Chinese Dynasties | Tang Dynasty

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Tang Dynasty a Golden Age Of Chinese Dynasties!

The Tang Dynasty was a watershed in China's development, lasting from 618 to 907 CE, interrupted by Empress Wu Zetian in 690 to 705 CE. At that time in Chinese history, it was the most powerful ruling government on earth and is now known as one of the most interesting of the Chinese Dynasties. The first codified legal system was created in 624 CE. A system of examinations based on Confucianism was implemented to select the best candidates for civil service, and was so effective it continued until the end of the Qing Dynasty. Buddhism came to China during this period and the arts flourished; in particular, calligraphy, dance, literature, music, painting, pottery and sculpture. Famous Chinese poets abound from this era, and the costumes and fluid motion of women dancers are emulated to this day.


Image: Public Domain. | Lens Updated: February 27th, 2011 @ 9:00 am Beijing time.

The Tang Dynasty History

... encompassed the timeline
618 to 907 CE

Read About Tang Dynasty History on Wikipedia!

Read what the online reference source says...

The Tang Dynasty (pinyin: Táng Cháo) (June 18, 618 to June 4, 907) was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire. The dynasty was interrupted briefly by the Second Zhou Dynasty (October 16, 690 to March 3, 705) when Empress Wu Zetian seized the throne...


... read the rest of the Wikipedia article

Tang Dynasty Emperors ~ a Timeline of History!

Historical Timeline from 618 to 690 CE!

The Tang Dynasty was from June 18, 618 to June 4, 907 CE. Here's a list of the reigning emperors:

1st Emperor - Tang Gao Zu (Li Yuan) ~ [618 to 626 CE]
... was governor of what is now Shanxi, who took advantage of the advanced state of turmoil in the death throes of the Sui Dynasty to raise an army and overthrow Chang'an (modern day Xi'an) and make it the capital. His primary focus was unifying the empire under the Tang, and he re-established earlier successful administrative divisions. This paved the way for the codifying of bureaucratic, legal, military and taxation systems that made this dynasty so successful.

Image: Wikimedia

2nd Emperor - Tang Taizong (Li Shimin) ~ [627 to 649 CE]
... was regarded as a co-founder of the Tang Dynasty, as he was responsible for persuading his father, Gao Zu (Li Yuan) to successfully conquer the imperial troops in Chang'an. His administration was outstanding, and set the standard for all the following rulers of China to live up to. For the following hundred years, China enjoyed a golden age. Taizong was a great student of history, and used the mistakes of his predecessors as a spur to greatness.

Image: Wikimedia

3rd Emperor - Tang Gaozong (Li Zhi) ~ [650 to 683 CE]
... was notable as the emperor who took, as his second wife, Empress Wu who was later known as Wu Zetian - the only female leader of China. He displayed weakness in delegating much of the decision-making of state affairs to Empress Wu, and also suffered from debilitating cerebro-vascular disease. This eventually left him incapacitated and the way was open for his wife to take charge!

Image: Wikimedia

4th Emperor - Tang Zhongzong (Li Xian) ~ [684 CE, 705 to 710 CE]... the son of Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu. He was unseated by his mother, sent into exile and replaced by his young brother, Ruizong. After six years, Ruizong succumbed and handed his mother the reigns of power. Zhongzong was recalled to his post in 698 CE, reinstated as Emperor after a coup in 705 CE and poisoned in 710 CE by his mother.

5th Emperor - Tang Ruizong (Li Dan) ~ [684 to 690 CE, 710 to 712 CE]
Was installed as Emperor by his mother, Wu Zetian, after his older brother, Tang Zhongzong (Li Xian), attempted to rule without her advice and control. He was effectively a puppet of his mother, and abdicated in order to hand her the power to rule in 690 CE. Ruizong had his position reduced to that of Crown Prince, with the title of Huangsi (meaning Imperial Heir).In 712 CE he wielded power as Taishang Huang (retired emperor), then abdicated for Xuanzong.

