汉代,地处西南夷的贵州已经受到汉王朝的重视。汉武帝两次开发西南夷均在贵州设立郡县,犍为郡治"鄨"即今贵州黔西,牂柯郡治"且兰"即在今安顺一带。作为控制西南夷的南部都尉,其治所"汉阳"即在今贵州赫章。从大量的出土汉墓文物,可以看到,由于汉帝国的开发,今贵州地域在社会体制、农业生产、人口增长、民族融合等方面,都出现新的变化。汉武帝以后,两汉帝王进一步加强巩固在贵州所设立的郡县体制,因而加速了贵州封建化的步伐。
Guizhou,located in the Southwest,had received much attention from the central government from Han Dynasty.Emperor Wu of Han set up prefecture and counties in both the developing and exploring drives of Guizhou: "Bie" county in Qian Wei covered today's Qianxi,"julan" county in Zangke referring Anshun region,and "Hanyang",today's Hezhang,was the residence of the south official in charge of the Southwest.The excavated cultural relics in Han tombs shed light on the fact that,thanks to the exploring and developing in Han Dynasty,Guizhou witnessed tremendous changes in its social system,agricultural production,population growth and ethnic fusion.Han emperors after Wu continued their efforts to strengthen the system of prefecture and counties in Guizhou,accelerating its pace of being transformed into a feudal society.