Chapter One
The Qin and Han Dynasties

China has a very long history, and the Qin Dynasty（秦朝）was a turning point. It built a centralized imperial system in 221 B.C. that lasted until 1911 A.D. The Qin Dynasty collapsed in 206 B.C., and the following Han Dynasty（汉朝）governed China for more than 400 years and deeply shaped Chinese civilization. For instance, the Chinese language is called the Han language. Thus, we wonder: what were the Qin and Han dynasties? How could they so significantly contribute to Chinese civilization?