Image: Cultural China

History of the Tang ~ Interrupted by the Zhou Dynasty!

Empress Wu Zetian (690 to 705 CE)!

Wu Zetian (personal name Wu Zhao, often referred to as Tian Hou and Empress Consort Wu) [690 to 705 CE]: An amorous woman of the Tang Dynasty, originally concubine to the 2nd emperor, Taizong, and then to the 3rd, Gaozong. While not a Tang Dynasty ruler, Wu Zetian was an important figure influencing government from behind the scenes for many years. She finally came into power in her own right, becoming China's only ruling Empress. Famous for her Machiavellian court intrigue, she murdered her sons (Li Hong and Li Xian) and her baby daughter for political gain.

Image: Public Domain

Tang Dynasty Emperors ~ a Timeline (cont)...

7th Emperor - Tang Shangdi (Li Chongmao) ~ [710 CE]... was the youngest son of Emperor Zhongzong, born to one of his concubines. He ruled briefly for only 17 days (July 5, to August 19, 710 CE) after his death. Li Chongmao was removed from the throne and died under suspicious circumstances shortly after, in his late teens.

8th Emperor - Tang Xuanzong/Hsüan-tsung (Li Longji) ~ [712 to 756 CE]

9th Emperor - Tang Suzong (Li Heng) ~ [756 to 762 CE]

10th Emperor - Tang Daizong (Li Yu) ~ [762 to 779 CE]

11th Emperor - Tang Dezong (Li Shi) ~ [780 to 805 CE]

12th Emperor - Tang Shunzong (Li Song) ~ [805 CE]

13th Emperor - Tang Xianzong (Li Chun) ~ [806 to 820 CE]

14th Emperor - Tang Muzong (Li Heng) ~ [821 to 824 CE]

15th Emperor - Tang Jingzong (Li Zhan) ~ [824 to 826 CE]

16th Emperor - Tang Wenzong (Li Ang) ~ [826 to 840 CE]

17th Emperor - Tang Wuzong (Li Yan) ~ [840 to 846 CE]
... is primarily remembered as the emperor who launched brutal measures against the religion of Buddhism, because of his belief that this was a "foreign" religion compared to Taoism, which he followed. He couldn't stand the sight even of the monks he regarded as tax-evaders. Wuzong ordered 40,000 temples and 4,600 Buddhist monasteries destroyed, resulting in around 250,000 monks & nuns abandoning their cloistered lifestyle.

Image: Wikimedia

18th Emperor - Tang Xuanzong (Li Chen) ~ [846 to 859 CE]
... not a puppet to be controlled by warlords, eunuchs or familial interests, Xuanzong is considered to be the last competent and decisive emperor of the Tang dynasty. Seeking immortality, he took pills from alchemists that caused behavioural changes and a large boil on his back. The empire experienced a prosperous time under his reign, whether by good design or good luck. They referred to him thereafter as "Little Taizong".

Image: Wikimedia



19th Emperor - Tang Yizong (Li Cui) ~ [859 to 873 CE]

20th Emperor - Tang Xizon (Li Xuan) ~ [873 to 888 CE]

21st Emperor - Tang Zhaozong (Li Ye) ~ [888 to 904 CE]... during his reign the Tang empire fell into disarray, there were rebellions throughout the land and the authority of the empire had effectively disappeared. Zhaozong acted against corrupt court officials and powerful warlords who were trying to overthrow the state. Finally, in 904 CE, corrupt official Zhu Wen seized control of the government, assassinated Zhaozong and many of his followers, then instated Zhaozong's son as a puppet emperor.

22nd Emperor - Tang Aidi (Li Zhu) ~ [904 to 907 CE]... was the son of Emperor Zhaozong, who was murdered by Zhu Wen. Aidi was only 13 when he ascended the the throne, and was a puppet for Zhu Wen. In the 2nd year of his rein, Aidi was forced to issue an edict and order the execution of the remaining few ministers loyal to the Li family. Two years later, Aidi was forced to abdicate by the regent Zhaozong, and finally in February 908 CE, he was poisoned to death at 17 years of age.

