Home of the Qin, Han and the Tang Dynasties
Xianyang was the Imperial Capital of China’s First Emperor, Qin Shihuang. Even by Chinese standards Xianyang is an ancient city. In 2001, the 2350th anniversary of the founding of the city was celebrated. China has a 5000 year history. However, in some periods important developments occured and they became notable stages in Chinese history. The third century BC to the 10th century AD was such an interval in which Xianyang and the surrounding area laid the foundation for the future development of China. There were 3 dynasties ithin this timeframe which played a crucial role in setting the direction of China’s development. These were:
* The Qin Dynasty - 221 to 206 BC
The brief 11 year rule of China’s First Emperor was a revolutionary interlude in China’s history uniting the country into a single whole for the first time and making sweeping changes which were to become the basis of future administrations of China. After conquering the 6 other states existing at the time the First Emperor Qin Shihuang unified the country under his centralised rule and made Xianyang his Capital.
    His achievements included: a centralised national administration, establishment of a legal code for the country, standardisation of writing, money and weights and measures, construction of the Great Wall, long straight roadways, palaces and his mausoleum. "Qin" is pronounced "chin" and is the origin of the word "china".A separate summary of Qin Shihuang’s achievements and autocratic rule is given on another page.
* The Han Dynasty - 206 BC to 220 AD
 The Qin Dynasty was overthrown by a country-wide peasant uprising leading to the establishment of the Han Dynasty. Following the Qin, the shortest dynasty in China’s history (14 years), the Han Dynasty was China’s longest dynasty (426 years). It consolidated the reforms of the Qin regime, but without the former harshness. There were reduced demands on the peasants and agriculture was encouraged. There was sustained economic development, population growth and general prosperity. The first Han Emperor built a newCapital called Chang’an located& nbsp;south of current day Xianyang and west of Xi’an. The Silk Road came into being and trade commenced with the West.
    The consolidation Qin Shihuang’s reforms caused them to become the political patterns of later Chinese governments and ushered in an imperial era that was essentially maintained until the beginning of the 20th century.A lasting significance of the unification of what we now know as China is that it precluded this vast expanse of land going the way of Europe with it numerous competing national states. A brief history of the Han Dynasty is given on another page.
* The Tang Dynasty - 618 to 907 AD
For over 3 centuries after the fall of the Han Dynasty in 220 AD, China broke up into a number of self-governed territories of various sizes and levels of complexity. It was not until 589 that the country was again united under centralised rule - that of the short lived Sui Dynasty (581 to 618) which made Chang’an its Capital. There were only 2 Sui emperors. The first Sui emperor was a reformer and under his rule the economy expanded substantially. The second Sui emperor lacked his father’s wisdom and embarked on extravagant projects and wars. A resulting peasant’s revolt led to an army coup and the emperor being assassinated. The rebel army leader proclaimed himself the first Tang Emperor ushering in 3 centuries of Chinese society which was the most advanced in the world.A description of the Tang Dynasty is given on another page.
THE QIN DYNASTY
The Warring States Period
    The interval from 476 to 221 BC is known in Chinese history as the Warring States Period. By the beginning of this period a number of large opposing states had coalesced across the country. They were in regular conflict and fought wars to expand their territories, acquire more slaves and serfs, plunder the other’s wealth and increase their influence. Many earlier states had been swallowed up until only 7 remained.One of these states, the Qin (pronounced "chin"), was based in present-day Shaanxi Province. Originally a small state, it grew in strength and size during Warring States times. The Qin Capital was established at Xianyang on the Wei He River (pronounced "wayher") in 350 BC. China’s First Emperor In 246 BC, 13 year old Ying Zheng became ruler of the State of Qin on the death of his uncle. When he was 22 Ying Zheng assumed control of the state and embarked on a campaign to bring the other 6 states under his control. This he achieved in 221 BC and in doing so united China into a single state under centralised rule for the first time in history. Combining the titles of the 2 mythical founders of the Chinese people, Ying Zheng gave himself the title of "Huang Di" which has been translated into English as "Emperor". Thus Ying Zheng became Qin Shi Huangdi which means "The First Emperor of Qin" ("shi" meaning one). This has been shortened in modern times to Qin Shihuang (pronounced "chin sher hwung"). He is also referred to as "The First Emperor". Qin Shihuang’s rule lasted only 11 years due to his sudden death from an illness in 210 BC at the age of 50. In making Xianyang his Capital it grew into a magnificent city during his short rule.
Legalism
    Before the life of Qin Shihuang, the people of Qin had established a strong philosophical basis for their society, which is possibly a reason why they became dominant in China. This school of thought is known as "legalism". Legalism advocated a strong central government and the rule by law which was formulated, and enforced throughout the country, by the government.
