Maintaining thelegacy of the Qinadministrationwith lighter taxesand especially after defeatingXiongnu， a nomadic ethnicgroup in the north， the HanDynasty （202 B.C.-220 A.D.）expanded its territory andheralded the first golden era ofChina’s ancient society.

The splendor of thefoundational era of Chineseculture can be seen in survivingrelics： Painted Pottery Barnvividly portrays scenes offlourishing production.Exquisite gold and silverartifacts like Gold Discs andGold Monster showcase theempire’s strength and economicprosperity. Gilt BronzeSilkworm and Ancient Ship wereinspired by the bustling SilkRoad， both on land and sea.

As the unified dynastythrived， a growing sense ofnational identity was fostered，propelling the nation from itscapital Chang’an （now Xi’an）onto the global stage as a strongand confident empire.