This is a timeline of the Han dynasty (206 BC–220 AD) of Imperial China.
3rd century BC Year Date Event 202 BC 28 February Liu Bang becomes emperor of the Han dynasty (posthumously known as Emperor Gaozu of Han) Emperor Gaozu of Han moves the capital from Luoyang to Chang'an 201 BC Battle of Baideng: Emperor Gaozu of Han's army is defeated by the Xiongnu Xin, King of Han defects to the Xiongnu
2nd century BC 200s BC Year Date Event 197 BC The Xiongnu invade Dai Commandery with the help of Chen Xi and Han Xin 196 BC Emperor Gaozu of Han replaces nine of the ten Kings of the Han dynasty with his brothers and sons The Xiongnu invade Dai Commandery with the help of Han Xin 195 BC 1 June Emperor Gaozu of Han dies and is succeeded by Liu Ying (posthumously Emperor Hui of Han) The Xiongnu invade You Province with the help of Lu Wan
190s BC Year Date Event 188 BC Emperor Hui of Han dies and is succeeded by Liu Gong (posthumously Emperor Qianshao of Han) 184 BC Emperor Qianshao of Han dies and is succeeded by Liu Hong (posthumously Emperor Houshao of Han) 182 BC The Xiongnu invade Longxi Commandery and Tianshui 181 BC Nanyue invades Changsha The Xiongnu invade Longxi Commandery
180s BC Year Date Event 180 BC Lü Clan Disturbance: Empress Lü dies and her clan is slaughtered Emperor Houshao of Han is deposed and succeeded by Liu Heng (posthumously Emperor Wen of Han) 179 BC Earliest archaeological evidence of paper The Xiongnu invade Yunzhong Commandery 177 BC The Xiongnu invade Ordos 176 BC The kingdoms of Liang, Zhao, Qi, Dai, and Huainan are split up
170s BC Year Date Event 169 BC The Xiongnu raid Han 166 BC A 140,000 strong Xiongnu force invade near Chang'an
160s BC Year Date Event 160 BC A system of beacon and lookout stations is deployed 158 BC A 30,000 strong Xiongnu force attacks Yunzhong Commandery and Dai Commandery 157 BC Emperor Wen of Han dies and is succeeded by Liu Qi (posthumously Emperor Jing of Han) 154 BC Rebellion of the Seven States: Liu Pi and six other kings rebel but are defeated
150s BC Year Date Event 148 BC The Xiongnu attack Yan Province 144 BC The Xiongnu raid Yanmen Pass for horses 142 BC The Xiongnu attack Yanmen Pass 141 BC Emperor Jing of Han dies and is succeeded by Liu Che (posthumously Emperor Wu of Han)
140s BC Year Date Event 139 BC Zhang Qian sets off for the Western Regions 136 BC Official posts are created for academicians 135 BC Han campaigns against Minyue: A puppet king is installed in Minyue 133 BC June Battle of Mayi: The Han army fails to ambush the Xiongnu 132 BC Yellow River dikes burst
130s BC Year Date Event 129 BC Han forces (40,000) under Wei Qing, Gongsun Ao, Gongsun He, and Li Guang engage in combat with the Xiongnu 128 BC The Xiongnu attack Liaoxi and engage in combat with Han forces (40,000) under Wei Qing and Li Xi Nan Lü of Dongye surrenders to Han and the Canghai Commandery is created 127 BC The Xiongnu raid Liaoxi and Yanmen Han forces under Wei Qing, Hao Xian, and Li Xi plunder the Xiongnu for livestock 126 BC The Canghai Commandery is abandoned The Xiongnu army (900,000) raids Han territory 123-124 BC Han forces (100,000) under Wei Qing attack the Xiongnu 122 BC The Prince of Huainan rebels and is defeated The Xiongnu raid Shanggu 121 BC Han forces under Huo Qubing, Zhao Ponu, Zhang Qian, and Li Guang attack the Xiongnu
120s BC Year Date Event 120 BC The Xiongnu raid Youbeiping and Xingxiang, taking 1,000 captives 119 BC June Battle of Mobei: Han generals Huo Qubing and Wei Qing defeat the Xiongnu Introduction of the iron and salt monopoly New taxes are levied on market transactions, vehicles, and property Zhang Qian goes on another trip to the Western Regions 116 BC The Xiongnu raid Liang Province 113 BC Reign names are introduced 112 BC State monopoly on minting is enacted A Han force of 20,000 attack the Qing in eastern Tibet 111 BC Han conquest of Nanyue: Han annexes Nanyue Han campaigns against Minyue: Âu Việt is defeated but the Han evacuate the Yue area rather than annex it; with the exception of Dongye at the mouth of the Min River, modern Fujian would not see significant colonization until 200 AD Han forces (25,000)) under Gongsun He and Zhao Ponu try to attack the Xiongnu but can't find them Modern Guizhou is incorporated into the empire
