Home Region: North China (East Asia)

Eastern Han Empire

25 CE 220 CE

D G SC WF R CC

EQ 2020 cn_eastern_han_dyn / CnEHan*

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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

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

2 Capital

1 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

2 Suprapolity Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

1 Polity Succession

2 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

1 Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

2 Population of the Largest Settlement

6 Polity Territory

10 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

3 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

2 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Non Phonetic Writing

1 Mnemonic Device

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

2 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Donkey

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases

2 Crisis Consequence

Power Transitions

13 Power Transition

Instability Events

45 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn) was in:
(25 CE 219 CE)	Middle Yellow River Valley

Home NGA: Middle Yellow River Valley

General Variables

Identity and Location Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	50 S	25 CE 220 CE
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Original Name	Eastern Han	25 CE 220 CE
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Capital	Chang'an	25 CE 220 CE
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Capital	Luoyang	25 CE 220 CE
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Alternative Name	Later Han	25 CE 220 CE
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Temporal Bounds Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	88 CE
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Duration	[25 CE ➜ 220 CE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	jp_yayoi nominal allegiance to cn_eastern_han_dyn Inferred	57 CE 107 CE
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Suprapolity Relations	cn_eastern_han_dyn alliance with mn_hunnu_late	25 CE 220 CE
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Supracultural Entity	Chinese	25 CE 220 CE
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Succeeding Entity	Wei Dynasty	25 CE 220 CE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction	[3,000,000 to 4,000,000] km²	25 CE 220 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	25 CE 220 CE
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Preceding Entity	continuity; Xin Dynasty [continuity] Update here
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Degree of Centralization	unitary state	25 CE 220 CE
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Degree of Centralization	confederated state	25 CE 220 CE
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Language Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Sino-Tibetan	25 CE 220 CE
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Language	Chinese	25 CE 220 CE
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Religion Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Religion	Uncoded Undecided	25 CE 220 CE
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Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	420,000 people	100 CE
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Population of the Largest Settlement	100,000 people	200 CE
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Polity Territory	6,500,000 km²	100 CE
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Polity Territory	5,344,000 km²	120 CE
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Polity Territory	4,633,000 km²	140 CE
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Polity Territory	3,922,000 km²	160 CE
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Polity Territory	3,211,000 km²	180 CE
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Polity Territory	2,500,000 km²	200 CE
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Polity Population	21,007,820 people	57 CE
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Polity Population	34,125,021 people	75 CE
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Polity Population	43,356,367 people	88 CE
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Polity Population	53,256,219 people	105 CE
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Polity Population	48,690,789 people	125 CE
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Polity Population	[48,000,000 to 53,869,588] people	126 CE 141 CE
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Polity Population	[49,150,220 to 49,730,550] people	142 CE 144 CE
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Polity Population	47,556,772 people	146 CE
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Polity Population	50,066,856 people	156 CE
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Polity Population	56,486,856 people	157 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	6	25 CE 220 CE
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Religious Level	[1 to 2]	25 CE 220 CE
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Military Level	7	25 CE 220 CE
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Administrative Level	7	25 CE 220 CE
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Professions Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Absent Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Merit Promotion	Present	25 CE 150 CE
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Merit Promotion	Unknown	151 CE 199 CE
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Merit Promotion	Absent	200 CE 220 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Examination System	Present Uncertain	25 CE 220 CE
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Examination System	Absent Uncertain	25 CE 220 CE
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Law Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Judge	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Court	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Irrigation System	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Food Storage Site	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Port	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Canal	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Bridge	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Information / Writing System Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Script	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	25 CE 220 CE
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Nonwritten Record	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Mnemonic Device	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Sacred Text	Absent Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Religious Literature	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Practical Literature	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Philosophy	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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History	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Fiction	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Calendar	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Information / Money Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Uncoded Undecided	25 CE 220 CE
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Precious Metal	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Paper Currency	Absent	25 CE 220 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Foreign Coin	Absent Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Article	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Information / Postal System Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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General Postal Service	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Courier	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Information / Measurement System Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Absent Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	25 CE 220 CE
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Moat	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	25 CE 220 CE
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Earth Rampart	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Ditch	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Complex Fortification	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Long Wall	7,200 km Uncertain	25 CE 220 CE
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Military use of Metals Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Iron	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Copper	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Bronze	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Projectiles Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Present Disputed	25 CE 220 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent Disputed	25 CE 220 CE
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Sling	Absent Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Self Bow	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Javelin	Absent Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	25 CE 220 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	25 CE 220 CE
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Crossbow	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Composite Bow	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Atlatl	Absent Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Handheld weapons Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Sword	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Spear	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Polearm	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Dagger	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Battle Axe	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Animals used in warfare Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Donkey	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Dog	Absent	25 CE 220 CE
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Camel	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Armor Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Absent Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Shield	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Scaled Armor	Unknown Suspected	25 CE 220 CE
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Plate Armor	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Limb Protection	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Leather Cloth	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Laminar Armor	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Helmet	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Chainmail	Unknown Suspected	25 CE 220 CE
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Breastplate	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Naval technology Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present Inferred	25 CE 220 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Unknown Suspected	25 CE 220 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent	25 CE 220 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Absent	25 CE 220 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Present	25 CE 220 CE
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Human Sacrifice Eastern Han Empire (cn_eastern_han_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More