A combination of factors contributed to the territorial expansion of the Han and Tang dynasties, including both trade and conquest.
Trade played a significant role in expanding the reach of both empires. The Han Dynasty established the Silk Road, a network of trade routes connecting China with the West, facilitating the exchange of goods, ideas, and cultural influences.
Conquest was also a crucial factor in the expansion of both dynasties. The Han Dynasty engaged in military campaigns to subdue nomadic tribes in the north and south, expanding their control over present-day Mongolia, Vietnam, and parts of Central Asia.
So, the territorial expansion of the Han and Tang dynasties was driven by a combination of trade and conquest.