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Peace and Prosperity of the Tang Dynasty

In: Historical Events

Submitted By imagoodboy13
Words 1153
Pages 5
Brett Wagner
10/21/14
Dr. Song
The Peace and Prosperity of the Tang Dynasty

China is a country with an incredibly rich history spanning more than 2,000 years. This history involves centuries and centuries of dynasties being overthrown and the repeated splitting and reunification of China. With constant conflict and millions of soldiers having died over the years, one would think China would never experience a state of tranquility, and then the Sui dynasty was succeeded by the Tang dynasty. The Tang dynasty was a period of peace and prosperity for China. There were many factors that contributed to the peace and prosperity of the Tang dynasty, however it seems to be true that all things good must come to an end. This time of peace was disrupted by the Rebellion of An Lushan, which marked the decline of the Tang dynasty.
There were many components that gave way to the peacefulness of China prevalent during the Tang dynasty, some of which were residual from the Sui dynasty. One of the major factors was the reunification of north and south China. This occurred under the reign of the Sui dynasty, which prevented future conflicts between the north and the south by creating a sense of unity and wholeness. Although the unification was done by force, it greatly benefited China and the Tang dynasty. It is said that this unification “ushered in three centuries of cultural flowering,”1 which is a very long period of cultural advancement, especially for China. Another feat under the Sui dynasty was the construction of most of the Grand Canal, which linked the north and the south, however it was under the Tang dynasty that the canal opened. The Grand Canal increased the productivity and prosperity of the Tang dynasty by making travel and trade easier and much more efficient.
Emperors of the Tang dynasty adopted many liberal policies that facilitated the prosperity of Chinese society. For example, a new system of “equal land allotments among the male population”2 greatly increased agricultural production, which in turn increased the economy. Another liberal move by the Tang dynasty was standardizing taxes and keeping them generally low, this allowed more people to live in such areas almost doubling the population. The Tang dynasty is known for having been a time of prosperity and flourishment for China with regards to the economy, the society, and the culture. The capital of the Tang dynasty, Chang’an, which is today’s Xi’an, “grew to be the largest city in the world, housing perhaps a million people and attracting traders, students, and pilgrims from all over Asia.”1 This excerpt effectively summarizes the success of the Tang dynasty, and how this thriving time attracted more people from all over Asia. One attribute of the Tang that I think is very significant to mention is that they “showed themselves remarkably open to what other cultures had to offer.”1 Prior to the Tang dynasty, there were many that tried to get rid of other cultures by replacing them with their own, however the Tang welcomed other cultures which made it much more peaceful and welcoming. There was an expansion of the Silk Road during this time period, which further promoted international trade all of which stimulated economic growth. The arts were very important to the culture of the Tang dynasty. This dynasty is also sometimes referred to as the golden age of Chinese poetry, because some of China’s most famous poets lived during this time period when literature blossomed. Some of these famous poets include “Li Bai, Du Fu…, and Li Shangyin.”2 Education in general became very prominent, with the establishment of state schools and the issuance of the Five Classics. This was done in order to spread Confucianism. China became very attractive to merchants and pilgrims from neighboring countries such as “Japan, Korea, and Tibet”1 bringing with them goods such as “horses, jewels, musical instruments, and textiles,”1 which added to the melting pot of culture that China had become. The “Chinese in this period were more than happy to gather about them the best of what the rest of their world had to offer,”1 which was fantastic for the expansion and absorption of culture, a few other things that were added to the Tang culture were “foreign fashions in hair and clothing…and the game of polo.”1 All the aforementioned would lead one to believe that the era of the Tang dynasty was flawless, thriving, peaceful, and powerful. However, things started to turn bitter when civil war broke out. The Nanzhao Empire defeated two Tang armies and eventually took over Chengdu. This was a major defeat for the Tang dynasty. To make matters worse, the Arabs attacked the Tang at the same time in the Battle of Talas in which a large Tang army was defeated as well. While all of these defeats were negative to the Tang dynasty, they do not compare to the devastation and destruction of the Rebellion of An Lushan. An Lushan was the general of a Tang army who rebelled against the Tang. Lushan took his army along the Grand Canal and captured Luoyang, the eastern capital of the Tang dynasty. Lushan announced the formation of the “Great Yan,” a new empire with himself as its first emperor. After capturing Luoyang, Lushan and his army started heading towards Chang’an, the Tang’s main capital city. His army grew in size along the way because they were “treated well” if they surrendered. The rebel army occupied Chang’an, however the Tang was able to regain control over Chang’an and Luoyang with the help of “22,000 Arab mercenaries…and also a large number of Uighur soldiers.”2 After this, the Yan dynasty began to fall apart with An Lushan being killed by his own son, who was then killed by his father’s friend Shi Siming who then took power, but was then killed by his son who took power but was unfavorable. Due to this sharp decrease in power, Yan officials returned back to the Tang and both the Yan dynasty and the rebellion came to their ends with the suicide of the Yan’s last emperor.
With the An Lushan Rebellion over, the Tang dynasty should have continued to prosper, however all of this turmoil greatly weakened the Tang dynasty. Therefore the civil war involving Nanzhao, the battles with the Arabs, and especially the Rebellion of An Lushan, are all responsible for the interruption of the peace and prosperity of the Tang dynasty. If these conflicts had never occurred the Tang dynasty would have been able to continue to flourish and develop China.
Bibliography

1. Ebrey, Patricia Buckley. "A Cosmopolitan Empire: The Tang Dynasty." The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1996. N. pag. Print.

2. Schafer, Edward H. The Golden Peaches of Samarkand: A Study of Tʻang Exotics. Berkeley: U of California, 1963. Print.

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