汉朝是中国历史上继短暂的秦朝之后出现的朝代，分为“西汉”（前202年—8年)与“东汉”(公元25年—公元220年）两个历史时期，后世史学家亦称两汉。
西汉为汉高祖刘邦所建立，建都长安；东汉为汉光武帝刘秀所建立，建都洛阳。其间曾有王莽篡汉自立的短暂新朝（公元8年－公元23年）。另外，部分学者亦将蜀汉列入汉朝的延续而将其归入汉朝的一部分，如此汉朝灭亡则是在263年，但大部分说法均将由刘备建立的蜀汉政权归入三国史中。
两汉时期是当时世界上一个伟大的一段历史，汉高祖至汉文景时期的汉朝，经济实力直线上升，成为东方第一帝国，与西罗马并称两大帝国。中亚和西域各大国也都闻而惧之。而到了汉武帝时期，汉帝国已经成为世界上最强大的帝国，匈奴帝国战败而向北狼狈逃遁。张骞出西域首次开辟了著名的“丝绸之路”，开通了东西方贸易的通道，中国从此成为世界贸易体系的中心，直到一千多年后蒙古人的叛乱。正是因为汉朝的声威远播，外族开始称呼中国人为“汉人”，而汉朝人也乐于这样称呼自己，“汉”从此成为了伟大的中国华夏民族的永远的名字。
汉代起初在汉高祖刘邦时根据五德始终说，定正朔为水德，到汉武帝时，又改正朔为土德，直到王莽建立新朝，方才采用刘向刘歆父子的说法，认为汉朝属于火德。汉光武帝光复汉室之后，正式承认了这种说法，从此确立汉朝正朔为火德，东汉及以后的史书如汉书、三国志等皆采用了这种说法。因此汉朝有时也被称为“炎汉”，又因汉朝皇帝姓刘而称“炎刘”。
汉代为汉高祖刘邦建立的中国第二个大一统的王朝。前期定都长安，又称西汉、前汉；后期定都洛阳，又称东汉、后汉。 西汉是我国封建社会初期的一个强盛、富饶的王朝，它继承和巩固了秦朝开始的统一国家，经济繁荣，国力强盛、人民安乐，呈现出一派太平盛世的景象。在此期间，中国一直以世界强国的面目屹立于世界之林。因此，西汉王朝被视为中国历史上的第一个黄金时期。西汉共传十四帝，前后经历210年。
西汉是中华民族发展史上的一个重要时期，中华各民族的核心汉族就是在这一时期出现的。自秦始皇统一中国后，原战国时各国的文化便相互渗透融合，到西汉时中华地区在典章制度、语言文字、文化教育、风俗习惯多方面都逐渐趋于统一，构成了共同的汉文化。从此中华地区的各族就出现了统一的汉族。汉族和周边各少数族都是汉代中国多民族国家的成员。汉族由于文明程度较高，在中国各兄弟民族中一直处于主导地位，这是历史发展和自然形成的结果。汉以后历代的朝代名称虽有变换，但汉族作为中国主体民族的地位始终未变。
【国号释义】
楚霸王项羽封刘邦为汉王，以后刘邦击败项羽，统一中国，改国号为“汉”。汉朝前期都长安，后期都洛阳，故从都城上有“西汉”和“东汉”，从时间上又有“前汉”和“后汉”之分。
西汉
秦朝灭亡以后，项羽和刘邦展开了长达四年的楚汉之争。刘邦在手下萧何、韩信、张良等人的辅助下，在垓下之战打败了西楚霸王项羽，于公元前202年正式称帝，定国号汉，汉朝就此开始。虽然公元前202年刘邦才称帝，但因史学界计算西汉年数时，为了与秦朝灭亡时间相接，则从公元前206年刘邦称“汉王”算起，并以十月为汉高祖元年的首月。
汉高祖刘邦登基后，采用叔孙通的建议，恢复礼法，设三公和九卿，任用萧何为丞相，采取与民休息、清静无为、休养生息的黄老政策。鼓励生产，轻徭薄赋。在政治上，则先分封功臣韩信、陈豨、彭越、英布等为王，等到政权稳固，为了防止反叛和巩固皇权稳定则又以种种罪名取消他们的王爵，或贬或杀，改封刘氏宗亲为王，订立了“非刘氏而王者，天下共击之”的誓言。此时，由于历经多年动乱，国力较弱，而刘邦在攻打匈奴时，曾被匈奴冒顿单于围困于白登，即白登之围事件，从此以后，汉朝采用和亲政策，以婚姻和财宝换取帝国和平，于是，汉朝初期并没有什么战事，百姓得以休养生息。刘邦死后，汉惠帝刘盈继位，但是在此期间，实际是吕后摄政。吕后尊刘邦遗嘱用曹参为丞相，萧规曹随，沿用刘邦的黄老政治的政策，达到了“政不出房户，天下晏然”的效果，为史家所称道，但吕后同时又任用外戚，压制功臣，酿成“诸吕之乱”。
