Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

Later Han and Its Aftermath

Good Essays
795 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Later Han and Its Aftermath
Later Han and Its Aftermath

Later Han’s capital is Luoyang. China returned to a strong central government and a laissez-faire (businesses operate without government interference). China expanded into inner Asia with more lenient government policies toward merchants which facilitated the camel caravans that carried Chinese silk across the Tarim basin and ultimately, to merchants in Iran, Palestine, and Rome. After 88 CE the emperors of the later Han were ineffectual and short lived.

China was disunited for more than 3 ½ centuries after the fall of the Han. The 2 characteristics of the post-Han centuries were great aristocratic landowning families were beyond control of most governments described as a return to quasi-feudalism of the Zhou and that northern and southern China developed differently. The main developments in the south were 1. continuing economic growth and the emergence of Nanjing as a thriving center of commerce 2. the ongoing absorption of tribal peoples into Chinese society and culture; 3. large-scale immigrations of Chinese fleeing the north, and 4. the spread of Buddhism and its penetration to the heart of Chinese culture. In the north ”Sixteen Kingdoms” short-lived states were formed. Their differences were language and ancestry. Their similarities were 1. all began as steppe nomads with a way of life different from that of agricultural China, 2. after forming states, all became at least partially Sinicized (a move from non-Han Chinese to Han Chinese), Chinese from great families, which had preserved Han traditions, served as their tutors and administrators, 3. all were involved in wars- among themselves, against southern dynasties, or against conservative steppe tribes that resisted Sinicization, 4. Buddhism was as powerful in the north as in the south. Buddhism as a universal religion, it acted as a bridge between barbarians and Chinese.

A major accomplishment of the early Han was the recovery of texts that had been lost during the Qin persecution of scholars. They were retrieved from walls of houses and reproduced from memory by scholars. The 1st dictionary was compiled in about 100 CE. which helped promote a uniform system of writing. Han philosophers also extended Zhou Confucianism by adding to it the teachings of cosmological naturalism. Inventions made in this period were the seismograph (a suspended weight swings in the direction of an earthquake, moving a lever and a dragon drops a ball into the mouth of 1 of 4 waiting ceramic frogs), paper, wheelbarrow, stern-post rudder, and the compass (known as the “south-pointing chariot”).

Chinese historians were the greatest historians of premodern world. History was seen as a lesson book for statesmen. The practice of using actual documents as firsthand accounts began with Sima Qian who wrote a history of the known world from the most ancient times down to the age of the emperor Wudi.

Neo-Daoism is a revival of Daoist-mysterious learning that flourished as a reaction against Confucianism during the Han Dynasty. Confusicanism was abandoned for Neo-Daoism. Daoist texts were handed down from the Zhou. A concern of Neo-Daoism was

immortality. This lead to discoveries in medicines, dyes, glazes, and gunpowder. Popular religious cults arose among the common people. These cults were called Neo-Daoist.

Buddhism spread rapidly as the Han sociopolitical order collapsed. Nirvana in Buddhism is the attainment of release from the wheel of karma.

Buddhism advantages over Daoism are 1. it was a doctrine of personal salvation, offering several routes to that goal, 2. it upheld highs standards of personal ethics, 3. it had systematic philosophies, and during its early centuries in China, it continued to receive inspiration from India, 4. it drew on the Indian tradition of meditative practices and psychologies, which were the most sophisticated in the world.

The Bodhisattva Emperor Wu gave himself to a monastery 3 times and had to be ransomed back by his disgusted advisors. Temples and monasteries abounded for both men and women.

Indian Buddhism began as a reform. Do not rely on speculative philosophies and metaphysics but concentrate on the simples truths: life is sufferings, the cause of suffering is desire, death does not stop the endless cycle of birth and rebirth; only the attainment of nirvana releases one from the wheel of karma.

China Buddhism used the sutras (writings) and meditative practices of early Buddhism and Buddhist devotional sects. It also took in the Mahayana philosophies that depicted a succession of Buddhas. Chinese genius were more syncretic (merging beliefs and traditions).

