Editing History of China (section)

=====Western Han=====
[[File:Han Expansion.png|thumb|left|250px|Map showing the expansion of Han dynasty in the 2nd century BC]]

The Han dynasty was founded by [[Emperor Gaozu of Han|Liu Bang]], who emerged victorious in the [[Chu–Han Contention]] that followed the fall of the Qin dynasty. A [[Pax Sinica|golden age]] in Chinese history, the Han dynasty's long period of stability and prosperity consolidated the foundation of China as a unified state under a central imperial bureaucracy, which was to last intermittently for most of the next two millennia. During the Han dynasty, territory of China was extended to most of the [[China proper]] and to areas far west. [[Confucianism]] was officially elevated to orthodox status and was to shape the subsequent Chinese civilization. Art, culture and science all advanced to unprecedented heights. With the profound and lasting impacts of this period of Chinese history, the dynasty name "Han" had been taken as the name of the Chinese people, now the [[Han Chinese|dominant ethnic group]] in modern China, and had been commonly used to refer to Chinese language and [[Chinese characters|written characters]].

After the [[Huang-Lao|initial laissez-faire policies]] of Emperors [[Emperor Wen of Han|Wen]] and [[Emperor Jing of Han|Jing]], the ambitious [[Emperor Wu of Han|Emperor Wu]] brought the empire to its zenith. To consolidate his power, he disenfranchised the majority of imperial relatives, appointing military governors to control their former lands.{{sfnp|Nylan|2016| pages=76–79, 84, 107–108}} As a further step, he extended patronage to Confucianism, which emphasizes stability and order in a well-structured society. [[Taixue|Imperial Universities]] were established to support its study. At the urging of his Legalist advisors, however, he also strengthened the fiscal structure of the dynasty [[Economy of the Han Dynasty#Private manufacture and government monopolies|with government monopolies]].
{{multiple image| align = right | direction = horizontal | header = | header_align = left/right/center | footer = '''Left image''': Western-Han painted ceramic jar decorated with raised [[relief]]s of [[Chinese dragon|dragons]], [[Fenghuang|phoenixes]], and ''[[taotie]]''<br/> '''Right image''': Reverse side of a Western-Han [[TLV mirror|bronze mirror]] with painted designs of a flower motif| footer_align = left | image1 = China qing blue.JPG | width1 = 130| caption1  = | image2 = Bronze mirror with painted designs, Western Han.jpg| width2 = 120| caption2 = }}

[[Han–Xiongnu War|Major military campaigns]] were launched to weaken the nomadic [[Xiongnu|Xiongnu Empire]], limiting their influence north of the Great Wall. Along with the diplomatic efforts led by [[Zhang Qian]], the sphere of influence of the Han Empire extended to the [[Western Regions|states in the Tarim Basin]], opened up the [[Silk Road]] that connected China to the west, stimulating bilateral trade and cultural exchange. To the south, various small kingdoms far beyond the Yangtze River Valley were formally incorporated into the empire.

Emperor Wu also dispatched a [[southward expansion of the Han dynasty|series of military campaigns]] against the [[Baiyue]] tribes. The Han annexed [[Han campaigns against Minyue|Minyue in 135 BC]] and 111 BC, [[Han–Nanyue War|Nanyue in 111 BC]], and [[Han campaign against Dian|Dian in 109 BC]].{{sfn|Yu|1986|pp=455–458}} Migration and military expeditions led to the cultural assimilation of the south.<ref>{{cite book|first=Pingfang|last=Xu|title=The Formation of Chinese Civilization: An Archaeological Perspective|year=2005|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=978-0-300-09382-7|page=281}}</ref> It also brought the Han into contact with kingdoms in Southeast Asia, introducing diplomacy and trade.<ref>{{cite book|first=Jacques|last=Gernet|title=A History of Chinese Civilization|year=1996|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-49781-7|pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofchinese00gern_0/page/126 126–127]|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofchinese00gern_0/page/126}}</ref>

After Emperor Wu the empire slipped into gradual stagnation and decline. Economically, the state treasury was strained by excessive campaigns and projects, while land acquisitions by elite families gradually drained the tax base. Various [[consort clan]]s exerted increasing control over strings of incompetent emperors and eventually the dynasty was briefly interrupted by the usurpation of [[Wang Mang]].