romikgosai/squad_modified huggingface dataset:
Even before Han's expansion into Central Asia, diplomat Zhang Qian's travels from 139 to 125 BC had established Chinese contacts with many surrounding civilizations. Zhang encountered Dayuan (Fergana), Kangju (Sogdiana), and Daxia (Bactria, formerly the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom); he also gathered information on Shendu (Indus River valley of North India) and Anxi (the Parthian Empire). All of these countries eventually received Han embassies. These connections marked the beginning of the Silk Road trade network that extended to the Roman Empire, bringing Han items like silk to Rome and Roman goods such as glasswares to China.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What type of Roman item was traded on the Silk Road network?
A: glasswares', '
Q: Which diplomat helped gather information on the country of Anxi?
A: Zhang Qian', '
Q: When did Zhang Qian end his travels?
A: 125 BC', '
Q: Which network was used to exchange goods with Rome?
A: Silk Road', '
Q: What empire had established an embassy in Anxi?
A: Han']
From roughly 115 to 60 BC, Han forces fought the Xiongnu over control of the oasis city-states in the Tarim Basin. Han was eventually victorious and established the Protectorate of the Western Regions in 60 BC, which dealt with the region's defense and foreign affairs. The Han also expanded southward. The naval conquest of Nanyue in 111 BC expanded the Han realm into what are now modern Guangdong, Guangxi, and northern Vietnam. Yunnan was brought into the Han realm with the conquest of the Dian Kingdom in 109 BC, followed by parts of the Korean Peninsula with the colonial establishments of Xuantu Commandery and Lelang Commandery in 108 BC. In China's first known nationwide census taken in 2 AD, the population was registered as having 57,671,400 individuals in 12,366,470 households.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Which group did Han forces fight in the Tarm Basin?
A: the Xiongnu', '
Q: When was the first national census taken in China?
A: 2 AD', '
Q: What was the population of China in 2 AD?
A: 57,671,400', '
Q: What year was the Protectorate of Western Regions created in?
A: 60 BC', '
Q: Which kingdom did the Han conquer in 109 BC?
A: Dian']
To pay for his military campaigns and colonial expansion, Emperor Wu nationalized several private industries. He created central government monopolies administered largely by former merchants. These monopolies included salt, iron, and liquor production, as well as bronze-coin currency. The liquor monopoly lasted only from 98 to 81 BC, and the salt and iron monopolies were eventually abolished in early Eastern Han. The issuing of coinage remained a central government monopoly throughout the rest of the Han dynasty. The government monopolies were eventually repealed when a political faction known as the Reformists gained greater influence in the court. The Reformists opposed the Modernist faction that had dominated court politics in Emperor Wu's reign and during the subsequent regency of Huo Guang (d. 68 BC). The Modernists argued for an aggressive and expansionary foreign policy supported by revenues from heavy government intervention in the private economy. The Reformists, however, overturned these policies, favoring a cautious, non-expansionary approach to foreign policy, frugal budget reform, and lower tax-rates imposed on private entrepreneurs.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Who made up the bulk of the administrators of the new government monopolies?
A: former merchants', '
Q: When was the liquor monopoly abolished?
A: 81 BC', '
Q: Which faction did the Reformists oppose?
A: Modernist', '
Q: Which political faction favored budgetary reform?
A: The Reformists', '
Q: In what year did Huo Guang die?
A: 68 BC']
Wang Mang initiated a series of major reforms that were ultimately unsuccessful. These reforms included outlawing slavery, nationalizing land to equally distribute between households, and introducing new currencies, a change which debased the value of coinage. Although these reforms provoked considerable opposition, Wang's regime met its ultimate downfall with the massive floods of c. 3 AD and 11 AD. Gradual silt buildup in the Yellow River had raised its water level and overwhelmed the flood control works. The Yellow River split into two new branches: one emptying to the north and the other to the south of the Shandong Peninsula, though Han engineers managed to dam the southern branch by 70 AD.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Who tried to outlaw slavery?
A: Wang Mang', '
Q: What caused the water level in the Yellow River to increase?
A: Gradual silt buildup', '
Q: Who created a dam in the southern branch of The Yellow River?
A: Han engineers', '
Q: What emptied out to the south of the Shandong Peninsula?
A: The Yellow River', "
Q: What caused the end of Wang Mang's regime?
