Introduction
I. Political-Historical Overview (200 BCE - 550 CE)
Qin empire 220 BCE - 206 BCE
Building up the Han empire
The fall of the Han dynasty and division into the "Three Kingdoms"
The Jin dynasty - short-lived unity and re-division
The invasion of nomadic peoples and North-South division
East Asia in the 4th Century CE - the "Chinese" and the Xiongnu
II. Imperial Governance, Society and Culture
Governance: Centralization
Bureaucracy
Society and social policy: Stability and prosperity
Social hierarchies
Culture: The formation of the "Grand ("Confucian") Orthodoxy"
III. Political and Cultural Encounters
Han China and the nomads: Modes of interaction
Military contest and diplomacy
The tributary system
Colonization
Trade
Slavery
To the North and East: "Chinese" influences on "Korea" and "Japan"
Post-Han developments: Influx of northwestern nomads
Rise of new peoples in Northwest
Cultural influences: A two way street
a. The emergence of new land based on social elite.
Chinese dynasties/periods from 3rd century BCE to 6th century BCE
Qin (221 - 206 BCE)
Han (206 BCE - 220 CE)
Three Kingdoms (220 - 265 CE)
(Shu 221 - 264 CE)
(Wei 220 - 265 CE )
(Wu 222 - 280 CE )
Jin (Western Jin 265 - 317 CE)
(Eastern Jin 317 - 420 CE)
Northern and Southern Dynasties
South:
(Song 420 - 479 CE )
(Qi 479 - 502 CE )
(Liang 502 - 557 CE )
(Chen 557 - 589 CE)
North:
(N. Wei 386 - 535 CE )
(E. Wei 534 - 550 CE )
(W. Wei 535 - 556 CE )
(N. Qi 550 - 557 CE )
(N. Zhou 557 - 581 CE )
Emperor Gaozu ( High Ancestor) of Han: (name: Liu Bang), founding ruler of the Han dynasty. Began as a commoner, and a very minor local officer in the late Qin period. Defeated Prince Xiang Yu of the "state" of Chu (who called himself "Hegemon-Lord of Western Chu) in contest for power at the collapse of the Qin dynasty and founded Han dynasty.
Emperor Wudi (Martial Emperor) of Han: (name: Liu Che), ruler of Han 141-187 BCE. Weakened and finally abolished aristocracy, replacing it with full-fledged centralized bureaucratic government. Instituted government monopolies over salt and iron mining, production and trade, promoted many major public works strengthening agrarian economy and commerce. Inaugurated multiple military campaigns against the nomadic peoples to the northwest of China and developed the Silk Road. Wudi's reign is often considered the peak period of Han dynastic power.
Xiongnu: A Turkic-language speaking nomadic people inhabiting the "Mongolia desert and grasslands: a vast military-tribal empire that competed with the Han for control of the route to Central Asia. Subsequently split into two: The Southern Xiongnu was subsequently assimilated by the Han civilization and eventually led the "Five Barbarian Tribes" (wuhu) in invasion of northern China in 4th century CE; the Northern Xiongnu was defeated by the Han forces in the 2nd century CE, and subsequently migrated westward. The northern Xiongnu are putatively the "ancestors" or predecessors of the Huns which marched across Central Asia and the "Middle East" and which subsequently invaded Europe.
Maodun (pronounced Modu): 174 BCE "sanyu" (king-chieftain) of the Xiongnu Confederation at its peak of power in the early Han period.
"Wu Hu" ("Five Barbarians"): The five major nomadic tribes which invaded and conquered northern China (North of Yangzi River) and ruling the region as the "Northern Dynasties," from the 4th to 6th century CE, namely: Xiongnu, Xianbei, Jie, Di, Jiang.
Zhou (prefecture), jun (shire), xian (county): In descending order, three levels of local government in the Han system.
