Page 66 - Encyclopedia Of World History Vol III

han wudi 885

foreign policy and employed officials who favored harsh society. During the early Han dynasty the book, The Clas-
punishment. However, the early Han intellectual world sic of Filial Piety, also appeared. Filial piety remains an
was synthetic. Han Wudi substantially followed Confu- important cultural value in China.
cian practices. He observed Confucian ritual and music, Wudi’s predecessors had left him a large treasury
promoted the Confucian virtue of filial piety (obedience from their frugal rule. However, Wudi’s military cam-
to parents), and sent officials to assist people who were paigns soon emptied the treasury, and he tried various
old, widowed, ill, or disabled. Moreover, despite initiat- ways to raise money, including confiscating the lands of
ing military campaigns, he did not increase taxes on the nobles and selling offices and titles. However, under the
farming population. In his edicts he frequently revered influence of Sang Hongyang, a merchant’s son, Wudi
Yao, the legendary Confucian sage ruler whom the Han increased state revenue by directly involving the govern-
emperors claimed as their ancestor. In addition, although ment in business.The government monopolized the pro-
Wudi was stern, he was fair. He accepted frank criticism duction of money (coins), iron, salt, and liquor, thus
andreveredJian,anoutspokenConfucian-Daoistminister. bringing in revenue.Wudi also directed the government
Wudi was strong and resolute but constrained by Con- to buy grain in regions with full harvests and to sell grain
fucianism and the Mandate of Heaven,which held that an in regions with a shortage.This policy turned a profit for
emperor’s rule is based on the blessing of heaven and that the state, balanced the price of grain, and relieved
if an emperor rules unwisely, heaven will retract the man- famine.The state also profited from a heavy tax on mer-
date.They were devoted to Confucian ethical norms and chants. In addition to taxing commodities, Han Wudi
a government for the people. Confucianism advocated a taxed carts and boats.
benevolent ruler, and Confucian officials were not uncon- The influence of Han Wudi’s state monopoly was far
ditionallyloyaltoanemperor.Moreover,HanConfucian- reaching; later Chinese emperors often resorted to the
ism(ConfucianismoftheHandynastywhichalsoabsorbed monopoly to meet extreme fiscal difficulties, bringing in
non-Confucian elements) considered natural disasters to revenue without increasing taxes. The monopoly, how-
be warnings from heaven about flaws of the emperor and ever, was not without opposition. In 81 BCE, shortly after
used such warnings to persuade emperors to reform. the death of Wudi, a group of people criticized the state
In 124 BCE Han Wudi established an imperial univer- monopoly in a court debate.Wudi’s fiscal polices were in
sity of Confucian learning, with fifty students studying sharp contrast with those of the previous sixty years of
from five learned Confucians, each specializing on a dif- the early Han dynasty, but in the debate the govern-
ferent Confucian classic.The university was designed to ment’s views prevailed.
train Confucian officials,but it was based on merit.Grad- Han Wudi made many other innovations, such as pro-
uates were required to pass a written exam before being claiming a new calendar. However, his economic policies
admitted to a pool of officials-in-waiting.By the later Han were most innovative and, to some extent, were compa-
dynasty the university had 300,000 students. rable with modern state enterprises (in some countries) on
Han Wudi also promoted Confucian virtues in domes- vital industrial resources such as electricity and petroleum.
tic affairs. Beginning in 134 BCE he ordered senior offi- About 200 BCE the Xiongnu, a nomadic Turkish-
cials to recommend candidates who were known for their speaking people under the rule of Maodun, had estab-
filial piety and integrity.The officials were responsible for lished a large federation from the Aral Sea to the Yellow
their recommendations, and candidates were tested for Sea, just north of Han territory. Unable to confront Mao-
qualification. Because Confucian learning and Confucian dun, the early Han rulers had sent him gifts and married
virtue were the avenues to officialdom, the most desirable a Han Princess to him; but they had not always been
career path in the empire, Confucian ideas took root in able to prevent Maodun or his successor from pillaging