China in World History

The First Empires 27

Luoyang

Chang’an

Guangzhou

Turfan

Dunhuang

South

China

Sea

East

China

Sea

Yello

wRiver

Yangz

iRive

r

MekongR

TIBET iver

MONGOLIA

TaklamakanDesert KOREA

To India

To China

confederation of tribes, not a tightly centralized state, so no peace treaty
could be enforced along the entire northern frontier. To the Chinese,
frequent Xiongnu raids were simply evidence of nomadic treachery and
dishonesty.
In 145 bce, a young ambitious emperor, Han Wudi (the Martial
Emperor), took the throne. He was to reign for fi fty years, putting his
stamp on the institutions of the Han dynasty as no other Han emperor.
He greatly strengthened the army, launched a massive horse-breeding