Liu Bang, a man of humble birth, led the revolt against the cruel Qin dynasty. In 206 BCE, he created the Han dynasty, which took ideas from both Legalism and Confucianism.
In the tradition of Legalism, the Han kept a strong central government. Officials were appointed by the government. People were promoted based on how well they did their jobs. Unlike the Qin, the Han also took up the ideas of Confucius. They emphasized the importance of virtue and filial piety. This moderate approach made some of the policies of the Qin dynasty less strict. Ideas from the Han dynasty can still be seen in the culture of modern China. In fact, the Chinese people still call themselves the children of the Han.