Classical China
Learn about classical China — the era of Confucius, the Qin unification, and the Han Dynasty that established the foundations of Chinese civilization.
Classical China (c. 551 BCE – 220 CE) encompasses the era from Confucius through the fall of the Han Dynasty — the period that established the intellectual, political, and cultural foundations of Chinese civilization. The philosophical traditions, governmental structures, and cultural norms developed during these centuries would shape China for the next two millennia.
The period began in philosophical ferment. The Hundred Schools of Thought — Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, Mohism, and others — debated fundamental questions about human nature, governance, and the good life. This intellectual richness emerged from political chaos: the Warring States period saw constant warfare between rival kingdoms, creating urgent demand for thinkers who could explain how to create stable, just societies.
The Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE) imposed political unity through Legalist methods — effective but brutally repressive. The Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE) found a more sustainable balance, adopting Confucianism as the state ideology while maintaining centralized imperial authority. The Han established the civil service examination system, expanded the empire through Central Asia and the Silk Road, and created the political and cultural template that would define Chinese governance until the 20th century.
Lessons covering this topic
Browse all lessons →Confucius, Laozi & Chinese Philosophy
The Hundred Schools of Thought and their lasting influence.
The Qin Dynasty
Legalism, the Great Wall, and the first emperor of unified China.
The Han Dynasty
Paper, the Silk Road, and a bureaucratic empire that rivaled Rome.