A Brief Overview of The Tang Dynasty History!

A history of artistic opulence and powerful government...

Map of Tang Dynasty


During this period, the state was the most prosperous and powerful in the world. The economic, political, cultural and military strength of the Tang was without peer.

Tang Dynasty Images of History on Flickr!

Just a few of the many Tang Dynasty images available...

Man Taming Horse - Tang Dynasty Figurines! by drs2biz
Tang Dynasty Square by avlxyz
Da Ci'en Temple by kevinpoh
Tang Dynasty, Urbana, IL 2 by matizi
Tang Dynasty Tomb Guardian by Forever Wiser
wood Tang dynasty by Art Poskanzer
Dancing Horse by ellenm1
Devotion by B_cool
Big Wild Goose Pagoda Architecture by kevinpoh
Central Pagoda by nekonoir
curated content from Flickr

Buddhism Flourished In The Tang Dynasty!

... but was suppressed in 845 CE!

drs2biz / CC BY-ND 2.0

Although Buddhism probably came to China during the reign Of Qin Shi Huang Di during the Qin Dynasty (227 to 206 BCE), it became extremely popular during the T'ang Dynasty. Many Buddhist masters were existent, and huge icons including the Grand Buddha of Leshan (image above) were created.

Under the reign of Emperor Wuzong, however, this ancient religion was persecuted brutally, with thousands of temples and monasteries being razed to the ground. Wuzong reputedly could not stand to see the sight of the monks with their flowing robes. This was a constant reminder to him of the "foreign" religious belief that had a large following with huge financial donations, yet they paid no taxes to him.

Tang Dynasty News Found By Google!

China: Wealthy elite revives the spirit of the emperors
First played by the Persians 2500 years ago, polo was later adopted by the Tang Dynasty, who ruled China from 618-907 AD, and became the game of choice for the Chinese elite, with high-ranking officials building playing fields in their own gardens.
Tang Dynasty treasures unveiled in Belgium
By Fu Jing in Maaseik, Belgium ( China Daily) Belgium's border city of Maaseik has opened an exhibition of about 200 relics and treasures of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), showcasing China's golden age of ancient civilization.
Blending the ancient and modern
Located in the Qujiang tourism district, once a royal summer garden in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the Westin Xi'an is directly opposite the Big Wild Goose Pagoda built more than 1000 years ago that is a popular tourism attraction today.
China's Bo Xilai scandal revs up news media run by exiles
Commentator Tang Baiqiao appears on New Tang Dynasty Television as technician Meichu Chen works the control panel in the network's New York newsroom. ?The political changes in China this year will make us a top media player,? said Samuel Zhou, ...

Meet The Tang Dynasty Dead Poets Society!

A collection of porcelain statues in Liuhou Park, Liuzhou!

Tang Dynasty Dead Poets Society on Flickr!

drs2biz / CC BY-ND 2.0

Legend of Tang Poet Statues in Image Above:

LHS (front) Li Bai (701 to 762 CE)... Born in Qin Bian District, Gansu Province, he later moved to Jiang Guan District, Sichuan Province. At age 25, he began to travel around China. He was very ambitious, and was a governor twice. Li Bai experienced the An Shi Rebellion, illustrating the dangers in his country. Around 1,000 poems of his have been preserved in the Li Bai Encyclopaedia.

LHS (2nd) Du Fu (712 to 770 CE)... has been called Poet-Historian and the Poet-Sage by Chinese critics, while the range of his work has allowed him to be introduced to Western readers as "the Chinese Virgil, Horace, Ovid, Shakespeare, Milton, Burns, Wordsworth, Béranger, Hugo or Baudelaire."

LHS (3rd) Bai Ju Yi (772 to 864 CE)... poems are not cheerful, and were themed around his responsibilities as a governor of several small provinces to sympathise with his people. He is renowned in Japan as well, where he is called Hakurakuten.