    Achievements of The First Emperor Qin Shihuang established a new government structure for China. Power was centralised in his person with ministers and court officials appointed by him. Absolute obedience was demanded and strict control imposed on the people.The country was administered by dividing it into 36 (later 40) prefectures (the forerunner of the 23 provinces in China today) with counties below each. Prefects and county magistrates were directly appointed by the Emperor. Thus tax collection, conscription for the army and labour for government service were firmly in his hands.
His notable achievements are described on a separate page (7.1.1), as is his autocratic rule. (7.1.2)
    Qin Shihuang died of an illness in 210 BC while on an inspection tour in southern China.
    After his death, his second son Qin Er Shi (230 - 207 BC) became Emperor and the unpopularity of the regime deepened. In 209 BC a peasant uprising commenced and spread across the country. Despite setbacks the peasant armies eventually prevailed and in 206 BC Qin rule was overthrown and the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) was established.Although the Qin Dynasty collapsed after only 14 years, the ensuring Han Dynasty lasted four centuries. The Han was an age of economic and political expansion which consolidated Qin Shihuang’s reforms into the political patterns of later Chinese government. The unification of China by Qin Shihuang ushered in an imperial era that was essentially maintained until one hundred years ago.A lasting significance of Qin Shihuang’s unification of what we now know as China is that it precluded this vast expanse of land going the way of Europe with it numerous competing national states.
Qin is pronounced "chin" and is the origin of the word "china".
Notable Achievements
Notable achievements of The First Emperor’s rule were:
* the enactment of well-defined laws by which everything was decided accordingly. These legal codes served as an important tool for
the administration of the country,
* standardisation of the written language on the script used in the State of Qin,
* implementation of a national standard of weights and measures,
* minting of a coin as the official national currency (round with a square hole which became the model for later centuries),
* construction of a number of imperial highways, had canals dug and water transport developed,
* construction of the Great Wall of China by building long walls to link 3 existing walls built by earlier states,
* standardisation of axle widths so that carts could traverse rutted roads,
* driving out the nomadic invaders originating from the Mongolian plateau to the north who had long plundered the countryside,
* mobilising an army in 214 BC against the people of the south whichextended the borders beyond present day Hong Kong,
* construction of 140 palaces for himself north of his Capital,Xianyang, modelled on those in the six conquered states. He
conscripted700,000 to build the uncompleted A’fang Palace and his vast mausoleum 50 kmto south east,
* travelling by horse-drawn carriage, he made a number of long journeysaround his realm enforcing his rule.
Autocratic Rule
To achieve so much in so little time it shouldn’t be surprising thatThe First Emperor was an autocratic ruler. His rule imposed a severeburden on the populace:
* two thirds of the peasant’s harvests had to be turned over as taxes,
* men were conscripted for the army and labour on the large-scaleconstruction works leaving women to do heavy tasks. Countless
numbers diedin the military campaigns and on government projects,
* the penal code was harsh. Punishment of even small misdemeanours could be severe - conscription, cutting off of a body part and
death. Whole families could be punished for the wrong-doing of one family member,
* many of his administrative policies, especially the system of prefectures and counties under central authority, were strongly
opposed by some Confucian scholars. They fulminated against him and wrote criticisms. Qin Shihuang ordered the burning of histories of former states except Qin and also books by schools of thought different to his own. A year later he had buried alive 400 intellectuals who spoke out against him.
THE WESTERN HAN DYNASTY
The Han Dynasty is divided into two periods. The first, the Western Han (206 BC - 24 AD), was a period of consolidation, growth and prosperity and had its Capital at Chang’an (between current day Xianyang and Xi’an about 10 km from the latter). The second, the Eastern Han (25 - 220 AD), had its Capital at Luoyang on the Yellow River 500 km east of Chang’an.
Two years after the death of China’s First Emperor Qin Shihuang, a country-wide peasant uprising against his highly unpopular son and successor overthrew the Qin forces in 206 BC. For four years the two leaders of the peasant armies fought battles against each other. Finally Liu Bang (256 - 195 BC) was victorious and in 202 BC declared himself Emperor under the title of Han Gao Zu establishing the Han Dynasty.
Agricultural Reforms
    At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, society was impoverished by wars and the huge Qin public works. Coming to power as a result of a peasant insurrection the new emperor understood power couldn’t maintained solely through force. It was a period of consolidation of the government reforms introduced by Qin Shihuang, but without the former harshness. A more complete legal code and regulations were formulated. Policies were also introduced which allowed agriculture to flourish and the population to prosper - land tax on production was considerably reduced, soldiers were sent back to farming and were exempt from labour service for a number of years, war time refugees were allowed to return to their homes and their houses and lands were returned to them, people who had sold themselves into slavery to avoid starvation were freed. Gao Zu also spent much of his time consolidating the regime by crushing localisedopposition.