Eunuchs: Men servants of the inner royal court (i.e., royal household and chambers) of the Chinese emperors starting in the Han dynastic period. These were men who were castrated so that they would "safely" qualify for their jobs (which often entailed close contact with the royal concubines or the women of the court.) They often held no official position in the Han government, but because of their proximity to the royal household and the person of the emperor, had much influence and power. Ambitious eunuchs and their usurpation of power has been considered a recurring theme (though a minor motif) in several dynastic periods of Chinese history, but especially in the late-Han period and the Ming period.
Shi (gentry), nong (peasants), gong (artisans and industrial workers), shang (merchants): The four "classes" of people making up the general shape of Chinese society since Han times, with the shi being both the government officials and landed gentry - thus, the "top" of these groups; nong, gong and shang were the commoners.
"Syncretic Confucianism": Ideological system that was formed in the mid-Handynastic period and thereafter shaped and determined the mainstream, or "orthodoxy" of Chinese thought and values. Based primarily on the moral teachings of the Confucian (Kong Qiu) school, but incorporated and borrowed heavily from other classical Chinese philosophers as well (hence "syncretic").
Dong Zhongshu (197 - 104 CE): Han-dynasty philosopher, architect of "Syncretic Confucianism"; a major intellectual counselor to Emperor Wudi. Scholar of the "Spring and Autumn (Chunqiu)" classic, transformed the "moral" study of early Chinese history (Zhou period) into a broad theory of cosmic transformation; promoted the theory of "Divine Right of Kings".
Yin -Yang: Warring States-period Chinese school of philosophy promoting concept of a binary and dualistic universe made up of the interaction of two opposing and yet mutually complementing forces, yin and yang. Yin is conceived to be female, yielding and receptive, dark; Yang - male, strong and aggressive, light. Yet each contains within itself a portion of the characteristic of the other.
Wu xing (Five Elements and Principles): A cosmological concept promoted by a Chinese school of thought of the classical era which maintained that all things in the universe, material and metaphysical, embodied the character of five elements (of nature) namely: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, each having distinct properties, and yet each being able to overcome another; thus the idea holds that all things evolve in cycles with change and transformation being explained as the dominance of one "element" for a time and its inevitable subjugation by another.
Tributary System: A political system of "international" relations began in the Han period in which the superiority of the "Chinese"-Han empire was recognized by other ethnic groups, kingdoms and nations on the "periphery" of the Chinese state (whether they had been conquered by the Chinese empire or not), who would therefore send "tribute" (of goods) to the Chinese court periodically to secure the favor (and sometimes "protection") of the Chinese state. World historians such as Andre Gunder Franke consider this to be the epitome of a pre-modern Eurasian "world system" dominated by the power of China.
Buddhism (in Chinese, Fojiao): Religion originating from northern India and the southern Himalayan region in 7th century BCE. Founded by Gautama (a.k.a. Siddhartha), known to adherents as the Buddha (Enlightened One). After reaching peak in northern India in the 3rd century BCE, Buddhism became less dominant in India but began to spread to Central Asia and to Southeast Asia. It was introduced to China (via Central Asia and the "Silk Road") in the late 2nd century CE. Subsequently became a major religion in China and Japan (as well as in Southeast Asian nations.) Fundamental doctrines of Buddhism are articulated as the Four Noble Truths, and the teaching of the Eightfold Paths to Enlightenment. There are two major "traditions" in Buddhism: Mahayana (the Greater Vehicle,) which emphasized salvation and enlightenment of the many, and Hinayana (the Smaller Vehicle) also known as Theravada, which emphasized ascetic and monastic discipline (which were attainable by few) as the only way to enlightenment. Subsequently many separate sects of Buddhism developed in India, China, Japan, Tibet and Southeast Asia. Most prominent were: The Lotus Sect, the Kong (Non-Real-Existence) Sect, the Three Treatises Sect, the Pureland Sect (Chinese: Jingtu; Japanese: Jodo), the Heavenly Terrace Sect (Chinese: Tiantai, Japanese: Tendai), and the Dhyana Sect (Chinese: Chan, Japanese: Zen), among others.