110s BC Year Date Event 110 BC Emperor Wu of Han personally leads Han forces (180,000) against the Xiongnu but their chanyu decides to retreat Han secures a marriage alliance with the Wusun through Liu Jieyou 109 BC Han conquest of Dian: The Dian Kingdom becomes a Han vassal 108 BC Han conquest of Gojoseon: Han annexes Gojoseon and sets up the Lelang, Lintun, Xuantu, and Zhenfan commanderies Battle of Loulan: Han subjugates Qiemo and the Jushi Kingdom 106 BC Thirteen regional inspectors are appointed to be directly answerable to the central government 105 BC Cai Lun improves on paper using a combination of rags and plant fibers Aboriginals rebel in the southwest 104 BC War of the Heavenly Horses: Li Guangli fails to make it to Dayuan 103 BC Han forces (20,000) under Zhao Ponu attack the Xiongnu but are defeated 102 BC The Xiongnu raid Jiuquan and Zhangye, capturing several thousand people 101 BC War of the Heavenly Horses: Li Guangli forces Dayuan to provide horses Han vassalizes Fergana
1st century BC 100s BC Year Date Event 99 BC Battle of Tian Shan: Han forces (35,000) under Li Guangli and Li Ling are defeated by the Xiongnu 98 BC State monopoly on liquor is enacted 97 BC Han forces (140,000) under Li Guangli attack the Xiongnu without results 94 BC Summer Han forces under Xu Xiangru kill the king of Suoju (around modern Yarkant County) and capture 1,500 people 91 BC Factional strife in Chang'an results in the deaths of thousands
90s BC Year Date Event 90 BC Han forces (79,000) under Li Guangli are defeated by the Xiongnu but another Han army (30,000) under Shang Qiucheng manages to force the Xiongnu to flee Han forces under Cheng Wan conquer Jushi Kingdom 87 BC Han forces under Wen Zhong capture a city near modern Islamabad 29 March Emperor Wu of Han dies and is succeeded by Liu Fuling (posthumously Emperor Zhao of Han) 86 BC Liu Dan's coup fails Rebellion occurs in the southwest 83 BC Rebellion occurs in the southwest 82 BC Zhenfan and Lintun commanderies are abandoned Hainan is abandoned for a time 81 BC Discourses on Salt and Iron State monopoly on liquor is abolished
80s BC Year Date Event 80 BC Liu Dan attempts another coup, which also fails 78 BC Han forces under (20,000) under Fan Mingyou attack the Wuhuan 77 BC After several Han envoys are killed in or near the Loulan Kingdom, supreme general Huo Guang has an envoy named Fu Jiezi assassinate the Loulan King Angui 75 BC Goguryeo attacks Xuantu Commander 74 BC 18 July Emperor Zhao of Han dies and the Marquis of Haihun is enthroned 14 August The Marquis of Haihun is deposed and replaced by Liu Bingyi (posthumously Emperor Xuan of Han) 71 BC The Han, Wusun, Dingling, and Wuhuan coalition defeats the Xiongnu
70s BC Year Date Event 69 BC Han forces under Chang Hui retaliate against Qiuci for killing Colonel Laidan 67 BC Battle of Jushi: Han forces conquer the Jushi Kingdom 65 BC Han forces under Feng Fenshi force the king of Suoju to commit suicide and enthrone another king Han vassalizes Qiuci The Qiang revolt in eastern Tibet 64 BC The people of the Jushi Kingdom are moved to Quli to work the land The Xiongnu attack Jiaohe in the aftermath of the Battle of Jushi 61 BC Han forces under Zhao Chongguo advance into Qinghai and establish colonies
60s BC Year Date Event 60 BC The Protectorate of the Western Regions is established under Zheng Ji 53 BC Wusun submit to Han suzerainty and are split into Greater and Lesser Kunmi
