Tang Dynasty ~ 618 - 907 Advancements: The Perfection of Porcelain, Block Printing Major Public Works: The Tang Mausolea, The Summer Palace The Tang dynasty (A.D. 618-907), with its capital at Chang'an, is regarded by historians as a high point in Chinese civilization-- equal, or even superior, to the Han period. Its territory, acquired through the military exploits of its early rulers, was greater than that of the Han. Stimulated by contact with India and the Middle East, the empire saw a flowering of creativity in many fields. Buddhism, originating in India around the time of Confucius, flourished during the Tang period, becoming a permanent part of Chinese traditional culture. Block printing was invented, making the written word available to vastly greater audiences. The Tang period was the golden age of literature and art. A government system supported by a large class of Confucian literati selected through civil service examinations was perfected under Tang rule. This competitive procedure was designed to draw the best talents into government. But perhaps an even greater consideration for the Tang rulers, aware that imperial dependence on powerful aristocratic families and warlords would have destabilizing consequences, was to create a body of career officials having no autonomous territorial or functional power base. As it turned out, these scholar-officials acquired status in their local communities, family ties, and shared values that connected them to the imperial court. By the middle of the eighth century A.D., Tang power had ebbed. Gaozu 618-626 Taizong 626-649 Gaozong 649-683 Zhongzong 684, 705-710 Ruizong 684-690, 710-712 Wu Zetian 690-705 BACK ~ MAIN ~ NEXT