    There were 4 Western Han emperors after Gao Zu, with each building on the achievements of his predecessor so society grew in strength under the Western Han. These four emperors continued the liberal policies of Gao Zu - land tax was reduced further, the severity of the penal law was reduced, labour on government service was held at the time of year when farm work was least and economy in government projects was practiced.
    After the death of Gao Zu in 195 BC, his widow Empress Dowager Lu usurped power and had their young son appointed as Emperor Hui Di (r. 195 - 188 BC), but with herself as the real power behind the throne. Daoism Adopted Legalism, which had been dominant in the Qin State was rejected by the early Han court. Under the influence of Empress Lu, Daoism (Taoism) became the adopted guiding philosophy of three Han emperors. In an earlier time, Lao Zi (Venerable Master) had espoused a policy of non-resistance, or inaction. He developed the philosophy of Daoism in which the idea of "dao", or the way, is a central all embracing concept - allowing the people to follow their desires without interference from the governmentThe third emperor was Han Wen Di (r. 180 - 157 BC) and the fourth was Han Jing Di (r. 157 - 141 BC). Both emperors paid considerable attention to agriculture. Jing Di’s Mausoleum is Yangling and is the site of today’s Han Museum in Xianyang Municipality with it’s tantalising collection of one-third size figures, animals and objects.
    Golden Period of the Western Han As a result of social stability over several generations there was rapid development of the economy and prosperity for the state. Iron farm tools came into wide use and fields were often ploughed using oxen or horses. Extensive irrigation works were carried out. Culture and the arts flourished. The use of brush, ink and paper for the first time saw the expansion of writing and painting. The chief styles of calligraphy were developed during the Western and Eastern Han. Painting began to emerge as the major expressive ar t in China. Examples that have survived are vivid paintings of daily life on brick tomb walls and wooden panels also in tombs.The fifth Han emperor was the long ruling Wu Di (r. 141 - 87 BC) whose reign is considered a golden period in China. Under Wu Di, extensivecontacts were made with the peoples around China’s borders and foreign trade grew apace. Before Wu Di, the northern nomadic tribes of the Xiongnu made frequent attacks into Han territory. Now, Han military strength had grown and in 119 BC its armies defeated the Xiongnu driving them deep into the Mongolian desert. Wu Di encouraged the study of Confucianism so that C
onfucian ideas gradually became dominant in Han society.
    Wu Di had the route to the west of China explored with the result that the Silk Road came into being. Silks were traded with countries to the west including those of the Roman Empire. Wu Di embarked on a program of Great Wall construction extending the Great Wall far to the west to exclude the Xiongnu.
Wu Di’s burial mound is the largest in Xianyang Municipality and today Maoling Museum, named after his Mausoleum, has on display objects from his rule.
THE TANG DYNASTY
One of the greatest dynasties in Chinese history was the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907 AD). The Tang Dynasty came to power as a result of a widespread peasant uprising against the preceeding Sui emperor. The peasants’ revolt was against incessant demands for taxes and labour and military service for extravagant projects and wars. The emperor was assassinated in an army coup and an army rebel leader captured the Sui capital, Chang’an, and proclaimed himself the first Tang Emperor Gao Zu. After suppressing the peasant armies and defeating the remaining Sui forces a united country was consolidated and a strong central government established.Under the Tang, taxes and labour services were reduced. Land was redistributed for small peasants. Elaborate further on the Sui and
the Tang
The Terra-Cotta Warriors And Horses Of Emperor Qin Shihuang
The entombed terra-cotta warriors and horses are part of the large mausoleum complex of China’s First Emperor, Qin Shihuang. For the modern world the entombed warriors are comparable to the Egyptian Pyramids. They are an impressive mysterious structure created by an ancient civilisation. However, unlike the Pyramids, the entombed warriors have an historical continuity with a living civilisation and culture.
    The discovery and excavation of the entombed warriors is one of t outstanding archaeological projects of last century. It shows the extent of the skills, craftsmanship and techniques possessed in China 2200 years ago (each figure was unique and individually crafted and painted) and provides insights into military life and the organisation, armour and weapons of the time.
    The accidental discovery and subsequent excavation of three underground vaults containing 8000 life-size terra-cotta clay statues, provided an unexpected insight into many aspects of Chinese imperial life 2200 years ago. Although the large earth mound outside of Xi’an was long known to be the burial place of Qin Shihuang, Chinese scholars had limited knowledge about this formative figure. Prior to its chance discovery there wasn’t any record of the existence of this huge protective arm buried beneath the ground 1.5 km from the tumulus.
    The Terra-cotta Army - A Complete Military Command There are three pits, or vaults, in close proximity comprising the terra-cotta army. They are named in order of their discovery - Pits I, II and III. Although separate structures, the three vaults comprise an integrated whole of a complete military command.