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China & TibetAsiaMajor empire

Han dynasty

202 BCE – 220 CE · about 422 years

The Han dynasty was a formative age of Chinese civilisation, making Confucianism the state ideology and opening the Silk Road to Central Asia. Paper was invented in this period. It was briefly interrupted by Wang Mang's Xin dynasty (9–23 CE) and ended in division into the Three Kingdoms.

Key facts

Dates202 BCE – 220 CE
RegionChina & Tibet
ContinentAsia
CapitalsChang'an, Luoyang
FounderEmperor Gaozu (Liu Bang)
Religion(s)Confucianism, Taoism, Chinese folk religion
Peak extent≈ 6.5 million km² (c. 100 CE) – source

Before & after

Preceded by

Qin dynasty Xin dynasty Nanyue Gojoseon

Followed by

Cao Wei Shu Han Eastern Wu Xin dynasty

Sources

Dates follow widely used reference works; many ancient dates are approximate or debated. Neutral summary for general reference.