4. The Qin and Han Empires [chapter]

Kathrin Leese-Messing, Sitta Reden
2019 Handbook of Ancient Afro-Eurasian Economies  
The early Chinese imperial period comprises the reigns of the short-lived Qin 秦 dynasty (221-207 ) and the subsequent, long-lasting Han 漢 dynasty (206 -220 ). The early Chinese empire ranks among the largest empires of its time. It was comparable to the Roman Empire in terms of its peak population (up to 60 million) 1 and territorial size (up to 6.5 million sq. km). 2 One distinguishing feature of its spatial dimensions is that following a short period of rapid expansion, the empire
more » ... r Qin rule already comprised large parts of what would be the peak of the Han Empire's territorial dimensions, which the latter then kept 3 (and, during certain phases, further extended) until the early third century . The area that came to be the capital area of both the Qin and Former Han Empires is traditionally referred to as Guanzhong 關中, the 'area within the passes' (map 1). With the fertile lower Wei 渭 River valley at its core, the area is ringed by hills and mountains and was therefore accessible only through a number of passes. From here, several dynasties would unify their empires, and it served as the capital area for 12 dynasties from the Zhou 周 (ca. 1045-770 ) up to the Tang 唐 (618-907 ) period. A traveler leaving the Guanzhong plains toward the east, where the Yellow River (Huanghe 黃河) cuts through the mountains at the Hangu 函谷 Pass, reaches the westernmost edges of the North China Plain. 4 With the Yellow River at its center, it constitutes China's largest alluvial plain. With its fertile loess soil, but only a moderate amount of precipitation and a relatively short growing season, the North China Plain is particularly suitable for growing drought-resistant and quickly maturing crops like millet and soy beans. The area was home to many prehistoric cultures
doi:10.1515/9783110607741-006 fatcat:eaznby2r6bbc5bimvj4l7qrimy