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The Han Chinese or Han people [b] and colloquially known as the Chinese [35] are an East Asian ethnic group native to Greater China. They are the world's largest ethnic group, making up about 17.5% of the global population . The Han Chinese are the largest ethnic group in China — including mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau — with a ...
- Overview
- History of the Han dynasty
The Han dynasty was the second great imperial dynasty of China (206 BCE–220 CE), after the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BCE). It succeeded the Qin dynasty (221–207 BCE). The Han dynasty had a dominant effect on Chinese history and culture, and its governmental, cultural, and technological achievements were emulated by the dynasties that followed.
What is the Han dynasty known for?
The Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) is known its long reign and its achievements, which included the development of the civil service and government structure; scientific advancements such as the invention of paper, use of water clocks and sundials to measure time, and development of a seismograph; the Yuefu, which compiled descriptions of music; the Shiji, a history written by Sima Qian; the fu, a poetic form; and lacquerwork and woven silk.
When was the Han dynasty founded?
The Han dynasty was founded in 206 BCE by Liu Bang, who led the revolt against the repressive policies of the preceding Qin dynasty and became the Gaozu emperor (reigned 206–195 BCE).
How did the Han dynasty fall?
The dynasty was founded by Liu Bang, later the Gaozu emperor (reigned 206–195 bce), a man of humble birth who led the revolt against the repressive policies of the preceding short-lived Qin dynasty. The Han copied the highly centralized Qin administrative structure, dividing the country into a series of administrative areas ruled by centrally appointed officials and developing a salaried bureaucracy in which promotion was based primarily on merit. Unlike the Qin, however, the Han adopted a Confucian ideology that emphasized moderation, virtue, and filial piety and thereby masked the authoritarian policies of the regime.
So successful was that policy that the Han lasted longer than any other Chinese empire, reigning—with a short interruption when Wang Mang temporarily usurped the throne and established the Xin dynasty (9–25 ce)—for more than 400 years. Eleven members of the Liu family followed in the Gaozu emperor’s place until 6 ce (a 12th briefly occupied the throne as a puppet). In 25 ce the authority of the Han dynasty was reaffirmed by Liu Xiu (posthumous name Guangwudi), who reigned as Han emperor until 57. Thirteen of his descendants maintained the dynastic succession until 220, when the rule of a single empire was replaced by that of three separate kingdoms. (See Three Kingdoms [Sanguo].)
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
The history of the Han Chinese ethnic group is closely tied to that of China. Han Chinese trace their ancestry back to the Huaxia ( 華夏), people who lived along the Yellow River in northern China. The name “Han” comes from Han Dynasty (漢朝, which ruled over a unified China from 206 B.C.E. to 220 C.E.. Over the centuries the Han have ...
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Han Chinese (also called Han; simplified Chinese: 汉族; traditional Chinese: 漢族; pinyin: Hàn zú) is an ethnic group within East Asian people. 92% of the Chinese population and more than 97% of the Taiwanese population are Han. Out of the entire human population in the world, 19% are Han Chinese. Han Chinese have the highest ...
Learn about the Han people, the world's largest ethnicity with a 3,000-year history and many achievements. Explore their origins, culture, language, and distribution in China and beyond.
The Han (Chinese), the largest group, outnumber the minority groups or minority nationalities in every province or autonomous region except Tibet and Xinjiang. The Han, therefore, form the great homogeneous mass of the Chinese people, sharing the same culture, the same traditions, and the same written…. Read More.
Jun 21, 2024 · The third emperor of the Xi Han to be singled out for special praise by traditional Chinese historians was Wudi (reigned 141–87 bce), whose reign was the longest of the entire Han period. His reputation as a vigorous and brave ruler derives from the long series of campaigns fought chiefly against the Xiongnu (Hsiung-nu; northern nomads) and in Central Asia, though Wudi never took a personal ...
