Han Dynasty#Eastern Han

When the Eastern Han dynasty in Chinese history, the second period of the Han Dynasty referred to, which was a re-establishment of the dynasty after the usurpation of Wang Mang. The Eastern Han dynasty takes its name from the location of the capital Luoyang, which is located further east in relation to the capital of the Western Han Dynasty, Chang'an. The Eastern Han Dynasty begins with the year 25, when Liu Xiu proclaimed himself emperor of the Han and ended with the dismissal of the last Han emperor in the year 220 Compared to the first period of the Han Dynasty, the second period falls out weakly.

Overview

When the peasants rose in the government " rebellion of the Red Eyebrows " against Wang Mang, three relatives of the Han imperial family attended. Liu Xiu was only a distant relative of the last Western Han emperor. As a result of the centralization of power his family had lost almost all privileges. During the rebellion against Wang Mang, however, Liu Xiu was able to support both the injured Wang Mang's reforms landowners receive as well as the peasants, who were charged twice by natural disasters and poorly implemented reforms. Finally, Liu Xiu proclaimed himself emperor and put Luo Yang as the capital of the new dynasty established. However, it took another 15 years to Liu Xiu was able to bring the entire country under the control and knock down all rebellions.

Since the end of the Western Han Dynasty in China came into fashion alchemy. In particular, the rulers sought in alchemy of immortality. Ironically, almost all " elixirs " of that time mercury, phosphorus and sulfur. So it happened that almost all Eastern Han emperor died early and, if at all, minor children or even infants left behind as his successor. Apart from the first three emperors all Eastern Han emperors were underage. The business of government had to be taken from their mothers. This also still young, politically inexperienced Emperor widows had to look from their confidants and they were either their relatives ( fathers, brothers ) or eunuchs in its government business advice. So it was that during the Eastern Han dynasty certain families and the eunuchs exercised immense power and even were able to sell emperor.

At the same time remained the social problems that already the Western Han Dynasty and Wang Mang came back to haunt unresolved. The unequal distribution of land and the horrendous taxes ( in some years even more than 50 %) continue to load heavily on the peasants. The local landowner built a clientele system. They were now no longer the owner of the land, the farmers worked, but also their protector. In this role, she armed the peasants. Since the central government was weak and constantly embroiled in internal strife, the local powers in the country had a lot of freedom to build their own power base.

The death blow was the dynasty of the " Yellow Turban Rebellion ", so called because the rebels wore a yellow turban as a distinctive mark in the field. The organizer of the uprising Zhang Jiao was the founder of Taoist sect. He stated that he possessed an elixir that could cure disease and that he would pass on without compensation to the farmers. Especially among peasants and artisans found the sect large inflow. After a short time he already had more than 300,000 followers, he organized military. 184 he issued the call for an uprising, and within a very short time, there was everywhere in China well-organized insurgents. To combat the insurgency, the Kaiserhof is called the local landowners and their paramilitary organizations to help.

Although the rebellion was quelled quickly, but the country was now dotted with numerous warlords, who had followed the call of the imperial court and in their turn sought power. After more than 10 years of struggle were formed gradually out three powers, with Cao Cao occupied the entire middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River and brought the Emperor in his power. On behalf of Emperor Cao now led from his military enterprises and was the most powerful force in China. But before he had not quite united China, the cautious Cao did not dare to push the emperor from the throne. Only his son Cao Pi deposed the Han emperor and founded the Wei Dynasty.

Culture

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Buddhism spread rapidly in China. Buddhist monks came over the Silk Road to China again and again and brought Buddhist texts that were eagerly translated into Chinese.

During the Eastern Han Dynasty witnessed the poems with five characters per line a climax. A well-known example is the poem in seven steps of Cao Zhi: " Beanstalk burning under the pot, the beans weep in the pot: we are of the same root, why you bedrängst me so? " The poem was the brother of the above-mentioned Emperor Cao pi. After his coronation was afraid of this, that his brother, whom he had always envied his intelligence, could be dangerous to him. So he ordered Cao Zhi and demanded of him that he was a poem with five characters per line reciting within seven steps to avoid being beheaded.

In many exposed tombs of the Eastern Han period have been discovered wall paintings. This art form became especially popular in this era. After presentation of contemporary texts almost all the houses, palaces and temples were covered with murals.

Technology and Science

The most important scientist of the period was Zhang Heng (张衡). Zhang Heng was very done especially in astronomy, although he still went out of the earth as the center of the universe. According to this model, he built a device, which was a water -powered celestial globe. He was the first Chinese to describe correctly in his work the cause of solar and lunar eclipses. Allegedly, he also developed an instrument with which one could recognize vibrations of the earth from a distance.

In medicine, the physician Hua Tuo (华佗), who lived at the end of the epoch, great fame. He is said to have invented a (probably alcoholic ) drink, could be carried out painlessly with the surgical procedures. In this way, he is said to have even performed cranial surgery. He also invented a kind of shadow boxing as gymnastics.