Han Gaozu

   Qin Shihuang imposed harsh laws on the people and was considered by many as a tyrant who turned China into some sort of a police state when he was in control during the Qin Dynasty. Han Gaozu did not want that to happen again and he encouraged his people to follow the teachings of Confucius (a famous philosopher of the Zhou Dynasty) to maintain peace and order.

   There was a Turkish-speaking nomadic tribe called the Xiong Nu who lived in the desert to the north of China and it was very powerful. It constantly attacked the Chinese and after a defeat by the Xiongnu in 201 B.C., Han Gaozu decided to make peace with them by sending them gifts every year.