A: massive floods"]
The period between the foundation of the Han dynasty and Wang Mang's reign is known as the Western Han dynasty (simplified Chinese: 西汉; traditional Chinese: 西漢; pinyin: Xī Hàn) or Former Han dynasty (simplified Chinese: 前汉; traditional Chinese: 前漢; pinyin: Qiánhàn) (206 BC – 9 AD). During this period the capital was at Chang'an (modern Xi'an). From the reign of Guangwu the capital was moved eastward to Luoyang. The era from his reign until the fall of Han is known as the Eastern Han dynasty (simplified Chinese: 东汉; traditional Chinese: 東漢; pinyin: Dōng Hàn) or the Later Han dynasty (simplified Chinese: 后汉; traditional Chinese: 後漢; pinyin: Hòu Hàn) (25–220 AD).

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Where did the capital move to after the reign of Guangwu?
A: Luoyang', '
Q: What era does the reign of Guangwu fall under?
A: Eastern Han dynasty', '
Q: What can the Eastern Han dynasty also be called?
A: Later Han dynasty', "
Q: Where was the capital located during the Western Han dynasty?
A: Chang'an", '
Q: What can the Western Han dynasty also be called?
A: Former Han dynasty']
The Eastern Han, also known as the Later Han, formally began on 5 August 25, when Liu Xiu became Emperor Guangwu of Han. During the widespread rebellion against Wang Mang, the state of Goguryeo was free to raid Han's Korean commanderies; Han did not reaffirm its control over the region until AD 30. The Trưng Sisters of Vietnam rebelled against Han in AD 40. Their rebellion was crushed by Han general Ma Yuan (d. AD 49) in a campaign from AD 42–43. Wang Mang renewed hostilities against the Xiongnu, who were estranged from Han until their leader Bi (比), a rival claimant to the throne against his cousin Punu (蒲奴), submitted to Han as a tributary vassal in AD 50. This created two rival Xiongnu states: the Southern Xiongnu led by Bi, an ally of Han, and the Northern Xiongnu led by Punu, an enemy of Han.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: On what date did the Eastern Han dynasty begin?
A: 5 August 25', '
Q: Who started a rebellion against Han in the year AD 40?
A: The Trưng Sisters of Vietnam', "
Q: Which state raided Han's Korean commanderies?
A: Goguryeo", '
Q: In what year did Ma Yuan die?
A: AD 49', '
Q: Who was the leader of the Xiongnu?
A: Bi']
During the turbulent reign of Wang Mang, Han lost control over the Tarim Basin, which was conquered by the Northern Xiongnu in AD 63 and used as a base to invade Han's Hexi Corridor in Gansu. Dou Gu (d. 88 AD) defeated the Northern Xiongnu at the Battle of Yiwulu in AD 73, evicting them from Turpan and chasing them as far as Lake Barkol before establishing a garrison at Hami. After the new Protector General of the Western Regions Chen Mu (d. AD 75) was killed by allies of the Xiongnu in Karasahr and Kucha, the garrison at Hami was withdrawn. At the Battle of Ikh Bayan in AD 89, Dou Xian (d. AD 92) defeated the Northern Xiongnu chanyu who then retreated into the Altai Mountains. After the Northern Xiongnu fled into the Ili River valley in AD 91, the nomadic Xianbei occupied the area from the borders of the Buyeo Kingdom in Manchuria to the Ili River of the Wusun people. The Xianbei reached their apogee under Tanshihuai (檀石槐) (d. AD 180), who consistently defeated Chinese armies. However, Tanshihuai's confederation disintegrated after his death.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Which Basin did the Han lose authority of?
A: Tarim', '
Q: When did Chen Mu die?
A: AD 75', '
Q: Where did the Northern Xiongnu flee to in AD 91?
A: Ili River valley', '
Q: Who was the Protector General of the Western Regions?
A: Chen Mu', '
Q: Who conquered the Tarim Basin in AD 63?
A: the Northern Xiongnu']
Ban Chao (d. AD 102) enlisted the aid of the Kushan Empire, occupying the area of modern India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, to subdue Kashgar and its ally Sogdiana. When a request by Kushan ruler Vima Kadphises (r. c. 90–c. 100 AD) for a marriage alliance with the Han was rejected in AD 90, he sent his forces to Wakhan (Afghanistan) to attack Ban Chao. The conflict ended with the Kushans withdrawing because of lack of supplies. In AD 91, the office of Protector General of the Western Regions was reinstated when it was bestowed on Ban Chao.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Which ruler requested a marriage alliance with the Han in AD 90?
A: Vima Kadphises', '
Q: Who was the Protector General of the Western Regions in AD 91?
A: Ban Chao', '
Q: Which empire sent armies to attack Ban Chao?
A: Kushan', '
Q: Which empire was asked to help subdue Kashgar?
