Vagrants In The Han Dynasty

Han dynasty is a complicated and changeable period in Chinese history. A lot of vagrants existed in Han dynasty. The text will discuss the vagrants in Han dynasty.The text divides into five parts:In chapter one, the definition of vagrants will be discussed firstly. In our traditional society, vagrants could be regarded as the peoples who break away from the ordinal public order, and vagrants also maintain their living from illegal ways such as stealing, robbing, cheating, etc. In the second section of the chapter six perspectives will be involved when we discussing about the factors which leading to the producing of vagrants: 1. The producing of the vagrants in Han dynasty should be considered as the result of vagrants in the Warring-states. 2. The rulers in early Han such as Liu-Bang and his ministers had the appreciative moods of vagrants. 3. Throughout the Western Han Dynasty and the Eastern Han Dynasty, lenient policies been carrying-out continued. In the lenient society of Han dynasty, vagrants could enjoy the free atmosphere. 4. In Han dynasty, commodity economy be developed fully. With the full-development of commodity economy, vagrants could got the necessary income in cities and towns, so they can keep their action freely. 5. In Han dynasty, different customs appeared in different areas. Such as , in Zhao and Yan the custom appeared as forthright and valiant; the people in Chu like witch. 6. Refugees are the huge social base of vagrants. In Han dynasty, many refugees come into being because various reasons. The natural calamities, the exorbitant taxes and levies and wars became the more reasons which leading to the producing of refugees.In the second part of the text, the actions of the vagrants in Han dynasty will be discussed. Under most circumstances, vagrants' behaviors broke away from the law and order in the society. In the discussion of the vagrants' behaviors, three perspectives will be included. Firstly, vagrants always behaved illegally, for example, the young-ruffian in CHANG-AN city in west-han dynasty always killed officials and citizens cruelly. Secondly, the economical behaviors also are important actions of vagrants. The ways from which vagrants got their economical obtains always broke the ordinary order of the society, such as stealing, robbing, coining, robbing tombs, etc. Thirdly, many vagrants always attached to the high officials or powerful families.In the third part of the text, three remarkable features of the vagrants' behaviors will be discussed. In the most circumstance vagrants behaved organizationally. Whether the young-ruffians, knight-errant, nor the bandit and witch always attend the action as an organization. Illegal also is the main feature of vagrants' behaviors. All kinds of vagrants always made illegal behaviors, such as killing, stealing, robbing, revenging. In different areas of Han dynasty, vagrants had different features.In the fourth chapter of the text, the communication of the vagrants in Han dynasty will be discussed. Most of the vagrants in Han dynasty have wide communications, especially knights-errant and young-ruffians. In this part of the text, the deep influence of vagrants be analyzed. The vagrants affect the normal order and the ordinary peoples' living.In the fifth part of the text, the way of how the Han governments deal with the vagrants will be discussed. To eliminate and control the vagrants, a series of measures be executed by Han governments. 1. Migrated the vagrants (especially knights-errant and young-ruffians) to capital or to border area. When the vagrants were migrated to capital, the emperors of Han dynasty could control the vagrants directly. 2. Appointed the capable officials to control the vagrants, many officials used cruel means to suppress the vagrants, so the officials be called "oppressive officials". 3. Suppressed the vagrants by military means, in Han dynasty many vagrants' behaviors were rebellious and destructive, to keep the normal order in the society, Han governments always use military means to oppress some vagrants, especially to the bandits. 4. Select the outstanding vagrants act as Han government's officials, among the vagrants in Han dynasty, many outstanding vagrants were assigned to a post by Han governments. 5. Teaching and moralizing the common people. Except the military means, the gentle means such as teaching and moralizing were also be carried out by Han governments. As the result of moralizing, many vagrants returned to agriculture, the order of many areas became getting better. 6. Appease the refugees. The refugees is the big base of the vagrants in Han society, if the refugees could be appeased, the vagrants could be controlled indirectly. Han governments carried many measures to appease refugees, such as reward the clothes, seeds and farm cattle, medicines to refugees; permit the refugees cultivate the uncultivated land, even permit the refugees cultivate the imperial gardens. The Han governments also reduced the land tax, so that the common people can earned more by their own producing.