A new Chinese dynasty, called Han (206 BCE- CE 220), had emerged with its capital at Chang'an after a short civil war.

The new empire has retained much of the Qin administrative structure but has retreated a bit from centralized rule by establishing vassal principalities in some areas for the sake of political convenience.

The Han rulers modify some of the harsher aspects of the previous dynasty; Confucian ideals of government, out of favor during the Qin period, are adopted as the creed of the Han empire, and Confucian scholars gain prominent status as the core of the civil service.

A civil service examination system also is initiated.

Intellectual, literary, and artistic endeavors revive and flourish.

The Han period produces China's most famous historian, Sima Qian (145-87 BCE?), whose Shiji (Historical Records) provides a detailed chronicle from the time of a legendary Xia emperor to that of the Han emperor Wu Di (141-87 BCE).

Technological advances also marked this period.

Two of the great Chinese inventions, paper and porcelain, date from Han times.