Map Description

The Western Han Dynasty (202 BCE – 8 CE) was a centralized empire in Chinese history succeeding the Qin Dynasty. With twelve emperors over 210 years, its capital was established at Chang'an. It is historically known as the "Former Han" or the "Western Capital." Its historical evolution can be divided into the following key stages:

Initial Establishment and Consolidation of Power After defeating Xiang Yu in the Chu-Han Contention, Liu Bang established the Western Han Dynasty in 202 BCE, initially setting the capital at Luoyang before moving it to Chang'an. The early Han implemented a "Recovery and Rest" policy, reducing taxes (initially 1/15 of the harvest, later 1/30) and restoring agricultural production, a period historically termed the "Rule of Wen and Jing." During this time, central authority was gradually consolidated through measures like lightening corvée labor and taxes, and weakening the power of the feudal princes.

Strengthening of Central Authority During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han (141–87 BCE), reforms were implemented: * Political: Issued the "Decree of Grace" to weaken the feudal princes and established the "Inner Court" to enhance the emperor's decision-making efficiency. * Economic: Instituted state monopolies on salt and iron, and standardized currency and measurements. * Ideological: Adopted Dong Zhongshu's policy of "Dismissing the Hundred Schools, Reverencing Only the Confucian," establishing Confucianism as the official state philosophy. * Military: Launched campaigns against the Xiongnu in the north, expanded into the Western Regions (dispatching Zhang Qian as envoy), and opened the Silk Road.

Prosperity and Crisis The late reign of Emperor Wu saw intensified social contradictions due to overexpansion, leading to issues like land annexation and peasant uprisings. The "Zhao-Xuan Restoration" (73–48 BCE) revived national strength through administrative reforms and reduced burdens, but failed to resolve the underlying conflicts completely.

Decline and End In the late Western Han period, interference by powerful maternal relatives, severe land annexation, and social turmoil intensified. In 8 CE, Wang Mang usurped the throne and established the "Xin Dynasty," marking the end of the Western Han. Liu Xiu later reestablished the Han Dynasty, known historically as the Eastern Han.

Map Source

The online historical map of the Western Han Dynasty period in China is sourced from the National Atlas of China. This atlas was chiefly edited by Wang Jing'ai and Zuo Wei, compiled by the Compilation Committee of the National Atlas of China, and published by SinoMaps Press. This map employs an Equal Area Conic projection and has a scale of 1:35,000,000.

The atlas comprises three main sections: Physical Geography, Human and Economic Geography, and Resource Development & Land Management. The Physical Geography section includes 11 units: Natural Landscape, Geomorphology, Geology, Climate, Hydrology, Soil, Vegetation, Zoology, Oceanography, Physical Geographic Regionalization, and Evolution of the Natural Environment. This section forms the geographical foundation, primarily illustrating the types, intensity, and spatiotemporal distribution patterns of various physical geographical elements in China. The Human and Economic Geography section contains 7 units: Ancient Territory, Population, Urban and Rural Areas, Society Culture and Tourism, Transportation and Modern Communications, Education and Science & Technology, and Economic Development. This section features the most frequently updated geographical data, mainly demonstrating the types, intensity, and spatiotemporal changes of various human and economic geographical elements in China. The Resource Development & Land Management section consists of 10 units: Land Resources and Development, Water Resources and Development, Energy Resources and Development, Biological Resources and Development, Land Degradation and Ecological Construction, Natural Disasters and Disaster Reduction, Environmental Pollution and Control, Endemic Diseases and Environment, Biodiversity and Nature Reserves, and Comprehensive Geographic Regionalization. Focusing on the "human-land relationship," this section reflects the characteristics and spatiotemporal patterns of China's natural resources, environmental issues arising from resource development and utilization, and land management measures.

Note: The brown lines and annotations on the map represent present-day features.

Related Maps

• Historical Map of Administrative Divisions in China during the Tang Dynasty (29th Year of Kaiyuan Era, 741 CE)
• Online Map of China in the 1st Year of Liao Tianqing and the 1st Year of Northern Song Zhenghe (1111 CE)
• Historical Map of China in the 1st Year of Zhishun Era, Yuan Dynasty (1330 CE)
• Online Historical Map of China in the 8th Year of Xuande Era, Ming Dynasty (1433 CE)
• Online Historical Map of China in the 25th Year of Jiaqing Era, Qing Dynasty (1820 CE)