Socially, Buddhism demanded heirs perform the sacrifices. Therefore, heirs were very important. The 1st son was expected to marry and have children. The 2nd son could become a monk if he desired. Practice of holding Buddhist masses for dead ancestors arose. China regulated Buddhism much more extensively than Indian. Limits were placed on monasteries, nunneries, and monastic lands and state of China had to give their permission before men or women could enter a religious establishment so as not to reduce taxes paid on land.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    China’s development had started at a very early point in human history and continued to grow through millennium until the collapse of the Han Dynasty in 221. When China reunified it experienced political, social, and economical changes over a period of 700 years and 3 dynasties. Those dynasties were the Sui, Tang, and Song.…

    • 800 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Dbq China

    • 1658 Words
    • 7 Pages

    “Chinese initially welcomes Buddhism, as it gave them shelter during politically uncertain times, but as imperial security improved, government authorities increasingly saw Buddhism as a threat to their political power and moved to…

    • 1658 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    China has been the home to various religions. At different times different dynasties endorsed certain religions while repressing others. While Buddhism flourished during the Sui and Tang dynasty, it faced opposition from the government during the Song dynasty. Confucianism lost government endorsement during the Sui and Tang but gained momentum during the Song as Neo-Confucianism. Yuan dynasty promoted Islam and Tibet Buddhism but ignored Confucianism. Different rulers sponsored and protected different religions but Confucianism and some form of Buddhism have always been alive in Chinese society from 600 to 1450.…

    • 1057 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    China was unified in 221 B.C.E. for the first time in many centuries after decades of constant warfare (also called the “Warring States Period”) for the first time in centuries under the leadership of Qin (McKay, 178). The king of Qin did not feel that the title of king was grand enough and created the title “Emperor” (huangdi) and he called himself the First Emperor (Shihuangdi) in hopes of many successors (McKay, 178-179). The Qin state soon fell apart and led to the beginning of the Han Dynasty, which managed to take power and keep China unified until 220 C.E. The unification of China affected many parts of politics, culture, and social life during the Qin and Han Dynasties.…

    • 799 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Be Careful

    • 640 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Historical Background: Buddhism, founded in India in the sixth century B. C. E. was brought to China by the first century C. E., gradually winning converts following the collapse of the Han dynasty in 220 C.E. Buddhist influence continued to expand for several centuries. Between 220 C.E. and 520 C. E. China experienced a period of political instability and disunity. After 570 C. E. the imperial structure was restored.…

    • 640 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    China experienced the fall, absence, and eventually the re-establishment of imperial authority while Confucianism prevailed through all levels of society from the period of 100-600 C.E. The history of China has often been a history of periods of political unity interrupted by periods of political division. During the classical period from 100 C.E. to 600 C.E., the Chinese experienced the Han dynasty which was an initially strong and efficient dynasty, until it had a gradual decline and eventually collapsed. This led to a long period of chaos and finally reunification again. During this time of unification, division, and reunification, many cultural and political changes occurred while other cultural patterns and ideas persisted.…

    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    China went through many significant changes and continuities. Many ideas that involved society, religion, innovations and arts were many of the things that either got modified or remained the same. In Ancient China between (221 B.C.E) to (1271 C.E) China had. To begin with, during China's earliest stages, it began with the Han Dynasty, where agriculture was the main focus but as time went on, the dynasty came to a halt and a new ruler would step in. This ruler's name was Sui Wen-Ti and during the Sui Dynasty he brought China back together until it hit its downfall around 618 C.E, and the Tang Dynasty took the opportunity to rise. During this dynasty, China became more stable with a strong central government, economic revolution, agriculture…

    • 261 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Answer: On the north side was a desert called Gobi, the west were the high Himalayas and other mountainous lands. To the south and eeast lay bodies of water called the South Sea, East China Sea, and the Yellow Sea. Because of these barriers this kept most of China isolated for thousands of years. You had nomadic herders that settled in the north that built villages and tried farming, because of the fine grained yellow soil. They called this area the flood plains. Further south they settled on the Yangtze River. Here they not only farmed, but they learned to do other jobs like weaving baskets, making clothes, or fashioning pots to store grain. The geography did little to promote interaction among villages. Huang He was too wild for boat traffic, the landscape made foot travel difficult. They went war with one another over land and resources. Chinese put their home and family at the center of life. The guiding rule was to respect the parents and elders. They developed a calendar to live by, they also learned how to make silk from a silk worm. They are marked by the rule of dynasties-single family that rules for many years.…

