In 207 BC, the army led by Liu Bang conquered the troops of the Qin Dynasty at Julu (currently Hebei Province) and in 206 BC he seized Xianyang (the capital city of the Qin Dynasty), thus ending the rule of Qin.
After four years of war between Liu Bang and Xiang Yu (Chu-Han War), Liu Bang defeated his rival and established the Han Dynasty establishing Chang'an (the present Xian) as its capital city in 202 BC.
In Chinese history, the Han Dynasty consisted of two dynasties: the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - 24 AD) and the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 - 220). During the period there were 24 emperors on the throne. Many were excellent contributing to the prosperity of the country with Emperors Gaozu, Wen, Jing and Wu among them.
As many wise emperors took effective measures during their reign, the Han Dynasty was a period of peace and prosperity. It was a World power at that time with interests in literature, arts, culture and technology with the Han Dynasty achieving numerous unparalleled and praiseworthy successes. Some of the achievements at that time still influence the lives of the Chinese people today.
Emperors of the Han Dynasty
| Order | Name | Notes | Reign Time (years) |
| Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - 8 AD) | |||
| 1 | Han Gaozu(Liu Bang) | Son of a peasant family; He revolted against the rule of Qin. After defeating Xiangyu (his rival) during a four-year war, he established the Western Han Dynasty in 202 BC and ruled the country for 12 years. | 206 BC - 195 BC |
| 2 | Han Huidi(Liu Ying) | Son of Liu Bang; Because he was inept to be an emperor, the power was held in the hand of his mother, Lvhou. | 195 BC - 188 BC |
| 3 | Han Lvhou(Lv Zhi) | Wife of Liu Bang; After Liu Bang died, she was in the seat of power although Liu Ying, Liu Gong and Liu Hong were the emperors in succession. | 188 BC - 180 BC |
| 4 | Han Wendi(Liu Heng) | The fourth son of Liu Bang; He lightened the taxes and paid great importance to production thus promoting the development of society. Also he was a famously frugal emperor. | 180 BC - 157 BC |
| 5 | Han Jingdi(Liu Qi) | Son of Han Wendi; He carried out serious measures like Wendi had done and obtained good results. | 157 BC - 141 BC |
| 6 | Han Wudi(Liu Che) | The ninth son of Han Jingdi; He subdued the ethnic Xiongnu (Hun) invaders by wars. The Western Han Dynasty was in its most powerful period during the reign of the Han Wudi. | 141 BC - 87 BC |
| 7 | Han Zhaodi(Liu Fuling) | The youngest son of Han Wudi; He lightened the burden of the peasants and was on good terms with Xiongnu (Hun). | 87 BC - 74 BC |
| 8 | Han Xuandi(Liu Xun) | Also called Liu Bingyi and the great grandson of Han Wudi; During his reign, the ruling position of Confucianism was strengthened and burdens of the people were reduced greatly. | 74 BC - 49 BC |
| 9 | Han Yuandi(Liu Shi) | Son of Han Xuandi; The Western Han Dynasty began to decline during his reign. | 49 BC - 33 BC |
| 10 | Han Chengdi(Liu Ao) | Son of Han Yuandi; He squandered the countries wealth, which caused the country to decline. | 33 BC - 7 BC |
| 11 | Han Aidi(Liu Xin) | Nephew of Han Chengdi; Although all kinds of social contradictions were sharp, he only believed in ghosts and gods to solve all the problems with the result that Wang Mang stole power. | 7 BC - 1 BC |
| 12 | Han Pingdi(Liu Kan) | Grandson of Han Yuandi; was really a puppet of Wang Mang. Later, he was poisoned to death by Wang Mang. | 1 BC - 5 AD |
| 13 | Ruzi(Liu Ying) | He came to the throne when he was two years old. In 8 AD, Wang Mang claimed himself as the emperor and killed Ruzi in 25 AD. | 6 - 8 |
| Xin Dynasty (9 - 23) | |||
| 14 | Wang Mang | Nephew of the queen of Han Yuandi. In 8 AD, he became the emperor of the Western Han Dynasty and changed the country's name to 'Xin' the next year. Although he carried out a series of measures, the society was in great disarray. The dynasty was finally overthrown by a peasant revolt. | 9 - 23 |
