Differences And Similarities Between The Han Dynasty And The Tang Dynasty

In this essay I will explain the differences and similarities in Chinese people’s everyday life from the Han dynasty to the Tang dynasty. While things change historically and emperors are overthrown many of China’s thoughts about the showing of wealth stay the same. These similarities and differences throughout Chinese history lead to changes in home construction and fashion. I will discuss the housing of the wealthy and fashion trends that were popular in the Han and Tang dynasties.

After thought and research history shows that housing in the Han and Tang dynasty were similar for the wealthy families with not many differences that were notable. The Han dynasty housing for well off families in Changan were, “multi-storeyed houses, built with intersecting cross-beams and rafters that were richly carved and decorated on all visible surfaces.” These dwellings had a simple intersecting cross-beams that served their purpose during this time in history, stability. During this time, Han dynasty, they did not have nails or things of that nature so simply have a large roof over your head that was painted, lavish, and looked good was perfect, “The more complicated buildings were topped with an array of roofs that formed an intricate and formal geometric pattern…The roofs were made of tile with rather low pitch. Inside, the wood beams that supported the structure lay criss-cross over each other, to be polished, carved or painted as the master ordered.” The houses were painted well and decorated with great expense but the structure was not as advanced as that of the Tang.

The Tang dynasty upgraded their construction technique when it came to housing structures; “Carpenters tied the pillars together by fastening square or rectangle beams on their tops.” These carpenters increased the strength of the house and the sturdiness of it, which could cause the roof and structure of the home to last. Most every part of the houses were painted or plastered with color in the Han dynasty even the stairs and partitions. The people of the Han wanted everything to be as lavish as possible showing wealth to visitors and living in the lap of comfort themselves; “Instead of simple skins or grass-made mats on which their ancestors had been content to rest, these families covered their floors with embroidered cushions, woolen rugs, or rush-mats trimmed to a nicety; and even middle class families could afford to take their ease on coverings of wild boar hide or the smooth felts that came from the north.” From there even the rooms were furnished with the best woods and timbers with embroidered drapes and screens for privacy. The Han dynasty also had an eye for painting; “Pillars, beams, and rafters were often painted bright colors.” 

These houses came in an array of shapes; “The plan of a house was sometimes square, with three of its four quarters forming an L-shaped, two-storeyed structure… Some houses were pi-shaped, others were formed as long halls supported by a lean-to at each wall.” These houses were only for the more affluent and the books do not talk much about the poorer community’s living situations. Though they speak in detail there is no way of knowing what percentage of the population in the Han dynasty was afforded these luxuries and how often this was true. As for the Tang dynasty the information on housing comes from two sources rather than one, Changan and Luoyang. These were less extravagant and gaudy; “at the beginning of the dynasty, those mansions were square and plain.” This being said it was the opposite of the colorful and differently shaped houses of the Han dynasty, but not many mansions still stood after the rebellion of An Lushan. An Lushan ruined many mansions and large homes and it was not until his execution that mansions and office buildings were constructed once more.

Mansions in the Han dynasty were, as stated previously, owned by wealthy families but in the Tang dynasty it seems as if the emperor owned many of the mansions and large dwellings for his own personal use and used them as he saw fit; “Many of the mansions in Changan and Luoyang were actually property of the emperor, who thought the capitals were his own personal domains.” Although the emperor was the owner in the Tang rather than citizen themselves as in the Han, the Tang dynasty still had similarities in housing after the mansions were rebuilt. Loewe states “Some of the larger establishments were four-sided, with a high surrounding wall.” They were grand houses with walls around the home protecting the home from invaders, predators, and the bandits. These walls were sometimes used to split the courtyard of the house into two to separate the offices and living spaces or “may have been divided into an inner and outer part by a separating wall.” Only the larger establishments had a wall for protection, so it is safe to assume that only the wealth have walls, as this book only speaks on the wealth of Changan in the Han. Similar to the Han dynasty the Tang dynasty also incorporated an exterior wall, or gate, to the larger dwellings; “Larger dwellings had outer walls to provide privacy and security.” Though these walls and mansions had a major weak point, the way they were constructed.

In the Han dynasty it is believed that builders used bricks to construct the walls, gates, and houses. Loewe does not say in specific that this is true but states, “Thanks to the funerary furnishings found in many Han tombs we can gain some idea of the living quarters, at least of the wealthier members of society. Both the miniature clay houses themselves and the pictures modelled on decorative bricks can be taken as realistic…”. The way these houses were constructed and their materials were the reason that these dwellings lasted as long as they did. The houses from the Tang dynasty however did not last as long. The houses and walls built in the Tang dynasty used “the same rammed earth technology employed in building the outer ramparts of cities”. This means the walls and buildings were made by taking dirt and mud, putting them between two slabs of wood and hitting the mud down until it was one solid wall, then remove the wood. This may have been fine if they added bricks or stones to the structure but for unknown reasons they did not. Doing this left the buildings vulnerable, Benn states, “That may explain why sixty days continuous rain in the fall of 754 destroyed large numbers of houses in Changan.” Benn also went on that the walls protecting houses were not sturdy or good at protecting; “A thief needed only a pail of water for rubbing a hole in a wall to break in and make off with the owner’s valuables”. 

Over all I think there was not a drastic change in how the wealthy people’s homes were decorated in Han and Tang dynasty. Both had elaborate paintings on pillars and walls, the Tang more so later than the Han. The major difference in the housing when it comes to the Han and Tang dynasty is the construction technique. The Han and Tang dynasty both used earthen materials such as mud and wood, later on the Tang dynasty began to use bamboo along with wood. Both dynasties had something great to offer. The Han dynasty was smarter with their use of bricks for long lasting houses overall while the Tang dynasty was more technologically advanced with their use of housing structure, making the structure last longer.

Fashion was another way to show off your wealth in the Han and Tang dynasty, the colors you wore, the fabrics used, and even the accessories you owned. All of these were a way to show wealth outside of one’s dwelling. Silk was and still is an important material used in and sold by China. In the Han dynasty it is said that, “there was a shocking profusion of fine silk among the rich. Even the ordinary folk donned the sort of garments that were fit for queens, and everyday wear was bright enough for weddings.” There was an abundance of silk to go around during the Han dynasty, the Tang dynasty however had a few issues. Silk is a very hard fabric to create, which is why it is so expensive. The partricians of the Tang wore clothing that was “very similar to that for commoners: baggy trousers and tunics with round collars…Silk was, of course, the preferred cloth.” Though there was not an abundance of silk in the Tang dynasty there was still an urge and desire to own fine fabrics to show their wealth.

In conclusion there are many differences in Chinese history but ideals stay the say, such as the ideal of the show of wealth. Things change and become more advanced for better or for worse. There may be differences may exist but the core of Chinese thoughts stayed constant throughout the Han and Tang dynasty.