Analyze in detail the collapse of the Han Dynasty (50 BCE-220 CE).

The Han Dynasty (50 BCE-220 CE) collapsed in part because of the corruption of the emperors. At the end of the first century (CE), one emperor after another died without an heir, and, often, a relative or even an infant was chosen with a guardian. The lack of a clear heir for many emperors meant that the court was riddled with intrigue and there was a great deal of political instability. In addition, China at the time was subject to many natural disasters, including plagues and floods. The public saw these problems as a sign that the dynasty had lost the mandate of heaven, and there were various internal revolts against the emperor. The eunuchs in court formed one powerful bloc (called the Ten Attendants) that opposed the government, and Confucians were also opposed to the corruption of the court.

In 184 CE, there was a peasant uprising called the Yellow Turban Rebellion (sometimes called the Yellow Scarves Rebellion), named after the clothing the rebellious forces wore on their heads. The rebellion was in part a reaction against widespread agrarian problems. A famine in the northern part of China forced many peasants to go south, where they were largely exploited by landowners. The Yellow Turban Rebellion was led by a man named Zhang Jue, who was an adherent of a Taoist sect that taught that land should be equally distributed among people. It took 21 years to suppress this rebellion. While the revolt was being put down, local governments gained power, furthering weakening the Han. In addition, tax collectors had a very difficult time collecting sufficient funds to support the empire, in part because of the ongoing agrarian problems.  

In addition, China was prey to foreign invasions, including during the Sino-Xiongnu Wars of 133 BCE to 89 CE. The Chinese fought the Xiongnu, who were Eurasian nomads, in the western areas of China. Though the Han won, their victory came at the price of weakening their empire.

At the end of the Han Dynasty, China was ruled by the Emperor Xian. There was much internal opposition to him, and several warlords opposed the emperor. One warlord, Cao Cao, tried to unite the empire under Xian. However, other warlords attacked forces loyal to the emperor at the Battle of Red Cliffs in 208-209 CE. The Han were defeated at this battle, and Cao Pi, the son of Cao Cao, ultimately forced Emperor Xian to abdicate, leading to the end of the Han Dynasty in 220. A new emperor called Sun Quan then ruled, beginning the era of the Three Kingdoms.