The Han Dynasty extended from 221 B.C. to 221 A.D. This marked the beginning of the Confucian state, which would extend to about 1600 A.D. The Han period saw the beginnings and evolution of a governmental system, an economic structure, and a variety of intellectual developments. This was also the era when the civil service system was developed, along with the civil service examination by which the imperial Confucian state to recruit candidates to serve in government. Once the Han Dynasty collapsed, unity would be reestablished by the Sui and Tang dynasties. In addition, this period would be marked by the development of relations between the Chinese and various non-Chinese people in East Asia.
The Han empire was contemporary with the Roman Empire, but it was much larger and was indeed the superior civilization in the world. The Han dynasty began its administration of China by creating 14 commanderies to govern the western half of China while at the same time allowing 10 aristocratic kingdoms to control the more populous eastern half. The Han emperors placed their sons in charge of these kingdoms and over time reduced their territories and the size of their courts.
By 108 B.C. there were 84 commanderies and 18 kingdoms, smaller and more easily controlled. Meanwhile, the Han emperors conferred hundreds of marquisates, consisting of certain taxes from the land and the populace of a designated area, on relatives and men of merit who would (it was hoped) collect the taxes and be local aristocratic supporters of the throne.
The Quin and Han created a bureaucracy that bolstered the power of the state in a number of ways. The government post served to send communications along the highway. Regional inspectors traveled through designated areas and reported on local administration each year to the imperial secretariat at the capital. The problem they were meant to address was "how to check the reemergence of aristocrat...