| Born | 256 BC |
| Died | 195 BC |
| Name | Liu Bang |
| Reign | 202 BC - 195 BC |
| Title | Emperor Gaozu of Han |
| Legacy | Ruled over a unified China for over four centuries, making the Han Dynasty the longest-reigning imperial house in Chinese history |
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| Notable Achievements | Founding emperor of the Han Dynasty • Implemented sweeping reforms to centralize authority • Promoted commerce and agriculture • Fostered cultural and intellectual achievements • Presided over a golden age of imperial expansion and technological innovation |
Liu Bang (256 BC - 195 BC) was the founding emperor of the Han Dynasty, which ruled over a united China from 206 BC until 220 AD. As a peasant-born warlord, Liu Bang rose to power during the tumultuous Qin Dynasty and the subsequent Chu–Han Contention, establishing the Han as the preeminent imperial dynasty in Chinese history.
Born in the Pei Kingdom of the Warring States period, Liu Bang came from a humble farming background. As a young man, he was conscripted into the army of the Qin Dynasty, but deserted and became a minor warlord during the civil war that followed the collapse of Qin rule.
Seizing the city of Xiangyang in 208 BC, Liu Bang built a power base and formed an alliance with the warlord Xiang Yu. However, the two soon fell into conflict, sparking the Chu–Han Contention - a protracted civil war for control of China. After nearly a decade of fighting, Liu Bang emerged victorious, defeating Xiang Yu's forces in 202 BC and proclaiming himself the first emperor of the Han Dynasty.
As Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang set about consolidating his newly won power over the fractious kingdoms and territories that made up the former Qin Empire. He enacted a series of major reforms:
These measures allowed Liu Bang to weaken the old aristocratic order and build an efficient, bureaucratic state apparatus under his control. The Han Dynasty flourished as a result, entering a golden age of cultural, economic and territorial expansion.
Under Liu Bang and his successors, the Han Empire expanded its influence and territory dramatically. Han forces pushed westward into the Central Asian kingdoms, establishing vassal states and securing lucrative trade routes like the Silk Road. To the south, the Han extended their control over parts of Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
Domestically, the Han undertook massive infrastructure projects like the Dujiangyan Irrigation System and the Han–Guangwu Road to facilitate agricultural production and commerce. This economic growth fueled the empire's military might, allowing it to defeat nomadic invasions from the north.
The Han Dynasty founded by Liu Bang proved to be the longest-lasting imperial house in Chinese history, enduring for over four centuries. It laid the foundations for a distinctly "Chinese" system of centralized, bureaucratic governance that influenced all subsequent dynasties.
Liu Bang's reign is considered a golden age in Chinese history. The Han promoted Confucian ideals, patronized the arts and philosophy, and presided over an era of scientific and technological advancement. Culturally, the Han solidified the dominance of Chinese Sinic civilization across East Asia.
Even after the fall of the dynasty in 220 AD, the Han name and legacy continued to hold great prestige. Later imperial houses, such as the Tang Dynasty and Ming Dynasty, all claimed to be rightful successors to the Han legacy. Liu Bang's founding of this seminal dynasty thus had a profound and lasting impact on the course of Chinese history.