A: Kushan', '
Q: Who was allied with Kashgar?
A: Sogdiana']
In addition to tributary relations with the Kushans, the Han Empire received gifts from the Parthian Empire, from a king in modern Burma, from a ruler in Japan, and initiated an unsuccessful mission to Daqin (Rome) in AD 97 with Gan Ying as emissary. A Roman embassy of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (r. 161–180 AD) is recorded in the Hou Hanshu to have reached the court of Emperor Huan of Han (r. AD 146–168) in AD 166, yet Rafe de Crespigny asserts that this was most likely a group of Roman merchants. Other travelers to Eastern-Han China included Buddhist monks who translated works into Chinese, such as An Shigao of Parthia, and Lokaksema from Kushan-era Gandhara, India.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Who translated written works into Chinese?
A: Buddhist monks', '
Q: Which member of the Han Empire was sent to Daqin in AD 97?
A: Gan Ying', "
Q: When did Emperor Huan's reign begin?
A: AD 146", '
Q: Who reached the court of Emperor Huan in AD 166?
A: A Roman embassy', '
Q: Which empire sent the Han gifts?
A: Parthian']
Emperor Zhang's (r. 75–88 AD) reign came to be viewed by later Eastern Han scholars as the high point of the dynastic house. Subsequent reigns were increasingly marked by eunuch intervention in court politics and their involvement in the violent power struggles of the imperial consort clans. With the aid of the eunuch Zheng Zhong (d. 107 AD), Emperor He (r. 88–105 AD) had Empress Dowager Dou (d. 97 AD) put under house arrest and her clan stripped of power. This was in revenge for Dou's purging of the clan of his natural mother—Consort Liang—and then concealing her identity from him. After Emperor He's death, his wife Empress Deng Sui (d. 121 AD) managed state affairs as the regent empress dowager during a turbulent financial crisis and widespread Qiang rebellion that lasted from 107 to 118 AD.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Who was prevented from leaving their house?
A: Empress Dowager Dou', '
Q: Who managed the state after the death of Emperor He?
A: Empress Deng Sui', "
Q: When did Emperor He's reign end?
A: 105 AD", "
Q: Who concealed the identity of Emperor He's mother?
A: Empress Dowager Dou", '
Q: When did the Qiang rebellion end?
A: 118 AD']
When Empress Dowager Deng died, Emperor An (r. 106–125 AD) was convinced by the accusations of the eunuchs Li Run (李閏) and Jiang Jing (江京) that Deng and her family had planned to depose him. An dismissed Deng's clan members from office, exiled them and forced many to commit suicide. After An's death, his wife, Empress Dowager Yan (d. 126 AD) placed the child Marquess of Beixiang on the throne in an attempt to retain power within her family. However, palace eunuch Sun Cheng (d. 132 AD) masterminded a successful overthrow of her regime to enthrone Emperor Shun of Han (r. 125–144 AD). Yan was placed under house arrest, her relatives were either killed or exiled, and her eunuch allies were slaughtered. The regent Liang Ji (d. 159 AD), brother of Empress Liang Na (d. 150 AD), had the brother-in-law of Consort Deng Mengnü (later empress) (d. 165 AD) killed after Deng Mengnü resisted Liang Ji's attempts to control her. Afterward, Emperor Huan employed eunuchs to depose Liang Ji, who was then forced to commit suicide.

Questions and answers:
["
Q: Who had forced a large number of Empress Dowager Deng's clan members to kill themselves?
A: Emperor An", '
Q: Which person plotted to overthrew the regime of Empress Dowager Yan?
A: Sun Cheng', '
Q: Who did Emperor Huan hire to depose Liang Ji?
A: eunuchs', '
Q: Relatives of what family were exiled after Sun Cheng had overthrown the regime?
A: Yan', '
Q: How did Liang Ji die?
A: forced to commit suicide']
Students from the Imperial University organized a widespread student protest against the eunuchs of Emperor Huan's court. Huan further alienated the bureaucracy when he initiated grandiose construction projects and hosted thousands of concubines in his harem at a time of economic crisis. Palace eunuchs imprisoned the official Li Ying (李膺) and his associates from the Imperial University on a dubious charge of treason. In 167 AD, the Grand Commandant Dou Wu (d. 168 AD) convinced his son-in-law, Emperor Huan, to release them. However the emperor permanently barred Li Ying and his associates from serving in office, marking the beginning of the Partisan Prohibitions.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: On what charge was Li Ying jailed for?
A: treason', '
Q: Who was responsible for imprisoning Li Ying?