    • 516 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    There were four great dynasties in Ancient China; the Han, Shang, Qin, and Zhou. Some of the Shang accomplishments were set up an empire, and started the “Mandate of Heaven.”The Zhou Dynasty set up a Feudal System and started the Great Wall. The Qin Dynasty extended the Great Wall and standardized coins, weights and measures. The Han Dynasty accomplished more things than the other dynasties, they invented paper, the seismograph, set up the Silk Road, started exams for civil service and finished the Great Wall.…

    • 335 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Qin and Han Dynasty

    • 426 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Liu Bang founded the Han Dynasty in 202 B.C. He then renamed himself Han Gaozu. The empire had harsh policies. Han Wudi helped the dynasty reach its peak. He created the government’s civil service examinations. Under Han Gaozu’s rule, the population was about 20 million but under Han Wudi’s rule, it has raised to about 60 million. Over time, farmers started losing land. The result was that farmers sold their land and became tenant farmers. The Han’s army added landed to the south and pushed the border westward. The dynasty was at peace for about 150 years. Chinese art and literature also started to sprout. This led to the inventions of steel, paper, acupuncture, the waterwheel, and advanced sea trade. As trade opened to the Han and all of China, Han sent Zhang Qian to explore the areas west of China and as a result, he discovered the Silk Road.…

    • 426 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    During 350 C.E. and 900 C.E. the Sui Dynasty was reuniting China and then the Tang Dynasty was founded, then Buddhism transformed Chinese society for the best and the worst. During 755 there was a rebellion which was against the Tang Dynasty and the rebellion happened when a new emperor was brought to power. Between 350 C.E. and 900 C.E. China was reunited and the Tang Dynasty was founded. The three ways that Chinese society changed are is that people wanted to reach Nirvana, wanted an orderly society, and people leaving their families. When Buddhism was spreading in China it transformed Chinese society by how people wanted to reach Nirvana, wanted an ordely society, and people were leaving their famillies to follow Buddhism.…

    • 123 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Ancient China had always been a collection of more or less independent states in the north of China. The Shang and the Chou dominated the political landscape as the most powerful of those states, but they did not exercise uniform rule over neighboring regions. When the Chou began to weaken around 500 BC, these independent states began to war among themselves over territory and influence. So chaotic was this period that the Chinese refer to it as The Warring States period, and it did not end until the whole of north China was unified under a single empire, the Ch'in dyansty. 

 In Chinese history, the Ch'in are the great, evil dynasty, but Western historians often stand in awe of the Ch'in. They were repressive,…

    • 4512 Words
    • 19 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Gaozu’s troops were trapped by Xiongnu from marching north, so he adopted a policy of pleasing the Xiongnu by buying them off with gifts of rice, silk, and wine.…

    • 1162 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Han's Room: A Short Story

    • 845 Words
    • 4 Pages

    A mere few steps to Han’s bedroom successfully rids Luke of what solace he’s managed to gather. Luke assumes the role of a moving statue, every stomp over Han’s wooden floors rattle his very foundation, quaking the core of he is and what he’s becoming. A lonelier man. A heartbroken man. A bastard—right, that he is. Because Han isn’t the only one at fault here. Notwithstanding the fact Luke hadn’t known, it doesn’t change the fact that Luke has spent more time in Han’s bed, in Han’s arms, than he’s been in his own apartment for the past two, three months or so. Luke hits a full stop in the middle of Han’s bedroom, wide-eyed and panting as he stares down at his own two feet. Has it really been so long since they’ve been together now? Naturally, they’ve never been labeled as anything…

    • 845 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Han China

    • 529 Words
    • 3 Pages

    After the civil war that followed the death of Qin Shihuangdi in 210 B.C., China was reunited under the rule of the Han dynasty, which is divided into two major periods: the Western or Former Han (206 B.C.–9 A.D.) and the Eastern or Later Han (25–220 A.D.). The boundaries established by the Qin and maintained by the Han have more or less defined the nation of China up to the present day. The Western Han capital, Chang'an in present-day Shaanxi Province—a monumental urban center laid out on a north-south axis with palaces, residential wards, and two bustling market areas—was one of the two largest cities in the ancient world (Rome was the other).…

    • 529 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics