Although 500 years is a long time, the Chinese civilization from 100 C.E. to 600 C.E. had many cultural and political changes and continuities. The Han Dynasty controlled the empire in the beginning of the time period, but fell about halfway through. Unlike Rome, China was able to recover.
The Chinese kept the mandate of heaven for this entire period. The mandate of heaven was a Chinese religious and political ideology developed by Zhou which stated that the chief deity was able to grant power to the ruler of China and take away if the ruler failed his people. This cultural way of life remained the same throughout this period. Politically, the structure of the government remained unchanged. In China, the Han Dynasty, around 200 C.E., set up a government that efficiently ruled the empire. The government was able to build roads and increase trade, which the Romans were not able to do for another hundred years. Even after the Han Dynasty collapsed, the government had a short period of time where it was slightly weak, but was able to return to its original efficiency quickly.
From 100 C.E. to 600 C.E. the leaders changed many times. In 100 C.E., when the Western Satraps ruled over India, the Han Dynasty was in power of all China. Then in 220 C.E., the Han Dynasty feel, and three states, and their rulers, took its place starting the warring states period that lasted until 534 C.E. Due to the change in empire and ruler, the people underwent a political change and had to adjust to the way they were governed. As well as adjusting politically, the people adjusted culturally with their new religion. In 100 C.E., the main religions in China were Confucism, Daoism, and Legalism. At that time, Buddhism had only been introduced in China for about 50 years, and only was used in India, where it was founded, previously to that. Then, about 300 C.E., Buddhism started to grow and expand, and became the primary religion of most people, although some like high officials did...