Cai Dongfan's History of China for Young Readers: The Later Han

Cai Dongfan's History of China for Young Readers: Later Han recounts the history of the Later Han, or Eastern Han (25-220 AD). The Later Han was a unified dynasty in the Central Plains that followed the Western Han. It was founded by Liu Xiu, a member of the Western Han imperial clan. At the end of the Xin Dynasty, the Lulin and Chimei rebellions broke out in 23 AD. Liu Xiu seized the opportunity to rise, and in 25 AD proclaimed himself emperor at Wuchengmo, in Qiuchunting south of Hao (present-day Baixiang County, Hebei). He kept Han as the name of the state and established the capital at Luoyang. This dynasty is known as the Eastern Han. Liu Xiu was posthumously known as Emperor Guangwu, and his reign is called the Guangwu Restoration.

The Later Han was a pivotal period in Chinese history, bridging what came before and after. Its political institutions, economic achievements, cultural flourishing, and technological inventions had a far-reaching influence on later generations. Although the dynasty fell into turmoil in its later years, its historical significance cannot be overlooked.