is known for his military tactics and strategic ideas

Emperor Wu Ti (140-80 BCE)

 * 'Martial Emperor'
 * He was the sixth emperor of the Han Dynasty
 * he was only sixteen when he came to the throne
 * he stretched his empire from Korea to Central Asia
 * his two main goals: defense and trade meaning he wanted to protect what he had extended his empire to, and boost the economy
 * due to wars of expansion : salt, iron, and liquor were made state monopolies
 * money was scarce due to the wars as well

**Life in Han**

 * Literature and philosophy flourished
 * The government system combined aspects of Legalism and Confucianism
 * The first couple of rulers of the Han dynasty tried for a laissez-faire type of economy
 * The first few rulers abolished oppressive laws from the Qin and lowered taxes for the peasents

www.asiancenter.net/chinahistory/CHC1/han1.html http://www.silk-road.com/artl/wuti.shtml http://library.thinkquest.org/12255/library/dynasty/earlyHan.html http://www.asian-center.net/images/CH1/dynasty-Han.jpg http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/china/early_imperial_china/han.html http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Han/han-econ.html