Tang dynasty
It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Historians generally regard the Tang as a high point of Chinese civilisation, and a golden age of cosmopolitan culture. Tang territory, acquired through the military campaigns of its early rulers, surpassed that of the Han dynasty.
- field
- Imperial dynasty
- nationality
- Chinese
- known_for
- Golden age of Chinese civilisation, cosmopolitan culture, poetry, woodblock printing, and territorial expansion
Lore & Background
The Li family founded the dynasty after taking advantage of a period of Sui decline and precipitating their final collapse. The Tang maintained a civil-service system by recruiting scholar-officials through standardised examinations and recommendations to office. The rise of regional military governors known as jiedushi during the 9th century undermined this civil order.
Reader's Guide
The Tang dynasty is significant as a high point of Chinese civilisation and a golden age of cosmopolitan culture. Its territory surpassed that of the Han dynasty, and its capital at Chang'an was the world's most populous city for much of its existence. The dynasty raised professional and conscripted armies of hundreds of thousands of troops to contend with nomadic powers for control of Inner Asia and the Silk Road. Chinese culture flourished, with poetry reaching its greatest age; poets such as Li Bai and Du Fu belonged to this era. Notable innovations included woodblock printing. Buddhism became a major influence, though it declined after Emperor Wuzong's policies in the 840s. The Tang exerted powerful cultural influence over neighbouring East Asian nations such as Japan and Korea. Its legacy includes the civil-service system and a rich body of historical literature, encyclopaedias, and geographical works.
Did You Know?
- The Tang capital at Chang'an was the world's most populous city for much of the dynasty's existence.
- Two of China's most famous poets, Li Bai and Du Fu, belonged to the Tang era.
- Woodblock printing was developed during the Tang dynasty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the Tang Dynasty?
The Tang Dynasty was a Chinese imperial dynasty that governed from 618 to 907 CE, rising in the wake of the Sui dynasty and ultimately dissolving into the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms era.
What are the Tang Dynasty's main powers or achievements?
Its early emperors waged military campaigns that stretched its borders beyond those of the earlier Han dynasty, while its capital became a sprawling hub of cosmopolitan culture, poetry, and woodblock printing.
How does the Tang Dynasty's story end?
The dynasty fell in 907 CE, after which China fractured into the chaotic Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.
Why is the Tang Dynasty considered important?
Many historians single it out as a peak of Chinese civilisation, marking a golden age when art, literature, and cross-cultural exchange flourished on an unprecedented scale.
What is the Tang Dynasty most known for?
It is celebrated for its cosmopolitan culture, its golden age of poetry, the development of woodblock printing, and the vast territorial expansion achieved under its early rulers.
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