Tang Dynasty
From Mw
Introduction
The Tang Dynasty ran from 618 - 907. Its capital was Chang'an present day Xian. Chang'an was the populous city in the world at the time
Contents |
[edit] Tang Foundations
The Tang Dynasty was founded by Li Yuan
[edit] Tang zenith
The 7th to the 8th century was generally considered the zenith point of the Tang dynasty, and arguably the whole Chinese civilization. Emperor Tang Xuan Zong brought the Middle Kingdom to its golden age and Tang hegemony reached all the way to Japan and Korea in the east, Indo China in the south and central and western Asia in the west. China was the protector of Kashmir and master of the Pamirs. Its authority reached deep into Tokmak west of Lake Issyk Kul, Tohuolu or Kabul in Afghanistan, and as far west as Aral Sea and the Caspian Sea. Some of the major kingdoms paying tribute to the Tang Dynasty included Kashmir, Neparo (Nepal), Vietnam, Japan, Korea, over nine kingdoms located in Amudar’ya and Syrdar’ya valley in south of mid-Asia. Nomadic kingdoms addressed the Emperor of Tang respectfully as Tian Kehan (Celestial Kaghan)...
[edit] An Lushan and the Tang decline
The Tang dynasty turning point came with the rebellion of An Lushan,A Chinese general of Iranian and Turkish descent, An Lu-shan ,which saw the Tang Emperoes request to Abu Jaffar for Muslim mercenaries (see... Islam in China.
[edit] Tang and the Turks
The Tang dynasty is marked by its continued war with the Uighurs, whom are claimed to be the original descendants of the Turkic People also known as the Xiong Nu. It was during the tang dyansty that many princess where sent to the Turks as tributes, in order to secure peace between the then two powerful regions.
[edit] Tang Chronology
[edit] Tang Dynasty
[edit] (0618AD-0907AD)
[edit] Emperors:
| Yihao | Name | The time on the throne | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gao Zu | Li Yuan | 0618AD-0626AD | The first emperor of Tang Dynasty, obained the throne by rebelling from Sui dynasty |
| Tai Zong | Li Shimin | 0627AD-0649AD | One of the greatest emperors in Chinese history, his era is called "Flourishing Age". |
| Gao Zong | Li Zhi | 0650AD-0683AD | A henpecked emperor, so that his wife Wu Zetian got domination of whole country. |
| Zhong Zong | Li Xian | 0684AD-0684AD | A puppet emporer, controlled by his mother Wu Zetian. Just 54 days on the throne, then exempted. |
| Rui Zong | Li Dang | 0684AD-0690AD | Another puppet emporer, was exempted in 690AD by his mother Wu Zetian |
| Wu Hou | Wu Zetian | 0690AD-0704AD | The only female emporer in Chinese history. Actually, as soon as got the throne, she changed Tang dynasty into "Zhou". |
| Zhong Zong | Li Xian | 0705AD-0710AD | When Wu Zetian was 80s, Li Xian took a chance to coup, regained the power and recovered the name "Tang" |
| Shang Zong | Li Chongmao | 0710AD-0710AD | The son of Li Xian, but in fact, he never throned. In some history books, he is not listed as a emporer of Tang |
| Rui Zong | Li Dang | 0710AD-0711AD | The second time be the emporer of Tang by couping commanded by his son Li Longji. One year later, he abdicated the throne to Longji. |
| Xuan Zong | Li Longji | 0712AD-0755AD | Another "Flourishing Age", but in late his era, A big rebellion broke out, that caused Tang to decline. |
| Su Zong | Li Heng | 0756AD-0761AD | During "the Rebellion of An and Shi", Xuan Zong abdicated to his son Li Heng. After putting the rebellion down, the time that eunuches domineered began. |
| Dai Zong | Li Yu | 0762AD-0779AD | The chaos caused by war was being recuperated in the era of Dai Zong. |
| De Zong | Li Shi | 0780AD-0804AD | The Era of Resurgence began. |
| Shun Zong | Li Song | 0805AD-0805AD | Due to obstacle of speaking, Li Song just had been the emporer of Tang for six months. |
| Xian Zong | Li Chun | 0806AD-0820AD | The son of Li Song, a intelligent emporer. He was murdered by several eunuches. |
| Mu Zong | Li Heng | 0821AD-0824AD | Same English name as Li Heng (Su Zong), they are two emporers, different Chinese names. |
| Jing Zong | Li Chen | 0825AD-0825AD | When this young emporer was killed by the eunuches, he was just 18. |
| Wen Zong | Li Ang | 0826AD-0840AD | A wise emporer, but since Event of Dew, a plan to eliminate the eunuches who controlled the government, failed, he was put under house arrest and died in despression. |
| Wu Zong | Li Chan(Yan) | 0841AD-0846AD | One of the three famous emporers in Chinese history who prohibited Buddhism. |
| Xuan Zong | Li Yi(Chen) | 0847AD-0858AD | Mutinies happened. |
| Yi Zong | Li Huai | 0859AD-0873AD | rebellions spreaded out. |
| Xi Zong | Li Huan | 0874AD-0888AD | The biggest rebellion in Tang broke out. The leaders were Wang Xianzhi and Huang Chao. Although the rebel was put down at last, Tang dynasty had been the edge of ruin. |
| Zhao Zong | Li Hua | 0889AD-0904AD | Finally, the eunuches were killed up by general Zhu Quanzong, but he killed the emporer Zhao Zong, too. |
| Ai Zong | Li Zuo | 0904AD-0907AD | Zhu Quanzong obained the throne from Ai Zong, and changed the dynasty into Da Liang(later Liang). Tang dynaster was ruined. |
[edit] References
- The Turks in World Hisotry - Carter Vaghn Findly
- china history forum - tang and sui
- The "New T’ang History" (Hsin T’ang-shu) on the History of the Uighurs. Translated and annotated by Colin Mackerras