吕后死后，诸吕之乱被以周勃为领袖的大臣铲除，众臣迎立汉文帝刘恒。他和儿子汉景帝即位期间，继续采取黄老无为而治的手段，实行轻徭薄赋、与民休息的政策，恩威并施，恢复了多年战争带来的巨大破坏，使人民负担得到减轻；虽然景帝年间(前154年)发生了此时期唯一的动乱—“七国之乱”，但是仅经历数月即为周亚夫所平定，并未对汉朝带来实质影响。这段时期，匈奴虽然几次入寇中原，但大多数时间里和南越一样，出于相对和平的状态。汉朝方面则不断积蓄国力，透过马复力等措施来积极备战。这一时期史称文景之治，是中国成为大一统时代以来，第一次被传统历史学家称羡的盛世时代。
景帝死后，其子刘彻即位，是为汉武帝。武帝在位期间（前141年-前87年），采取了一系列改革措施，锐意进取，使得汉朝的政治、经济、军事变得更为强大。在政治上，武帝加强皇权，采纳主父偃的建议，施行推恩令，削弱了诸侯王的势力，从此，诸侯王的势力不再能够对中央构成威胁；后又以诸侯献上的黄金成色不纯为由，取消了百余位列侯的爵位，即史书上所称的“酎金失侯”事件。经此二次事件后，中央集权得到了大大的加强。文化上，废除了汉朝以“黄老学说、无为而治”治国的思想，积极治国；并采纳董仲舒的建议，开始重用儒术。尽管武帝时期兼用儒、法、道、阴阳、纵横等各家人才，汉朝也一直“霸王道杂之”，但武帝时期对儒家的采用，使得儒家思想得到重视，并在以后逐渐成为中国历经二千年的主流思想。军事上，积极对付汉朝的最大外患--匈奴。在这期间，汉朝先后出现了卫青、霍去病等天才将领，终于击败匈奴单于，使得“漠南无王庭”。又吞灭南越国，征服朝鲜，使中国成为亚洲第一霸主，世界第一帝国。外交上，两次派张骞出使西域，开辟了丝绸之路。并先后以两位翁主刘细君，刘解忧和亲西域大国，而达到了离间西域和匈奴，进而控制西域的目的。丝绸之路：中国的丝和丝织品，从长安经过河西走廊、今新疆地区，通往中亚、西亚，直到欧洲。因此有了“丝绸之路”的美称。丝绸之路成为东西方经济文化交流的桥梁。公元前60年，西汉王朝在西域设置西域都护，这是今新疆地区正式归属中央统辖的开始。但是，汉朝经历多年战争，加上汉武帝好大喜功，对经济产生巨大冲击，导致汉朝国力衰弱，前朝积蓄被挥霍殆尽。为此，汉武帝晚年曾发表著名的轮台之诏，希望不再穷兵黩武，也使汉朝不至于败亡。为抢救经济，武帝在位期间曾采取一系列政策，将铸币、盐铁收归中央管理，加强农业生产，实行和籴法，开凿白渠，并创立均输、平准政策，稳定物价，与民争利，加强国家在经济中扮演的角色。
汉武帝晚年，发生了著名的“巫蛊之祸”，太子刘据因此被害。武帝死后，年仅八岁的刘弗陵即位，是为昭帝。汉昭帝登基之初，由上官桀、金日磾和霍光三人共同辅政。但是在元凤元年（前80年），爆发元凤政变，聪明的汉昭帝清醒的诛杀了上官桀等一批阴谋权臣，避免了霍光被怨杀。霍光从此辅佐汉昭帝治国。昭帝时期遵循武帝晚年的政策，对内继续休养生息，以至于百姓安居乐业，四海清平。昭帝死后，武帝孙昌邑王刘贺即位。他行为放纵，密谋除掉霍光，但反被霍光废掉。之后霍光又迎立刘病己即位，是为汉宣帝。本始元年（前73年），霍光还政于宣帝。地节二年，霍光去世。但霍氏一门逐渐腐败黑暗。宣帝将腐败的霍氏集团一网打尽。宣帝治国摒弃不切实际的儒学，采取道法结合的治国方针，在整顿吏治上沿用昭帝时期，劝民农桑，抑制兼并，降低豪强在国家中的角色。经过了昭宣二帝的休养生息国家经济明显恢复，使汉朝再度迎来了盛世，这就是著名的昭宣中兴。
宣帝死后，汉元帝即位，西汉开始走向衰败。元帝柔仁好儒，导致皇权旁落，外戚与宦官势力兴起。他死后，汉成帝刘骜即位。成帝好女色，先后宠爱许皇后、班婕妤和赵氏姐妹（赵飞燕、赵合德），由于赵氏姐妹不能生育，成帝与其他妃嫔的子女均为赵飞燕姐妹残害杀死，史称“燕啄皇孙”。由于“酒色侵骨”，成帝最后竟死在温柔乡之中。成帝不理朝政，为外戚王氏集团的兴起提供了条件，皇太后王政君权力急剧膨胀。成帝死后，由定陶王之子刘欣即位,是为汉哀帝。哀帝有“断袖之癖”，终日与他宠信的对象董贤厮混玩耍不理朝政。外戚王氏的权力进一步膨胀。国家已经呈现一片末世之象，民间“再受命”说法四起。元寿二年八月，哀帝去世。太皇太后王政君派王莽接替董贤成为大司马，并迎接中山王刘衎即位，是为汉平帝。但是，刘衎已经沦为王莽的傀儡。五年后，王莽毒死仅14岁的平帝，并迎立太子刘婴即位，自己担任“假皇帝”。公元8年，王莽逼迫孺子婴退位，建立新朝，西汉灭亡。
