Abstract: A funeral is not only a farewell ceremony but also a grand social event.In the Han Dynasty,with the rapid rise of the official class,their funerals became important gatherings and social places.Through the performance of filial piety at funerals,the descendants of later generations built their own image of filial piety and sought progress in their official career.The imperial court,on the other hand,made use of the gift-giving activities to coordinate the monarch-subject relationship and publicize the mainstream values.By going to the funerals,officials and scholars expressed their political positions and expanded their communication networks.The funerals of officials in the Han Dynasty are no longer simple funeral ceremonies,but concentrated political stages.The exploration of official funerals in the Han Dynasty not only reveals the profound impact of social reform on the funeral ceremony system,but also vividly shows the daily operation mechanism of the political system and social relations in the Han Dynasty.

Key words: the Han Dynasty, funerals, social functions, social relations