Eastern Han Dynasty 25 - 250 A.D.

A member of the Liu family, Liu Xiu (Lsu-Hsiu), raised an army and fought his way to the capital, Chang'an, after Wang Mang's death. After some years of fighting, he restored order to the country, and ascended the throne as emperor Guang Wudi (Kuang Wu-Ti). The capital was moved to the east, Luoyang, hence the name the "Eastern Han Dynasty".

A new flowering of the Empire followed: overseas trade was initiated from Nan-hai (Canton). Chinese silk was exported to the Roman Empire. By the end of the 1st cent. AD., China had regained the power position of the time of Wu-Ti.

Turkestan was conquered and the Persian Gulf reached. Paper was invented circa 100 A.D. During the 1st century Buddhism spread from India. In 184 A.D., struggles over the succession and the influence of empresses and eunuchs, led to the popular rebellion of the 'yellow turbans'.

In 220 A.D. Ts'Ao P'ei (founder of the Wei Dynasty) forced the last of the Han rulers to resign.