The Han Dynasty, which followed the briefQin Dynasty in Chinese history, was divided into two periods: the Western Han(202 BC -- 8 BC) and the Eastern Han (25 AD -- 220 AD), also known as the TwoHan Dynasties by later historians.
The Western Han Dynasty was founded by LiuBang, Emperor Gaozu of Han, with Chang 'an as its capital. The Eastern HanDynasty was founded by Liu Xiu, Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty, withLuoyang as its capital. During this period, there was a brief new Dynasty (8 AD- 23 AD) when Wang Mang usurped the Han Dynasty. In ADDITION, SOME SCHOLARSalso included Shu Han as a continuation of the Han Dynasty and classified it asa part of the Han Dynasty, so that the collapse of the Han Dynasty in 263, butmost of them put the Shu Han regime established by Liu Bei in the history ofThe Three Kingdoms.
The Han Dynasty was a great period ofhistory in the world at that time. From the Gaozu period to the Wenjing periodof the Han Dynasty, the economic strength of the Han Dynasty rose in a straightline, becoming the first empire in the East, and called the two great empireswith the Western Rome. The great powers of Central Asia and the Western regionsare also alarmed. By the time of Emperor Wudi, the Han Empire had become themost powerful empire in the world, and the Xiongnu Empire was defeated and flednorth in confusion. Zhang Qian's departure from the Western Regions firstopened the famous "Silk Road", opening trade routes between East andWest, and China became the center of the world trading system until the Mongolrebellion more than a thousand years later. It was because of the great powerof the Han Dynasty that foreigners began to call the Chinese as"Han", and the Han people were happy to call themselves as such, and"Han" has since become the eternal name of the great Chinese nation.