| Eastern Han Dynasty (25 - 220) | |||
| 15 | Guang Wudi(Liu Xiu) | He joined the troops to rebel against the Xin Dynasty. After defeating the army of Wang Mang, he re-established the Han Dynasty making Luoyang its capital city. | 25 - 57 |
| 16 | Mingdi(Liu Zhuang) | The fourth son of Guang Wudi; People lived a stable life during his reign. The famous White Horse Temple was built under his order. | 57 - 75 |
| 17 | Zhangdi (Liu Da) | The fifth son of Mingdi; He was also regarded as a calligraphist adept at cursive scripts. | 75 - 88 |
| 18 | Hedi(Liu Zhao) | The fourth son of Zhangdi | 88 - 105 |
| 19 | Shangdi (Liu Long) | The youngest son of Hedi | 105 - 106 |
| 20 | Andi (Liu Hu) | Grandson of Zhangdi; The social divide was increased and all kinds of social contradictions became sharp under his rule. | 106 - 125 |
| 21 | Shundi (Liu Bao) | Son of Andi; Eunuch grasped the power to deal with the state affairs under his reign. | 125 - 144 |
| 22 | Chongdi(Liu Bing) | Son of Shundi | 144 - 145 |
| 23 | Zhidi(Liu Zuan) | Great grandson of Zhangdi | 145 - 146 |
| 24 | Huandi(Liu Zhi) | Great grandson of Zhangdi | 146 - 167 |
| 25 | Lingdi(Liu Hong) | Great-great-grandson of Zhangdi; the country was again in great disarray, meaning that people lived a very hard life. The rule of Lingdi intensified all kinds of social (divides) contradictions that caused the insurgence led by Zhang Jiao. | 168 - 189 |
| 26 | Xiandi (Liu Xie) | Son of Lingdi; the Han Dynasty perished under his reign. | 189 - 220 |
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Travelers' Voices on Han Dynasty
1.
Jun. 15,2009 22:52 Reply
Mr.terrance(Malaysia) said:
Han dynasty was great more than other chinese dynasty.is bcos other dynasty use other wise to build-up the great dynasty ...but liu bang was marry once girl was clever n know ecomony ..tat girl was calling lyzi....chinese dynasty have 5000 more years ...but just have only once dynasty was special to build-up ..not 4 the king is 4 queen
2.
Jun. 11,2009 14:29 Reply
Ms.Bennett(US) said:
What was the period of peace and prosperity called?
Jun. 13,2009 22:09
Mr.mike(cn) replied:
Do you mean the most prosperous period in Han dynasty? If yes, it may be Wenjing Zhizhi.
3.
May. 18,2009 16:23 Reply
Ms.Billsz(united states) said:
What we're the achievements in ancient china?
Jun. 4,2009 02:15
Mr.laura(cn) replied:
What a big question!
The Great wall, the four invention the culture. Do you think these are the achievements in ancient China?
Jun. 4,2009 20:00
Ms.Martinez(United States) replied:
Some other acheivments were that they created the civli service exam and the Han dynasty did not create the Great wall of China they expanded it. The great wall of China was built during the Qin dynasty which was right before the Han Dynasty. They also invented the compass to help them with direction and they made paper.
4.
Jun. 2,2009 21:45 Reply
Mr.guybuster(the USA) said:
what are the achivements the dynasties
Jun. 4,2009 02:12
Mr.micheal(cn) replied:
Acheivements on what field? Economy, Culture or something else?
5.
Jun. 3,2009 19:30 Reply
Ms.country(United Kingdom) said:
what happened to them later.
Jun. 4,2009 01:46
Mr.yina(cn) replied:
Could you be more specific?
yina
6.
Jun. 3,2009 12:05 Reply
Ms.Kauri(U.S.A.) said:
His achevement was the Silk Road. 4th son of a pesent family.
7.
Jun. 2,2009 14:24 Reply
Mr.frick(mn) said:
how many leaders
Jun. 2,2009 21:46
Mr.guybuster(The USA) replied:
26
8.
Jun. 1,2009 12:36 Reply
Mr.Bob(Zimbawe) said:
I need to know who the author is!! and the publisher, and the date when this site was published!! hehe
9.
May. 27,2009 17:01 Reply
Ms.fieldhockeylover(usa baby!!!) said:
what are three achievments of the han dynasty
10.
Apr. 29,2009 20:52 Reply
Mrs.ANONYMOUS!!(CALIFORNIA) said:
IM LEARNING BOUT IT IN CLASS N WHY IZZ HAN DYNASTY IMPORTANT???
May. 27,2009 16:59
Ms.knowitall(unitedstates) replied:
They are some of the ppl who have a section on the great wall of china also the emporors were supposed to be powerful.