The revolt against the harsh Qin dynasty was led by Liu Bang, a man of humble birth. In 206 BCE, he established the Han dynasty.
The Han dynasty relied on the ideas of both Legalism and Confucianism. In the tradition of Legalism, the Han kept a strong central government. Officials were appointed by the government, and promotion was based on how well an official performed his duties. Unlike the Qin, the Han also embraced the ideas of Confucius, emphasizing the importance of virtue and filial piety. This moderate approach softened some of the strict policies of the Han dynasty. 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.