At the beginning of the Han Dynasty in theHan Gaozu Liu Bang according to the five De always said, set Zhengshuo as waterde, to the Han Emperor Wudi, and correct Shuo as soil de, until Wang Mangestablished the new Dynasty, just adopted the Liu Xiang Liu Xin son's view,that the Han Dynasty belongs to fire De. After the emperor Guangwu of the HanDynasty restored the Han Dynasty, he officially recognized this statement andestablished the Zhengshuo of the Han Dynasty as Huo De. The history books ofthe Eastern Han Dynasty and later, such as the Han book and the annals of TheThree Kingdoms, all adopted this statement. Therefore, the Han Dynasty issometimes called "Yan Han", and also "Yan Liu" because theemperor's surname is Liu.
The Han Dynasty was the second unifieddynasty established by Liu Bang, Emperor Gaozu of Han Dynasty. Early capitalChang 'an, also known as the Western Han Dynasty, the former Han Dynasty; Luoyangwas the capital of the later Han Dynasty, also known as the Eastern and LaterHan Dynasties. The Western Han Dynasty was a strong and rich dynasty in theearly feudal society of China. It inherited and consolidated the unifiedcountry started by the Qin Dynasty. It had a prosperous economy, a strongnational strength and a happy people, presenting a peaceful and prosperousscene. During this period, China has been standing tall in the world as a worldpower. Therefore, the Western Han Dynasty is regarded as the first golden agein Chinese history. The Western Han Dynasty had a total of 14 emperors andlasted 210 years.
The Western Han Dynasty is an importantperiod in the history of the development of the Chinese nation. The Hannationality, the core of all the Chinese nations, appeared in this period.Since the unification of China by the First Emperor of Qin, the cultures ofvarious countries in the original Warring States period have penetrated andintegrated into each other. In the Western Han Dynasty, the Chinese region hasgradually become unified in terms of laws and regulations, language, cultureand education, customs and habits, forming a common Han culture. Since then,the ethnic groups in China have emerged a unified Han nationality. The Hannationality and the surrounding ethnic minorities were all members of themulti-ethnic state of Han China. Due to the higher degree of civilization, theHan nationality has been in the dominant position among all the brother ethnicgroups in China, which is the result of historical development and naturalformation. Although the names of the dynasties after the Han Dynasty havechanged, the status of the Han nationality as the main ethnic group in Chinahas never changed.
【 Meaning of country name 】
Xiang Yu, the overlord of Chu, made LiuBang the king of Han. Later, Liu Bang defeated Xiang Yu, unified China, andrenamed the country "Han". The capital of the Han Dynasty was Chang'an in the early period, and Luoyang in the late period. Therefore, there are"Western Han" and "Eastern Han" in terms of capital, and"former Han" and "Later Han" in terms of time.
The western han dynasty
After the collapse of the Qin Dynasty,Xiang Yu and Liu Bang fought for four years between Chu and Han. With the helpof his men Xiao He, Han Xin and Zhang Liang, Liu Bang defeated Xiang Yu, theoverlord of Western Chu, in the battle of Gaixia. In 202 BC, Liu Bangofficially declared himself emperor and named his kingdom Han, thus beginningthe Han Dynasty. Although Liu Bang proclaimed himself emperor in 202 BC, inorder to coincide with the collapse of the Qin Dynasty, historians calculatedthe number of years of the Western Han Dynasty from 206 BC, when Liu Bangcalled him "King of Han", and took October as the first month of thefirst year of Emperor Gaozu of Han.
After Liu Bang, Emperor Gao-zu of the HanDynasty ascended the throne, he adopted Shu Suntong's suggestion to restore theetiquette, set up three princes and nine ministers, appointed Xiao He as theprime minister, and adopted the Huang-Lao policy of resting with the people,doing nothing and recuperating. Encourage production, light corvee. Politically,Han Xin, Chen Siegai, Peng Yue, Yingbu, etc. were first assigned as Kings, andwhen the regime was stable, in order to prevent rebellion and consolidate thestability of the imperial power, they would cancel their royal titles onvarious charges, or demote or kill them, and rename the Liu clan as Kings. Theymade the oath of "not the Liu clan but the king, and the whole world willattack them together". At this time, after many years of turmoil, thenational power was weak, and when Liu Bang attacked Xiongnu, he was besieged bythe Huns, namely the siege of Baideng. From then on, the Han Dynasty adoptedthe policy of peace and friendship, and exchanged marriage and treasure for thepeace of the empire. Therefore, there was no war in the early period of the HanDynasty, and the people could recover. After Liu Bang's death, the Han HuiEmperor Liu Ying succeeded to the throne, but during this period, Empress Luwas actually the regency. Empress Lu honored Liu Bang's will with Cao Can asprime minister, and Xiao rule and Cao Sui followed Liu Bang's policy ofHuang-Lao politics, which achieved the effect of "keeping the governmentin the house and the world at an end", which was praised by historians.However, Empress Lu also appointed relatives to suppress the influentialofficials, leading to the "chaos of Lv".
