Inner and East Asia The Tang Empire

Origins of the Tang Empire ● After the Sui reunited China, it collapsed after only reigning 34 years. ● The Li family took advantage of the opportunity and made the Tang Empire. ● Like the Han it was influenced by the previous dynasty.

The Founder, Li Shimin

Early Tang ● The high powers descended from the Turks, so they practiced Turkic culture ● Continued Confucian system when deciding candidates for office. ● Combined Chinese and Inner Asian techniques in warfare. ● Developed Iron stirrups which could better support the weight of the people and armor.

Buddhism ● Mahayana, or Great Vehicle, predominated. It fostered faith in enlightened beings, or bodhisattvas, who postpone nirvana to help others achieve enlightenment which permitted absorption of other gods and made conversion more attractive. ● Princes let priests pray for them which gave monasteries benefits like tax exemptions. ● As the Empire spread west the contact with India and Central Asia increased, so the commercial industry increased greatly causing the immense spread of ideas and culture. ● The Tang Empire became cosmopolitan because of its diversity

Chang'an ● Kept the name after the Han and Sui. The hub of Tang communications. The capital of China. ● Excellent roads and waterways connected it to coastal towns of south China and Canton. ● Center of the tributary system, which is a type of political relationship to let it be known the supremacy of China by independent countries. ● It had about one million people in it.

Cultural trades and exchanges ● Clothing styles changed for workers from robes to pants which were favored by the horse-riding Turks. ● Cotton replaced the material worn by commoners. ● The courts of Tang promoted Polo from the steppes and let noblewomen participate. ● The amount of exports dwarfed the imports. ● China was still superior in silk and later became the sole supplier of porcelain to West Asia.

The End of the Tang Empire ● The campaigns of expansion left the empire dependent on local military commanders and a complex tax collection system. ● One of the generals, An Lushan, led a rebellion against the Tang Empire forcing the Emperor to flee. It was stopped, but it did its damage. ● Another uprising occurred with Huang Chao who conquered villages and gained unfortunate supporters. ● A new hatred of barbarians led to the killings of foreigners outside of Canton and Beijing. ● Once stopped it took its toll and refugees and homeless people became common sights. ● The last Tang emperor was terminated by one of the warlords.