Final answer:
Yes, Han society was indeed bound together by an imperial bureaucracy which was based on a meritocratic system of recruitment and a professional class of scholar-officials who managed the governance of the empire.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'Han society was bound together by imperial bureaucracy' is true. During the Han Dynasty, governance was largely in the hands of a well-organized bureaucracy. The recruitment of government officials was based on a meritocratic system, where those who exhibited talent or virtue were sent to the capital for evaluation and appointment. This elaborate system included about 130,000 bureaucrats who were appointed and promoted based on their achievements and honesty. They played a significant role in maintaining social stability and enabling Chinese culture's progress. In the capital, recommended men went through an assessment, possibly examinations, and those who passed would join a pool awaiting appointment to a vacant position, with postings potentially across the vast empire.
Comparably, the Tang government also employed a bureaucracy influenced by the Qin-Han model. Although there was aristocratic influence, bureaucratic positions were not hereditary within clans. The Confucian civil service throughout Chinese history ensured that the empire and its various regions were managed by educated administrators who had undergone rigorous training and stringent examinations. This early establishment of a professional administrative class of 'scholar-officials' was a defining feature of imperial Chinese rule, contributing to its stability and longevity.