A: Palace eunuchs', '
Q: During what type of crisis did Emperor Huan alienate the bureaucracy?
A: economic', "
Q: Students from what university led a protest against members of Huan's court?
A: Imperial", '
Q: When did Dou Wu die?
A: 168 AD']
Following Huan's death, Dou Wu and the Grand Tutor Chen Fan (陳蕃) (d. 168 AD) attempted a coup d'état against the eunuchs Hou Lan (d. 172 AD), Cao Jie (d. 181 AD), and Wang Fu (王甫). When the plot was uncovered, the eunuchs arrested Empress Dowager Dou (d. 172 AD) and Chen Fan. General Zhang Huan (張奐) favored the eunuchs. He and his troops confronted Dou Wu and his retainers at the palace gate where each side shouted accusations of treason against the other. When the retainers gradually deserted Dou Wu, he was forced to commit suicide.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Who arrested Chen Fan in a failed plot?
A: the eunuchs', '
Q: How did Dou Wu pass away?
A: he was forced to commit suicide', '
Q: Who made accusations of treason against Dou Wu?
A: General Zhang Huan', '
Q: Which group was favorable to Zhang Huan?
A: the eunuchs', "
Q: What type of action was attempted on the eunuchs?
A: coup d'état"]
The Partisan Prohibitions were repealed during the Yellow Turban Rebellion and Five Pecks of Rice Rebellion in 184 AD, largely because the court did not want to continue to alienate a significant portion of the gentry class who might otherwise join the rebellions. The Yellow Turbans and Five-Pecks-of-Rice adherents belonged to two different hierarchical Daoist religious societies led by faith healers Zhang Jue (d. 184 AD) and Zhang Lu (d. 216 AD), respectively. Zhang Lu's rebellion, in modern northern Sichuan and southern Shaanxi, was not quelled until 215 AD. Zhang Jue's massive rebellion across eight provinces was annihilated by Han forces within a year, however the following decades saw much smaller recurrent uprisings. Although the Yellow Turbans were defeated, many generals appointed during the crisis never disbanded their assembled militia forces and used these troops to amass power outside of the collapsing imperial authority.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: In what year did the Partisan Prohibitions end?
A: 184 AD', "
Q: In what year did Zhang Lu's rebellion end?
A: 215 AD", "
Q: How many provinces did Zhang Jue's rebellion take place in?
A: eight", '
Q: What type of healer was Zhang Jue?
A: faith', '
Q: What religion did Zhang Jue practice?
A: Daoist']
General-in-Chief He Jin (d. 189 AD), half-brother to Empress He (d. 189 AD), plotted with Yuan Shao (d. 202 AD) to overthrow the eunuchs by having several generals march to the outskirts of the capital. There, in a written petition to Empress He, they demanded the eunuchs' execution. After a period of hesitation, Empress He consented. When the eunuchs discovered this, however, they had her brother He Miao (何苗) rescind the order. The eunuchs assassinated He Jin on September 22, 189 AD. Yuan Shao then besieged Luoyang's Northern Palace while his brother Yuan Shu (d. 199 AD) besieged the Southern Palace. On September 25 both palaces were breached and approximately two thousand eunuchs were killed. Zhang Rang had previously fled with Emperor Shao (r. 189 AD) and his brother Liu Xie—the future Emperor Xian of Han (r. 189–220 AD). While being pursued by the Yuan brothers, Zhang committed suicide by jumping into the Yellow River.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Who was assassinated on September 22, 189 AD?
A: He Jin', '
Q: Who agreed to the execuation of the eunuchs?
A: Empress He', '
Q: Who negated the execution order on the eunuchs?
A: He Miao', '
Q: Who was the family member that Emperor Shao escaped with?
A: Liu Xie', "
Q: What did General-in-Chief He petition Empress He for?
A: the eunuchs' execution"]
General Dong Zhuo (d. 192 AD) found the young emperor and his brother wandering in the countryside. He escorted them safely back to the capital and was made Minister of Works, taking control of Luoyang and forcing Yuan Shao to flee. After Dong Zhuo demoted Emperor Shao and promoted his brother Liu Xie as Emperor Xian, Yuan Shao led a coalition of former officials and officers against Dong, who burned Luoyang to the ground and resettled the court at Chang'an in May 191 AD. Dong Zhuo later poisoned Emperor Shao.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: How was Luoyang destroyed?
A: burned', '
Q: Who demoted Emperor Shao?
A: Dong Zhuo', '
Q: What position would the young Liu Xie eventually be promoted to?
A: Emperor Xian', '
Q: Who had taken control of Luoyang?
