Tang dynasty

Tang 唐
618–690, 705–907 (690–705: Wu Zhou)
The empire in 661, when it reached its greatest extent[1][2][3]   Civil administration   Military administration   Briefly-controlled areas
Capital	Chang'an (618–904) Luoyang (904–907)
Common languages	Middle Chinese
Religion	Chinese Buddhism Taoism Chinese folk religion Nestorian Christianity Chinese Manichaeism Zoroastrianism Islam
Government	Absolute monarchy
Emperor
• 618–626 (first)	Emperor Gaozu
• 626–649	Emperor Taizong
• 712–756	Emperor Xuanzong
• 904–907 (last)	Emperor Ai
Historical era	Medieval East Asia
• Established	June 18, 618
• Wu Zhou interregnum	690–705
• An Lushan rebellion	755–763
• Abdication in favour of Later Liang	June 1, 907
Area
715[4][5]	5,400,000 km2 (2,100,000 sq mi)
Population
• 7th century	50 million
• 9th century	80 million
Currency	Cash coins
Preceded by Succeeded by Sui dynasty Western Turkic Khaganate Eastern Turkic Khaganate Later Liang Yang Wu Wuyue Min Former Shu Liao dynasty Second Turkic Khaganate

Tang dynasty
"Tang dynasty" in Chinese characters
Chinese	唐朝
Hanyu Pinyin	Tángcháo
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Tángcháo Bopomofo ㄊㄤˊ ㄔㄠˊ Wade–Giles Tʻang2-chʻao2 Tongyong Pinyin Táng-cháo IPA [tʰǎŋ.ʈʂʰǎʊ] Wu Romanization Daon zau Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Tòhngchìuh Jyutping Tong4 ciu4 IPA [tʰɔŋ˩.tsʰiw˩] Southern Min Hokkien POJ Tông-tiâu Tâi-lô Tông-tiâu Middle Chinese Middle Chinese dang djew

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The Tang dynasty (/tɑːŋ/,^[6] [tʰǎŋ]; Chinese: 唐朝^[a]), or the Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. 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 in Chinese civilisation, and a golden age of cosmopolitan culture.^[8] Tang territory, acquired through the military campaigns of its early rulers, rivalled that of the Han dynasty.

The Li family founded the dynasty after taking advantage of a period of Sui decline and precipitating their final collapse, in turn inaugurating a period of progress and stability in the first half of the dynasty's rule. The dynasty was formally interrupted during 690–705 when Empress Wu Zetian seized the throne, proclaiming the Wu Zhou dynasty and becoming the only legitimate Chinese empress regnant. The An Lushan rebellion (755–763) led to devastation and the decline of central authority during the latter half of the dynasty. Like the previous Sui dynasty, 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. The dynasty and central government went into decline by the latter half of the 9th century; agrarian rebellions resulted in mass population loss and displacement, widespread poverty, and further government dysfunction that ultimately ended the dynasty in 907.

The Tang capital at Chang'an (present-day Xi'an) was the world's most populous city for much of the dynasty's existence. Two censuses of the 7th and 8th centuries estimated the empire's population at about 50 million people,^[9][10] which grew to an estimated 80 million by the dynasty's end.^[11][12][b] From its numerous subjects, 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 lucrative trade-routes along the Silk Road. Far-flung kingdoms and states paid tribute to the Tang court, while the Tang also indirectly controlled several regions through a protectorate system. In addition to its political hegemony, the Tang exerted a powerful cultural influence over neighbouring East Asian nations such as Japan and Korea.

Chinese culture flourished and further matured during the Tang era. It is traditionally considered the greatest age for Chinese poetry.^[13] Two of China's most famous poets, Li Bai and Du Fu, belonged to this age, contributing with poets such as Wang Wei to the monumental Three Hundred Tang Poems. Many famous painters such as Han Gan, Zhang Xuan, and Zhou Fang were active, while Chinese court music flourished with instruments such as the popular pipa. Tang scholars compiled a rich variety of historical literature, as well as encyclopaedias and geographical works. Notable innovations included the development of woodblock printing. Buddhism became a major influence in Chinese culture, with native Chinese sects gaining prominence. However, in the 840s, Emperor Wuzong enacted policies to suppress Buddhism, which subsequently declined in influence.

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