Han Dynasty Discussion

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The Emperor Qin Shi Huang spent a fortune on alchemy, medicines and potions in an attempt to become immortal. One of these potions killed him and a bloody civil war began in 210 BC. The victorious Han began an aggressive foreign policy conquering both competing kingdoms to the south and declaring war with the ancestors of the Mongols to the north, the Xiongnu. The rapid expansion into central Asia gave China its first contact with the numerous nomadic tribes of the inner steppes which attracted traders and merchants to the lucrative corridor between East and West - this marked the beginning of the Silk Road. With the Han Dynasty came China's Golden Age - bringing great advances in art, culture and science. A new religion called Buddhism began to spread down the Silk Road. The Han eventually defeated the Xiongnu after generations of fighting and trade with the West greatly expanded. Finally in 222 AD the dynasty broke apart into 3 kingdoms - the Shu, the Wu and the Wei.