Imperial China
Qin Dynasty
Please refer to Qin Empire
Han Dynasty
The Han empire began in 206BC when Liu Bang, prince of the Han, defeated the Qin army in the valley of the Wei. The defeat was part of a larger rebellion that began after the First Emperor's death. The people were dissatisfied with the tyranny of the Qin leaders and their legalist form of government. However, while Chinese history portrays the Han as having implemented many changes to the government, evidence shows that the Han continued to rule in the tradition of the Qin, only gradually incorporating Confucian ideals into their legalist form of government. Economic expansion, changing relationships with the people of the steppes, strengthening the palace at the expense of the civil service, weakening the state''s hold on the peasantry and the rise of the rich and the gentry were all factors that led to the adoption of Confucian ideals.
Please refer to Qin Empire
Han Dynasty
The Han empire began in 206BC when Liu Bang, prince of the Han, defeated the Qin army in the valley of the Wei. The defeat was part of a larger rebellion that began after the First Emperor's death. The people were dissatisfied with the tyranny of the Qin leaders and their legalist form of government. However, while Chinese history portrays the Han as having implemented many changes to the government, evidence shows that the Han continued to rule in the tradition of the Qin, only gradually incorporating Confucian ideals into their legalist form of government. Economic expansion, changing relationships with the people of the steppes, strengthening the palace at the expense of the civil service, weakening the state''s hold on the peasantry and the rise of the rich and the gentry were all factors that led to the adoption of Confucian ideals.
