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The Han dynasty, established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu from 202 BC to 220 AD, marked China's second imperial era. It succeeded the brief Qin dynasty (221-206 BC) and the chaotic period known as the Chu-Han contention (206-202 BC). The Han dynasty experienced a brief interruption with Wang Mang's Xin dynasty (9-23 AD) before being divided into the Western Han (202 BC - 9 AD) and the Eastern Han (25-220 AD) periods, ultimately giving way to the Three Kingdoms era.

Regarded as a pinnacle in Chinese history, the Han dynasty spanned four centuries and profoundly shaped Chinese culture. Its influence persists to this day, evident in the self-identification of the majority ethnic group in China as "Han people," the designation of the Sinitic language as "Han language," and the reference to written Chinese as "Han characters."

At the apex of Han society stood the emperor, wielding supreme authority over the empire. While the emperor held the highest position, power was shared with the nobility and appointed ministers, many of whom hailed from the educated gentry class. The Han Empire comprised territories directly governed by the central administration, termed commanderies, alongside semi-autonomous kingdoms inherited from the Qin dynasty. However, following the Rebellion of the Seven States, these kingdoms gradually lost their autonomy.