Han Documents Preserved in the First Chapter of the Han Shu: Distribution Structure and Reflection of the Political Process

Abstract

This article discusses four types of documents being preseved in the second part of the first chapter (1B) of the Han shu (The History of Han) [1], the main source for the history of the Western Han state (202 BC 8 AD). The Han shu 1B chapter covers the period from 202 to 195 BC. the reign of the first emperor of the new Liu dynasty, Liu Bang, better known as Gao-zu. The article examines the distribution structure, content and the role of documents preserved in the text of the Han shu 1B chapter and singled out by the author as independent structural elements of the chapter, along with chronicle reports, historical reports, historical narratives and dialogs in the reflection of the historical reality. These are documents of higher bureaucratic turnover of varying degrees of importance. The analysis of the dynamics of document distribution in the text of the Han shu chapter 1B allowed to establish the fact of increased activity of Emperor Liu Bang in the sphere of administration in the penultimate year of his reign at the very beginning of the transition from the forceful subjugation of political opponents to the peaceful administration of the power he was creating.