The word "literature", in the Han Dynasty, was wider and thicker than it is today.

Literature refers to the study of the five classics of articles, scriptures, poems, books, rites, Yi, and Spring and Autumn. "Historical Records: The Biography of Confucianism" wrote, "Emperor Gao Zhu Xiang, raised troops to surround Lu, and the Confucian scholars in Luzhong recited and practiced ritual music, and the sound of string songs was endless,...... Qilu between literature, since ancient times, its nature also". "Words and "poems" are in Lu Zeshen Peigong, Yu Qi is Yuan Gusheng, and Yu Yan is Han Taifu. The words "Shangshu" were born from Jinan. The words "Li" were born from Lu Gaotang. The words "Yi" are born from Kawada Sheng. Yan "Spring and Autumn" Yu Qilu is born from Hu Wusheng, and Yu Zhao is from Dong Zhongshu. ”

Sima Qian's definition of literature through the mouth of Gongsun Hong is: "Tomorrow people are divided, the righteousness of the past and the present, the articles are childish, the precepts are profound, and the benevolence is very beautiful." At that time, writers had three hard conditions: full of knowledge and insight, exquisite writing style, and "grace is very beautiful", which is equivalent to the beauty in today's aesthetics, not superficial, but deep-seated, bringing deep aesthetic enjoyment to society and life. Du Fu has a poem that echoes this, "The article is eternal, and the reputation is not wasted."

In the Han Dynasty, literature was still a system of electing officials, when the imperial examination was not in the ascendant, it was a probationary system, a recommendation system, and among the talents recommended by local officials to the central government, there was a subject of virtuous literature. Virtuous literature was a high-end talent of the year, which was a special achievement. The general process is that according to the emperor's edict, the local officials send the children to the imperial court, the emperor tries them, and then the officials are awarded according to their knowledge. The emperor is happy, and will ask additional questions, after one policy, there are two or three, Dong Zhongshu's "three strategies of heaven and man" is how it came out. Jia Yi and Chao Cuo both stood out through this kind of rigorous selection.

The Han Dynasty was similar to today's in that it relied on the peasants to gain political power, and the world was defeated, but there was relatively little experience in managing the country. The Han Dynasty was the "Han Dynasty attacking the Qin system", and the multi-party system of state management followed the Qin Dynasty. In the military, the "20th class military meritorious" is used, and the currency is "Qin half tael" (12 baht money, 24 baht is one tael in the old system). The calendar uses the "颛顼 calendar" promulgated by Qin Shi Huang, and the first month of the beginning of the year is October of today's lunar calendar, and it is not called the first month, but the end month. After the Han Dynasty experienced Liu Bang, Empress Lü, Emperor Wen, and Emperor Jing, Emperor Wu was the Great Emperor, who not only opened up the territory and defended the territory, but also established rules and regulations. Implement currency reform, stop "Qin and a half tael", and use "five baht money". The Restoration Calendar, the abolition of the Lunar Calendar, and the promulgation of the Taichu Calendar, our method of today's lunar calendar, was perfected by the Taichu Calendar.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty also made great contributions to culture. The Qin Dynasty was a military politics and followed a militaristic line. Emperor Wu Shangwu is more respectful, "Emperor Wu is on the throne,...... Therefore, the edict is a virtuous and virtuous person", "hundreds of Confucian scholars who have extended literature", "governing etiquette and governing the past, taking literature as an official", "since then, the ministers and scholars, and Bin Bin are many literary scholars" ("Historical Records: The Biography of Confucianism"). "Emperor Wu ascended the throne, and hundreds of virtuous and literary scholars were raised before and after. ("Hanshu Dong Zhongshu Biography") literature was a prominent study during the period of Emperor Wu, and the whole country attracted attention.

The literary outlook of the Han Dynasty was generous, emphasizing that "the article is elegant and the precepts are profound", but "tomorrow people are divided, and the righteousness of the past and the present" is written in front. For example, Jia Yi's articles, "Hanging Qu Yuanfu" and "□ Bird Fu" are exquisite, but "On the Passage of Qin" was included in "Historical Records", and "On Accumulation and Sparseness" and "On Coinage Shu" were included in "Hanshu", because of its insight into social trends and trends, and seeing through the focus of the world. Literary works are accepted by historians and are generous.