In addition, the city is peppered with old city walls, temples, pagodas and tombs from Han Dynasty rulers, including the Hanyangling Tomb, which houses Emperor Jingdi and his wife Empress Wang.

BBC: Living in: Great cities for history and ancient ruins

The Qin's extremism was also its undoing and it was soon replaced by the more enduring Han dynasty, which sought compromise with aristocratic elites and legitimation through a revived Confucianism.

ECONOMIST: Theories of history

Central Asia has been a geostrategic crossroads of people, capital and ideas since the first Han dynasty caravans traveled the ancient Silk Road.

FORBES: Magazine Article