Much of the world in 200 B.C. was entering nearly 600 years of instability: but something different was happening in China and Rome. Focus on the first of these two powers, each of which would shape a stable empire for the next four centuries.

Enter the lives of the Han nobility - China's second imperial dynasty - through their tombs, whose fabulous artifacts bear witness to their lavish lifestyle, diet, and concern for learning. Take account of the Han golden age, during which essential imperial institutions were established and Han territories were expanded. Also take note of the rise of a new and powerful scholarly elite.

The magic treehouse takes Jack and Annie back two thousand years to ancient China where they must find the original copy of an old legend before the Imperial Library is burned down by the evil Dragon King.

In China during the Han Dynasty, young Ping, doubting that she is the true dragonkeeper, struggles to care for the baby dragon, Kai, in the desolate mountains of Tai Shan, until fate leads her back to the Imperial Palace and the Garden of the Purple Dragon, but even in the safety of the palace, enemies abound and tempt her to try to escape her destiny.

An Emperor declares war on two kingdoms in China to unite the entire country during 208 AD, which becomes one of the biggest military battles in history as the two kingdoms unite against the Emperor.

Learn how the chaotic three-and-a-half centuries that followed the dissolution of the Han Empire spawned new philosophical and religious yearnings and paved the way for the founding of the next great dynasty.

A wonderful introduction for young readers to the Chinese zodiac adapted from a Chinese Buddhist legend dating from the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD).

Chinese culture produced what is arguably the most complex, sophisticated, and varied culinary tradition on earth. Trace the rise of civilization in China from the Hsia to the Han dynasty, the social and technological factors underlying China's elaborate food traditions, and the role of Taoist thought and Chinese medicine in diet.

Delve into the interaction of the Turks and Chinese, starting with a look at China since the Han dynasty's fragmentation; then investigate the nomads who settled in China. Conclude with a discussion of unification under the Sui and Tang emperors, including their relationship with the Gök Turks and Uighurs.

Return to China and the era of fragmentation and conflict that followed the fall of the Han dynasty. Three kingdoms emerged, followed by the Jin and Sui dynasties. In this age of disunity, Buddhism made remarkable inroads into China as an alternative to Confucianism and Daoism, offering hope of salvation during a chaotic period.

In the first half of this lecture, consider how Confucianism moved into the seat of power in China during the four centuries of the Han dynasty and evolved in two very different directions. Then, explore how this new form of "State Confucianism" blended with other Eastern belief systems - especially Buddhism.

In this second lecture on the Han, you explore the dynasty's deep and vibrant cultural legacy, from its system of education to its porcelain pottery and jade burial suits. You'll also look at the Han's extraordinary innovations in science and technology, including the iron industry and the invention of paper.