Characteristics of the Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty (618-907) was a unified dynasty after the Sui Dynasty. It had twenty-one emperors and enjoyed two kingdoms. One hundred and eighty-nine years is recognized as one of China's most prosperous eras.
At the end of the Sui Dynasty, all the heroes in the world came together. In 617, Duke Li Yuan of the Tang Dynasty launched the Jinyang Rebellion. In the following year, he proclaimed himself emperor in Chang'an and established the Tang Dynasty. Because the royal family's surname was Li, it was also called Li Tang. After Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty succeeded to the throne, he initiated the rule of Zhenguan. Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty inherited the legacy of Zhenguan and initiated the rule of Yonghui. After that, Wu Zetian once replaced the Tang Dynasty with Zhou Dynasty. After the Shenlong Revolution, the title of the Tang Dynasty was restored. After Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty came to the throne, he made great efforts to govern the country and created a prosperous Kaiyuan era with economic prosperity, foreign guests from all over the world, and all nations coming to court. By the end of Tianbao, the country's population reached about 80 million. [5-8] After the Anshi Rebellion, the separatist rule of vassal towns and the autocratic power of eunuchs led to the gradual decline of national power. In the middle and late period, the country recovered through the Yuanhe Zhongxing, Huichang Zhongxing, and Dazhong Zhizhi. The Huangchao Uprising broke out in 878 and destroyed the foundation of the Tang Dynasty's rule. In 907, Zhu Wen usurped the Tang Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty fell, and China entered the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms.
The Tang Dynasty had the largest territory and was the only unified Central Plains dynasty that did not build the Great Wall.
The territory of the Tang Dynasty exceeded the boundaries of modern China in the west and north. After the Tang Dynasty conquered the Eastern Turks and Xue Yantuo, the emperor was revered as the Heavenly Khan by all ethnic groups in the world [15-18]. He also used the Jisi system to mobilize the Turks, Uighurs, Tiele, Khitan, Mohe, Shiwei and other ethnic groups to attack. enemy country, and allowed vassal states such as Nanzhao, Silla, Bohae, and Japan to learn their own culture and political system.
The science and technology, culture, economy, and art of the Tang Dynasty were characterized by diversification. A large number of famous figures emerged in poetry, calligraphy, and painting, such as the poet Li Bai, the poet Du Fu, the slender Yan Zhenqing, Liu Gongquan, painting saints Wu Daozi and Li Sixun, musician Li Guinian, etc. The culture of the Tang Dynasty was inclusive and accepted various nationalities at home and abroad for exchanges and learning, forming an open international culture.
The Tang Dynasty was tied with the Arab Empire at that time as the most powerful empire in the world. Its reputation spread far and wide overseas, and it had contacts with Asian and European countries. After the Tang Dynasty, Chinese people were often called Tang people overseas.
Characteristics of Tang Dynasty culture
1. Political development, especially political unity and stability
2. Economic development mainly includes handicraft technology and urban commercial development
3. Enlightened and harmonious ethnic policy
4. Open and inclusive foreign policy
5. The foundation of previous generations, especially the culture of the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, has a profound impact on the culture of the Tang Dynasty The influence of Cultural exchange (key points: 1. The government’s open and inclusive ethnic policy; 2. All ethnic groups live in friendship and communicate equally, absorbing the outstanding characteristics of ethnic culture respectively. Historical facts: The Tubo medical book "Four Medical Classics" represents the impact of ethnic minority medicine on Han culture The Tang Dynasty’s music and dance absorbed the characteristics of the music and dance of ethnic minorities, etc.
Absorb foreign civilizations in an adequate amount (key points: 1. The government’s open and inclusive foreign policy; 2. The Tang Dynasty and some countries in Asia, Europe and even Africa The countries have frequent exchanges and have absorbed excellent elements of foreign culture. Historical facts: The art of Mogao Grottoes absorbed the culture of Central Asia and South Asia, the music and dance absorbed the styles of neighboring countries, etc.
