Chapter 3 The Founding of The Bureaucratic Empire Qin-Han Dynast 256 B.C.E. - 200 B.C.E
Chapter 3 The Founding of The Bureaucratic Empire Qin-Han Dynast 256 B.C.E. - 200 B.C.E
Chapter 3 The Founding of The Bureaucratic Empire Qin-Han Dynast 256 B.C.E. - 200 B.C.E
The major accomplishment of the Qin Dynasty was the unification of China. This was
the start of the Chinese empire. They created a centralized government with the
emperor as the absolute divine ruler. They created a Bureaucratic empire and with
huge military and used it to conquer its rivals and expand its territories.
The Han and the Qin Dynasties both had centralized bureaucratic monarchies. The
Qin and Hang also had massive organized armies at their disposal and used them to
greatly expand their held territories. However the Qin dynasty favored legalism
while the Han were more founded in Confucianism classics. The Han Dynasty also
lasted more than two and a half centuries while the reign of the Qin Dynasty was
very short. Both dynasties successfully controlled and administrated a unified China
3. What was one of the major accomplishments of the Han? Discuss the successes
The major accomplishment of the Han Dynasty is that they successfully controlled
and reigned over a unified China for more than two and a half centuries. The Han
mobilized massive armed forces and expanded the territories of China. The Han
4. Explain the key people and events that led up to the unification of the Qin
Dynasty.
In 221 B.C.E. the legalist Qin Dynasty accomplished what no other previous dynasty
had, it conquered it rivals thus successfully uniting China under one centralized rule.
During the fourth century the Qin adopted a new format for Chinese government,
the power of nobility was lessened and a direct relationship between emperor and
subject was created. A rich merchant by the name of Liu Buwei wanted to unite
China in hope for business and thus more profit. He took a protégé that would
become an emperor. He then along with the First Emperor built a unified China.
territory as it was taken over. By 230 the Qin were victorious and united China.
5. Discuss the accomplishments and failures of Emperor Qin Shi Huang Di.
Emperor Qin Shi Huang Di became the first emperor and played a huge role in
uniting China. His major accomplishments are uniting China through battle and
keeping it united through government. He was the one who initiated a sweeping
nobles of their nobility and moving them to his capital to keep them close and under
control, he dispatched loyal and highly regulated official to his territories to ensure
also built China’s infrastructure to move his armies quicker and established Qin law.
The traditional view of his rule and the emperor himself was negative and he is seen
as a monster.
6. Describe Emperor Qin’s tomb and why it was so amazing and a mirror of his
personality.
The First Emperor’s tomb was magnificent. It was the largest and most lavish tomb
ever discovered. Its main draw is the terra cotta solider, each unique, which amass
in his tomb numbering in the ten of thousands. It also contains weapons, rare
animals, human and animal sacrifices, and gold. This does match his personality
must have thought that by taking an army with him he would be able to conquer
7. Explain Qin Law. In your opinion, good or bad? Why? Why not?
Qin Law was a very strict set of rules with a wide variety of punishments and
focuses. Punishments included physical mutilation, forced labor, fines, and death.
The Xiongnu were a confederation of the nomadic tribes of northern China and
central Asia. They consisted of the Rong, Di, Eastern Hu, and the Northern Orodos
peoples. They posed to be a real threat to Han people and had played parts in
9. Summarize the rise and fall of the Han Dynasty and explain the role of some of
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
10.Who was the Emperor Wu and describe his rule and his feelings towards
Confucianism.
Emperor Wu was the first of the emperor of the Han dynasty to put Confucian
scholars in positions of power within his government. He was a great leader and his
11. What did the Wang Mang accomplish, fail and at when.
Wang Mang was a Han official who succeeded in usurping the Han thrown and
establishing the Xin Dynasty (9 C.E.). He also instituted unpopular polices and
12.Who were the palace eunuchs and what was their role? How does this
The palace eunuchs were a group of castrated men that served the empress. They
grew in power and eventually placed on the thrown a child they could easily
manipulate.
13.Describe the intellectual, literacy and religious currents during the Han.
During the Han Dynasty there was great explosion of intellectual growth, religious
focus, and literary genius. The imperial library of the Han Dynasty contained a great
The Han Confucianism was a lot more like an religion than it was a philosophy it
definitely had influences from Buddhism and Taoism. In my opinion it was not a
15.Describe the Chinese belief system in lucky and unlucky days. How is this
Taoist?
The Chinese believe there were auspicious and inauspicious day. That if you
committed an offense or partook in a taboo activity on though days then you would
effected by negative sprits. Inversely is you committed a good act on a lucky day
16. How did Emperor Wu undo the damage that Emperor Qin created?
Emperor Wu created a much more free China. He disposed of the new way that was
unpopular and brought back the old more popular way. He brought back scholarly
study.
Sima Qiuan he was the son in a father and son team who finished writing the history
18.What was the point of the reading on the Ban family and how does it correlate
The Ban was a Chinese family of librarians and writers. They were also author of
hierarchy and the division of labor and roles outlined in this stratified society.
Chinese society was a lot more feel during the Han, scholars were powerful and
influential people. Confucianism was very popular as well as being religious. For this
reason education was for everyone. China was still a male dominated society.
20.What was the role of family during the Han? Was it Confucius? Why? Why not?
In the Han Dynasty was very important and was a very focused point in the
everyday life. The concept of family in China was pinnacle in the household and
often the Chinese would live in clans or large extended families. This was a result of
21.What discoveries were made during the Han Dynasty vis a vis the world. What
During the Han dynasty there was a lot of advancement in the agriculture and
farming technologies. Also because the Silk Road ideas shared between civilizations
was a common occurrence. The ideas of wars and the technologies associated with
war also advanced greatly and China used the Silk road to become the overlords of
Central Asia.
22.What is the section on borderlands pertaining to? Was the Han period a period
of great expansionism?
throughout Asia. The Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was a key player in the
expanding the borders of China to the north and south of the three traditional
China was like the big brother of Vietnam a more accurate description was that
What led to the collapse of the Qin and Han Dynasties were non-loyal relatives and
25.Briefly summarize in bullet form the failures and accomplishments of both the
Unifying China
transmitted from India to China and across the Silk Road. The impact.
Buddhism was transmitted from India through trading originally. The idea of
Buddhism was passed through as an idea across the trading route of the Silk Road.
Buddhism was highly compatible with the other philosophies and religions of China.