50s BC Year Date Event 49 BC Emperor Xuan of Han dies and is succeeded by Liu Shi (posthumously Emperor Yuan of Han) 46 BC Hainan is abandoned for a time 44 BC The state monopoly on salt and iron is temporarily abolished 42 BC Qiang tribes revolt in the west 41 BC The state monopoly on salt and iron is restored Han forces (60,000) under Feng Fengshi crush the Qiang rebels
40s BC Year Date Event 39 BC Yellow River dikes burst 38 BC Emperor Yuan of Han deposes Liu Yuan, King of Hejian, disestablishing his kingdom 36 BC Battle of Zhizhi: Han forces defeat the Xiongnu 33 BC Emperor Yuan of Han dies and is succeeded by Liu Ao (posthumously Emperor Cheng of Han) 32 BC The Hejian Kingdom is re-established
30s BC Year Date Event 29 BC Yellow River dikes burst 27 BC Aboriginals rebel in the southwest
10s BC Year Date Event 7 BC 7 May Emperor Cheng of Han dies and is succeeded by Liu Xin (posthumously Emperor Ai of Han) 3 BC The cult of the Queen Mother of the West spreads throughout China 1 BC 15 August Emperor Ai of Han dies and is succeeded by Liu JIzi (posthumously Emperor Ping of Han
1st century 0s Year Date Event 1 Earliest extant blast furnaces 3 The Yellow River floods and changes course 6 2 February Emperor Ping of Han dies and Ruzi Ying becomes heir apparent but Wang Mang becomes acting emperor 7 Wang Mang is accused of murdering Emperor Ping of Han 9 10 January Wang Mang declares his own Xin dynasty (literally "new dynasty") The slave trade is outlawed
10s Year Date Event 12 Wang Mang extends Xin territory into Qinghai Xin forces defeat Goguryeo in battle Aboriginals in Zangke Commandery (Guizhou) rebel The slave trade ban is rescinded 13 Karasahr rebels 14 Aboriginals in Yi Province rebel 16 A Xin expeditionary army under Guo Qin massacres the population of Karasahr 17 Red Eyebrows: Rebellion erupts in modern Shandong
20s Year Date Event 22 Lulin: Rebellion erupts in Nanyang 11 March Liu Xuan (later known as the Gengshi Emperor) is enthroned by the rebels Red Eyebrows: Xin forces are defeated by the rebels 23 January Lulin: Xin forces are defeated by rebels 7 July Battle of Kunyang: Xin forces are defeated by rebels 6 October Lulin: Rebels take Chang'an and kill Wang Mang; Luoyang falls soon after Koreans raid the Lelang Commandery and take slaves The Protectorate of the Western Regions is abandoned 24 March The Gengshi Emperor relocates to Chang'an 25 July Red Eyebrows: The Red Eyebrows enthrone their own emperor, Liu Penzi 5 August Liu Xiu proclaims himself emperor (posthumously Emperor Guangwu of Han) October Red Eyebrows: The Red Eyebrows take Chang'an and strangle the Gengshi Emperor 27 November Emperor Guangwu of Han takes Luoyang Wang Diao takes over Lelang Commandery 27 15 March Red Eyebrows: Rebels surrender to Emperor Guangwu of Han 29 Emperor Guangwu of Han pacifies the northern Central Plains and Nanyang The Taixue is created
30s Year Date Event 30 Emperor Guangwu of Han pacifies the Lelang Commandery, southern Central Plains and Shandong 31 Du Shi uses waterwheels to power piston-bellows for blast furnaces 32 Ban Gu is born 34 Emperor Guangwu of Han defeats Wei Ao and pacifies the northwest 36 25 December Emperor Guangwu of Han defeats Gongsun Shu and takes Chengdu, restoring the Han
40s Year Date Event 40 Trung sisters' rebellion: Yue tribes rebel in Jiaozhi 43 Trung sisters' rebellion: The Trưng Sisters are decapitated 44 Han forces under Ma Yuan are defeated by Xiongnu 45 Ban Zhao is born Aboriginals rebel in the southwest Xiongnu raid Changshan 48 Aboriginals rebel in Wuling Commandery (northwestern Hunan) 49 Wuhuan settle in the northwest and north of the Central Plain Qiang tribes retake the Qinghai region
50s Year Date Event 51 An Ailao tribe defects to Han 57 29 March Emperor Guangwu of Han dies and is succeeded by Liu Yang (posthumously Emperor Ming of Han)
60s Year Date Event 63 The Xiongnu gain control of the Western Regions and start raiding Han 65 Liu Ying becomes the first documented sponsor of Buddhism in China 69 An Ailao tribe defects to Han
70s