New things happened during Han times.
One of the most important was the trade that had begun with ancient Rome via the "silk road". There was a demand in the Roman Empire for Chinese silk. That brought new wealth into China, along with gold, silver, and precious gems.
Another was the invention of paper. Paper changed everything! Scroll painting began. Things began to be written down again. So much was lost during the book burnings ordered by Emperor Qin. When the Han took over, people tried to remember and write down the literature and the teachings of Confucius.
Art was encouraged. Craftsman made gold ornaments and jade jewelry. A gorgeous glaze in vivid colors was invented for pottery. Pottery was brightly painted with dragons and trees and scenes and charming glimpses of life during Han times. Chinese paper lanterns first became popular during the Han Dynasty.
In the sciences, great strides were made in medicine.
Education was important in Han times. Public school was started. It was only for boys, but it was free. Schools were started in every province. The Grand School was the big one in the capital city. At one point, the Grand School had an enrollment of 30,000 students! People wanted to learn new skills because jobs were given to people who qualified for them, not just given to the nobles. And people were paid for their work.
