Which ruler made Confucianism the official state orthodoxy of Han China in 136 BCE?

Emperor Wu of Han made Confucianism the official state orthodoxy of Han China in 136 BCE.

Emperor Wu, also called Han Wudi, ruled from 141 to 87 BCE. During his reign, the court strengthened the position of Confucian learning and established official posts for scholars of the Confucian classics. This policy is often associated with the scholar Dong Zhongshu, although the political and intellectual change involved several court actors and institutions.

The move did not instantly eliminate other philosophies. Legalist administrative practices, Huang-Lao ideas, and other traditions continued to influence government. Instead, Confucian classics increasingly supplied the official language of morality, education, hierarchy, and proper government.

The policy helped shape the later civil-service system and educational culture of imperial China. Qin Shi Huang, by contrast, founded the Qin dynasty and is associated with Legalist statecraft. Emperor Wu of Han should not be confused with Emperor Gaozu, the founder of the Han dynasty.