A Probe On Western And Eastern Han Dynasties: The Watershed Of China Ancient Diplomacy

The period of Eastern and Western Han Dynasties was a milestone of Chinese ancient diplomacy,during which a complete national pattern began to form. After that, it went out of the regional control of the native and North-Eastern Asia,and pioneered a new situation: the relations with South-Eastern Asia, West Asia, Central Asia, North Africa and many European countries established; The Silk Road began to be unhindered; the international order characteristic of East Asia overseas Chinese paying tribute originally formed; the diplomatic organizations of management were gradually perfect, and setting up a diplomatic managing system which could be mutually cooperative. These greatly affected the later Central Plains Dynasties. This essay illustrates Eastern and Western Dynasties played an indispensable role in Chinese history of diplomacy. There are three chapters:Chapter I mainly discusses that the complete national pattern of ancient China was finally formed in Han Dynasty. Universal is Chinese characteristic, namely the despotic centralization power, the prefectures management and the Confucians theory lead the people's ideology. During that time, the political power, the territory and the ideology was developing along with the unified tendency respectively and finally unified. It's eventually formed the complete national pattern as a diplomatic subject. Up to this, China had the national diplomacy. Therefore, Chinese national diplomacy started in true significance.Chapter II mainly tells the formation of Silk Road, as well as the development of broad foreign relations in this process. Based on the situation's needs of military, politics and economy, take Zhang Qian's diplomacy as the symbols, Han Dynasty had launched unprecedented foreign relations. Take managing the western region as a key point, the government had a close connection with the West Asia, Central Asia, even with Rome; and has also had a widespread political, economical and culture contact to the South Asia, Southeast Asia as well as India. In this process, the Silk Road was formed gradually.