After the death of Empress Lu, therebellion in Zhulv was eradicated by the ministers with Zhou Bo as theirleader, and the ministers set up Liu Heng, Emperor Wen of Han. When he and hisson Emperor Jingdi came to the throne, they continued to adopt a policy ofcorvee and rest with the people, which restored the great damage caused byyears of war and relieved the burden of the people. Although the reign ofEmperor Jingdi (154 BC) witnessed the only disturbance of this period, the"Seven Kingdoms Rebellion", it was put down by Zhou Yafu in only afew months, and did not have a substantial impact on the Han Dynasty. DuringTHIS PERIOD, THE XIONGNU INVADED THE CENTRAL PLAINS SEVERAL TIMES, BUT MOST OFTHE TIME, like SOUTH Vietnam, THEY WERE IN a relatively PEACEFUL STATE. On theother hand, the Han Dynasty kept accumulating its national strength andactively prepared for war through Ma Fu Li and other measures. This period,known as the reign of Wenjing in history, was the first time that traditionalhistorians admired the prosperous age since China became a unified era.
After Emperor Jing's death, his son Liu Cheascended the throne as Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. During the reign ofEmperor Wudi (141-87 BC), he adopted a series of reform measures and forgedahead, which made the Han Dynasty stronger politically, economically andmilitarily. Politically, Emperor Wudi strengthened the imperial power, adoptedthe suggestion of the ruler and Yan, and implemented the decree of Tien, whichweakened the power of the vassals. From then on, the power of the vassals couldno longer pose a threat to the central government. After citing governorspresented in assaying the fineness of gold is not pure, cancelled hundreds inhou's title, the "lost ZhouJin hou" referred to in the historyevents. After this second event, the centralization has been greatlystrengthened. Culturally, it abolished the idea of "Huang-Lao theory andrule by doing nothing" in the Han Dynasty, and actively ran the country.And adopted Dong Zhongshu's suggestion, began to reuse Confucianism. In thereign of Emperor Wudi, Confucianism, law, Dao, Yin and Yang, and horizontal andhorizontal talents were used simultaneously, and the Han Dynasty was always"hegemonic and mixed", but the adoption of Confucianism in the reignof Emperor Wudi led to the attention of Confucianism, and it gradually becamethe mainstream thought in China after two thousand years. Militarily, it activelydealt with the biggest foreign invasion of the Han Dynasty - Xiongnu. Duringthis period, Wei Qing, Huo Qubing and other talented generals appeared in theHan Dynasty, and finally defeated the Huns, making "there is no royalcourt in the south of the Desert". It also devoured South Vietnam andconquered Korea, making China the first hegemon in Asia and the first empire inthe world. Diplomatically, he sent Zhang Qian twice to the Western Regions toopen up the Silk Road. Liu Xijun, LIU XiexUI and the PRO-Western POWERS WERETHE TWO Woundmasters, and achieved the goal of separating the Western REGIONSfrom the Xiongnu, and then controlling the Western regions. Silk Road: Chinesesilk and silk products, from Chang 'an to Central Asia, West Asia and Europethrough the Hexi Corridor and modern Xinjiang region. Hence the good name"Silk Road". The Silk Road became a bridge for economic and culturalexchanges between the East and the West. In 60 BC, the Western Han Dynasty setup the Western Regions in the Western Regions, which was the beginning of thepresent Xinjiang region formally under the central government. However, yearsof war in the Han Dynasty, coupled with Emperor Wudi's desire to celebrate, hada huge impact on the economy, leading to the weakness of the Han Dynasty andthe squandering of the previous dynasty's savings. Therefore, in his lateryears