LHS (4th) Zhang Ji (~766 to 830 CE)... was a notable officer under Wei. At one time, Zhang Ji greatly helped defend Chang An along with Xiahou Yuan. According to the records of history, Zhang Ji later became the protector Yong and then later Liang. Zhang Ji earned quite a bit of merit for his administration.

LHS (5th) Yuan Zhen (779 to 831 CE)... an important Chinese writer in the middle of the Tang Dynasty. He lived in Luoyang and briefly held ministerial rank. He was member of Po Chu-i's literary circle and was a key figure in the ancient literature revival.

LHS (6th) Xue Tao (~768 to 831 CE)... Title "Hong Du". Was born in Chengdu. She was clever and good at calligraphy. Yuan Zhen, a governor, visited her and then sent her to work in government offices. Yuan Zhen became a Ph.D. in the government. He appointed Xue Tao as a government writer. The books she wrote were "Jin Jiang Ji" and "Chen Shi Ji".

LHS (7th) Wang Wei (701 to 761 CE)... Title "Mo Jie". Was born in Shanxi Province, Taiyuan county. He became a governor when he was 21 years old. Later generations call him "Wang Yo Yi". His work focussed on mountains and water. His poetry, drawings and music are very famous. Shu Shi, another poet, thought that his poems evoked scenic pictures.

LHS (8th) Li He (790 to 816 CE)...Title "Chang Ji". He was a small official but, because of his talent and hard work, he became a poet. His poetry was very romantic and imaginative. He died very early at the age of 27.

LHS (9th) Du Mu (803 to 852 CE)... Title "Mu Zhi". Was born in Shanxi Province, Chang'an County. At 26, he became a governor in Jiangxi Province. Later he became a prison governor, but quit his job and became a poet. He was called "Xiao Du" (Little Du), another famous poet, Du Fu, was called "Lao Du" (Old Du). The most famous book he wrote is "Fan Chun Wen Ji".

RHS (front) Liu Zong Yuan (773 to 819 CE)... Title "Zi Hou". Born in Shanxi Province in Shui Ji County. He became a governor at age 21. When he was 26 he became a diplomat. He joined Wang Shu Wen to reform the country, but the reforms failed. He was demoted as a result. He died at age 47 in Liuzhou. The book he wrote is called "Liu He Dong Ji".

RHS (2nd) Han Yu (768 to 824 CE)... Was born in Nanyang, Henan Province, into a literary family. He passed his civil service entrance exam after several attempts. Wrote his famous "Memorial on Bone-relics of the Buddha" which was a critique on the Buddhist influence on his country, prompting his dismissal and exile to Chaozhou by the emperor, who was insulted by this work.

RHS (3rd) Liu Yu Xi (772 to 842 CE)... was born in Luoyang in Henan Province. Liu passed the highest degree of the government exams when he was only 20 years old, and worked with Liu Zongyuan. He was somewhat of a controversial figure in his time, as he wrote many satirical poems which often offended officials, and was variously demoted and exiled as a result.

RHS (4th) Wang Zhi Huan (688 to 742 CE)...was famous during the Kaiyuan Era.
He wrote the famous lines "On the Stork Tower":
The sun beyond the mountains glows;
The Yellow River seawards flows.
You can enjoy a grander sight
By climbing to a greater height.

RHS (5th) Wang Bo (649 to 676 CE)...was known as Chu Tang Si Jie, and wrote in a richly

Browse These Images of the Dead Poets Society!

Have a closer look at images of these poets, above...

