Eastern Han Empire

  General Description   China’s Han dynasty is divided into two periods: Western Han or Former Han (202 BCE-9 CE), and Eastern Han or Later Han (25-220 CE). The period between the two Han dynasties was an interregnum ruled by Wang Mang who overthrow the Han and founded the short-lived Xin dynasty. ^[1] Rulers of the Western and Eastern Han are descended from Han founder Liu Bang. ^[1] The Han dynasty was reinstated when military troops revolted against Wang Mang and attacked the capital of Chang’an in 23 CE. ^[2] The first recognized Eastern Han emperor Emperor Guangwudi moved the capital to Luoyang in 25 CE. ^[2]
Buddhism spread into China during the Eastern Han period. The religion soon began to influence Chinese morals and ethics. ^[3] Han innovation continued into the Eastern Han period. The eunuch Cai Lun invented paper made from mulberry bark in 105 CE. ^[4]
The decline of the Eastern Han was marked by series of natural disasters including floods and plagues beginning in 168 CE. ^[5] The disasters were accompanied by two large peasant uprisings: the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the Five Pecks of Rice rebellion. ^[6] The Eastern Han also faced constant rebellions from Qiang ethnic minorities. ^[7] Provincial warlords aided the central government in suppressing these major rebellions. These warlords eventually became rulers of the provinces. ^[8] Warlord Dong Zhou seized Luoyang in 190 CE but was defeated by the warlord Cao Cao. ^[8] Eastern Han emperors stayed on the throne but the Han empire was split between three generals, ushering in the Three Kingdoms period. ^[9]
Eastern Han territory covered 6.5 million square kilometers in 100 CE, but only 2.5 million square kilometers by 200 CE. ^[10] At its peak, the Han dynasty encompassed modern China, northern Vietnam, Inner Mongolia, southern Manchuria, and parts of modern Korea. ^[6]
Population and political organization
The Eastern Han continued many of the administrative practices of the Western Han. ^[11] However, the dynasty was marked by bloody political infighting including succession conflicts, and attempts to grab power by consort clans and eunuch cliques. ^[8] Eunuchs had a strong influence in the Eastern Han government and competed with Confucian officials and the imperial clan. ^[12] The decline of the Eastern Han was marked by the rise of strong provincial rulers with independent armies, or warlords, and a weakening of the corrupt central government.
The population of the Eastern Han was between 48 and 50 million people in 140 CE. ^[13] . Luoyang was home to 420,000 people in 100 CE, but only 100,000 by 200 CE. ^{[14] [10]}

[1]: (San 2014, 98) San, Tan Koon. 2014. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. Malaysia: The Other Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/TB95WB7F)

[2]: (San 2014, 100) San, Tan Koon. 2014. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. Malaysia: The Other Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/TB95WB7F)

[3]: (San 2014, 103) San, Tan Koon. 2014. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. Malaysia: The Other Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/TB95WB7F)

[4]: (Theobald, 2010b) Theobald, Ulrich, 2010. “Han Period Science, Technology, and Inventions.” Chinaknowledge.de. http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Han/han-tech.html Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/RU33Q6WJ/

[5]: (Roberts 1999, 38) Roberts, John A.G. 1999. A History of China. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/H9D8H5E9

[6]: -- “Han Dynasty.” Ancient History Encyclopedia.http://www.ancient.eu/Han_Dynasty/ Accessed June 12, 2017. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/KVCUTKIW

[7]: (San 2014, 108) San, Tan Koon. 2014. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. Malaysia: The Other Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/TB95WB7F)

[8]: (Theobald, 2010a) Theobald, Ulrich. 2010. “Han Dynasty 206 BCE-220 CE.” Chinaknowledge.de. http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Han/han.html Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/GJNWHHCH

[9]: (Roberts 1999, 39) Roberts, John A.G. 1999. A History of China. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/H9D8H5E9

[10]: (Chase-Dunn Spreadsheet)

[11]: (Roberts 1999, 37) Roberts, John A.G. 1999. A History of China. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/H9D8H5E9

[12]: (San 2014, 117) San, Tan Koon. 2014. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. Malaysia: The Other Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/TB95WB7F)

[13]: (Roberts 2003, 56-60) Roberts, J A G (2003) The Complete History of China, Sutton Publishing, Stroud. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/ZZV3ITUI

[14]: (Modelski 2003, 44) Modelski, G. 2003. World Cities -3000 to 2000. FAROS 2000. Washington D.C. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/IVFNX9HJ