Han Legal Codes

 
 

    The Han dynasty's legal code was similar to Qin's legal code, but it was also different in many ways. The Qin dynasty had harsh legal codes involving Legalism. Most peasents in China did not agree with these legalist laws because they did not treat them with respect. These legalist legal codes hurt the peasents with heavy tax laws. These tax laws crushed the peasents because the tax laws usually involved how much propery they owned. Since most of the peasents did not have much money the limited land they had would hurt them.
 
 

Limited information on the legal codes because everything has detierated.

Han legal code was the same as Qin legal code, just less harsh.

Punishment for most crimes was mandatory public work

Public work would include building Great Wall, canals, constructing roads, or serve in the army

Other punishments would be tattoing the face, beheading, cutting off nose, cutting off feet, and castration

Legal code was modified on Confuciust way of thinking.

Emperor Wen first enforced Confucianism philosophy of China.

Took away book burning of any other philosophy

Han legal code contained 60 chapters and over 1 million characters

These legal codes during the Han dynasty were sometimes held strong, or sometimes weren't

A couple of times during the Han dynasty an emperor or empress would change the philosphy of the land

Confucianism ruled throughout China most of the time, but Daoism would sometimes rule

During Daoist time periods the laws were not enforced as much, especially tax laws

Han enforced a new legal code

Anybody between the age of 23-56 were required 2 years of army service

 Army was mostly conscripts but some were volunteers and convicts

Government hired officials of each territory would police these laws and give punishments
 
 

f Han Gaozu (Liu Bang) founder who originally established Confucianism as China's philosophy
 

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