Li Bai (701 to 762 CE) by drs2biz
Du Fu (712-770 A.D.) by drs2biz
Bai Ju Yi (772 - 864 CE) by drs2biz
Zhang Ji (circa 766-830 AD) by drs2biz
Yuan Zhen (779 - 831 CE) by drs2biz
Xue Tao (circa 768 - 831 CE) by drs2biz
Wang Wei (701 - 761 CE) by drs2biz
Li He (790 - 816 CE) by drs2biz
Du Mu (803 - 852 CE) by drs2biz
Liu Zong Yuan (773 - 819 CE) by drs2biz
Han Yu (768- 824 A.D.) by drs2biz
Liu Yu Xi (772-842 A.D.) by drs2biz
Wang Zhi Huan (688-742 A.D.) by drs2biz
Wang Bo (649-676 A.D.) by drs2biz
Luo Bin Wang (640-684 A.D.) by drs2biz
Gao Shi (702-765 A.D.) by drs2biz
Cen Shen (715-770 A.D.) by drs2biz
Cui Hao (704-754 A.D.) by drs2biz
curated content from Flickr

Three Hundred Poems of the T'ang Dynasty!

Read more about the "Golden Age" of history in this book...

"As many a dynasty in Chinese history is marked by some phase of success representing the thought and life of that period, the T'ang Dynasty is commonly recognised as the golden age of poetry. Beginning with the founder of the dynasty, down to the last ruler, almost every one of the emperors was a great lover and patron of poetry, and many were poets themselves. A special tribute should be paid to the Empress Wu Zhao or the "Woman Emperor" (690-705 CE), through whose influence poetry became a requisite in examinations for degrees and an important course leading to official promotion. This made every official as well as every scholar a poet. The poems required in the examination, after long years of gradual development, followed a formula, and many regulations were established. Not only must the length of a line be limited to a certain number of the characters, usually five or seven, but also the length of a poem was limited to a certain number of lines, usually four or eight or twelve. The maintenance of rhymes, the parallelism of characters, and the balance of tones were other rules considered essential. This is called "modern" or "ruled" poetry."

... "300 poems of the T'ang Dynasty 618-906", introduced by Dr. Kiang Kang-hu
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Tang Dynasty Blog Posts From Google!

Read what's being written in the "Blogosphere"!

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The Tang Dynasty Created Dancing Beauties!

jeremybarwick / CC BY 2.0

During the Tang dynasty, one of the most important cultural events took place, the foundation of the academy for dance and music. The emperors of the Tang dynasty began to look for good dancers and brought them into the royal gardens to perform. Three institutions of art were built ~ "The Imperial Academy", "T'ai-ch'ang" Temple and "The Pear Garden Academy".

The last one was built by the emperor "Hsuan Tsung", inside the royalty gardens. Thus was instituted the first professional group of dance and music in China. This group evolved into the "Peking Opera" and the participants were called 'the sons of the pear garden'. These dancers made up the 'Ten Movements Music "dance"' and created a new code of performance. This new method is now known as the "Classic Dance" and helped choreographers to create the first dance performances.

Tang Dynasty Books on Amazon!

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What Do You Think About The Tang Dynasty?

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Did you enjoy reading about the Tang Dynasty? Leave your comments and questions below. Please take the time to rate this lens a "thumbs up" at the top LH corner of the page. If you enjoyed it, you may care to mark it as a favourite as well. Not a Squidoo member yet? You're missing out on all the fun. Squidoo is free to join and use, and you can even make some money for your favourite charity, our even for yourself (gasp). Go ahead, make my day and make your first lens now.

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  • Edutopia Feb 14, 2012 @ 10:53 am | delete
    Great lens. It looks like the Tang dynasty really had a significant influence on Chinese arts and culture.
  • Kenken99 Oct 27, 2011 @ 4:40 am | delete
    Great lens!
  • artegx Aug 12, 2011 @ 3:05 am | delete
    Very nice lens! Good information!:)
  • lasertek Feb 16, 2011 @ 7:11 pm | delete
    After the Chinese National Treasures lens, I had to go to the other lenses to learn some more. I enjoyed this lens as well. Great job!
  • prosperity66 Feb 14, 2011 @ 10:07 am | delete
    I love history with a passion but am a big zero in China history. I really liked this page and learned a lot about the Tang Dynasty. Thanks for sharing!
    Blessed by an angel on Squidoo.
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