A: General Dong Zhuo', '
Q: When did Dong Zhuo die?
A: 192 AD']
After Cao's defeat at the naval Battle of Red Cliffs in 208 AD, China was divided into three spheres of influence, with Cao Cao dominating the north, Sun Quan (182–252 AD) dominating the south, and Liu Bei (161–223 AD) dominating the west. Cao Cao died in March 220 AD. By December his son Cao Pi (187–226 AD) had Emperor Xian relinquish the throne to him and is known posthumously as Emperor Wen of Wei. This formally ended the Han dynasty and initiated an age of conflict between three states: Cao Wei, Eastern Wu, and Shu Han.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Who was defeated at the Battle of Red Cliffs in 208 AD?
A: Cao', '
Q: Who did Emperor Xian give his throne to?
A: Cao Pi', '
Q: What state was in a conflict with Eastern Wu, and Shu Han?
A: Cao Wei', '
Q: Who was in control of the south of China?
A: Sun Quan', '
Q: In what month did Cao Cao die?
A: March']
Each successive rank gave its holder greater pensions and legal privileges. The highest rank, of full marquess, came with a state pension and a territorial fiefdom. Holders of the rank immediately below, that of ordinary marquess, received a pension, but had no territorial rule. Officials who served in government belonged to the wider commoner social class and were ranked just below nobles in social prestige. The highest government officials could be enfeoffed as marquesses. By the Eastern Han period, local elites of unattached scholars, teachers, students, and government officials began to identify themselves as members of a larger, nationwide gentry class with shared values and a commitment to mainstream scholarship. When the government became noticeably corrupt in mid-to-late Eastern Han, many gentrymen even considered the cultivation of morally grounded personal relationships more important than serving in public office.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: During what period was it obvious that corruption was widespread in the government?
A: mid-to-late Eastern Han', '
Q: What rank provided its holder territorial rule?
A: full marquess', '
Q: What class did individuals who served as officials in the government belong to?
A: commoner social', '
Q: What was considered to be more important to some than serving the local government?
A: cultivation of morally grounded personal relationships', '
Q: What rank is below that of full marquess?
A: ordinary marquess']
The farmer, or specifically the small landowner-cultivator, was ranked just below scholars and officials in the social hierarchy. Other agricultural cultivators were of a lower status, such as tenants, wage laborers, and in rare cases slaves. Artisans and craftsmen had a legal and socioeconomic status between that of owner-cultivator farmers and common merchants. State-registered merchants, who were forced by law to wear white-colored clothes and pay high commercial taxes, were considered by the gentry as social parasites with a contemptible status. These were often petty shopkeepers of urban marketplaces; merchants such as industrialists and itinerant traders working between a network of cities could avoid registering as merchants and were often wealthier and more powerful than the vast majority of government officials. Wealthy landowners, such as nobles and officials, often provided lodging for retainers who provided valuable work or duties, sometimes including fighting bandits or riding into battle. Unlike slaves, retainers could come and go from their master's home as they pleased. Medical physicians, pig breeders, and butchers had a fairly high social status, while occultist diviners, runners, and messengers had low status.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Who were considered to be below the social rank that scholars held?
A: The farmer', '
Q: What color of clothing were merchants that had registered with the state forced to wear?
A: white-colored', '
Q: Who was commonly considered by some to be social parasites?
A: State-registered merchants', '
Q: Who would retainers in the employ of nobles occasionally have to fight?
A: bandits', '
Q: How could a merchant prevent having to register as one?
A: working between a network of cities']
The Han-era family was patrilineal and typically had four to five nuclear family members living in one household. Multiple generations of extended family members did not occupy the same house, unlike families of later dynasties. According to Confucian family norms, various family members were treated with different levels of respect and intimacy. For example, there were different accepted time frames for mourning the death of a father versus a paternal uncle. Arranged marriages were normal, with the father's input on his offspring's spouse being considered more important than the mother's. Monogamous marriages were also normal, although nobles and high officials were wealthy enough to afford and support concubines as additional lovers. Under certain conditions dictated by custom, not law, both men and women were able to divorce their spouses and remarry.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: How many family members would commonly live in a single household during the Han era?
A: four to five', "
Q: Whose opinion on the spouse of an arranged marriage was considered to be more important?
A: the father's", '
Q: Who were rich enough to afford multiple lovers?
A: nobles and high officials', '
Q: What type of family was your typical Han era family considered to be?
A: patrilineal', '
Q: What type of marriage was thought of as a normal occurrence in this era?
A: Arranged marriages']