Inheriting and carrying forward traditional culture ( Key points: 1. Historical development must be based on the efforts of predecessors; 2. The absorption and improvement of Wei and Jin culture: historical facts: the invention of gunpowder, astronomical calendar achievements, architectural style, poetic characteristics, etc.
The name of the Tang Dynasty
The official name of the Tang Dynasty is "Tang", which originally means the ancient name of Jin, and generally refers to the central and southern region of Shanxi Province. First, he was posthumously named "Tang Guogong". Later, the title was passed to Li Yuan. During the Sui Dynasty, Li Yuan stayed in Jinyang (now Taiyuan, Shanxi). He raised troops in the name of respecting the Sui Dynasty and conquered every battle. He went straight to Chang'an. After Emperor Gong Yang Youchan abdicated the throne, he took "Tang" as the country's name. Because the king's surname was Li, he was also called Li Tang and was respectfully called Tang Dynasty. It was a golden age in Chinese history and one of the most powerful countries in the world at that time. At that time, neighboring countries such as Silla, Goguryeo, Baekje, Balhae Kingdom and Japan had great political systems and cultures. All aspects were greatly influenced by the Tang Dynasty. In the first half of the Tang Dynasty, the social economy was on the rise and the culture was advanced. It was a period in history when China exported culture and technology to neighboring countries. The inclusive social atmosphere also gave the Five Dynasties The various ethnic groups that settled in Seiji since the Sixteenth Kingdom of Hu provided an unprecedented environment for exchange and integration, and in the process they also learned a lot from foreign civilizations. In the second half of the Tang Dynasty, China was in a period of transformation in terms of land, salt, iron, and taxes. The reform of the system marks the change of society. The prosperity from the middle period onwards is mainly reflected in the prosperity of industry and commerce.
Expanded content
Literary knowledge of the Tang Dynasty
(1) Tang Poetry
1. The Four Heroes of the Early Tang Dynasty: "Wang Yang Lu Luo", Wang Bo, Yang Jiong, Lu Zhaolin, and King Luo Bin.
Wang Bo's "Preface to Prince Teng's Pavilion", Yang Jiong's "On the Military March", Lu Zhaolin's "Ancient Meanings of Chang'an", and King Luo Bin's "Emperor Capital Chapter" and "Ode to the Goose".
2. Li Bai, also known as Taibai and Qinglian Jushi, was hailed as the "Immortal of Poetry" by later generations. Together with Du Fu, he is also known as "Li Du". His representative works include "Coming to Wine", "The Road to Shu is Difficult", "Sleepwalking Tianmu Yin Farewell", "Silent Night Thoughts", "Looking at Lushan Waterfall", "Xia Ke Xing", "Spring Thoughts", "Autumn Song", etc. .
3. Du Fu, also known as Zimei, was a great realist poet in the Tang Dynasty. He was called the "Sage of Poetry" by later generations, and his poems were called the "History of Poetry". His representative works include "Spring Hope", "Northern Expedition", "Three Officials", "Three Farewells" and other masterpieces.
4. Xiao Li Du: Li Shangyin, Du Mu. Li Shangyin, a famous poet in the late Tang Dynasty, was named Yishan. His representative works are "Untitled" and "Jin Se". Du Mu, also known as Muzhi and Fanchuan layman, is the author of "Collected Works of Fanchuan".
5. Landscape and pastoral poets: Wang Wei and Meng Haoran. Wang Wei, whose courtesy name was Mojie and also known as Mojie layman, was known as the "Poetry Buddha". Representative poems include "Lovesickness", "Dwelling in the Mountains in the Twilight of Autumn", etc. Meng Haoran, whose given name is Hao, also known as Haoran, is from Mengshan. His representative works include "Passing the Old Friend's Village", "Spring Dawn", "Returning to Lumen at Night" and other chapters.
6. Frontier poets: Gao Shi, Cen Shen, Wang Changling, Wang Zhihuan. Gao Shi's "Yan Ge Xing", Cen Shen's "Song of White Snow", Wang Changling's "Farewell to Xin Jian at the Furong Tower", and Wang Zhihuan's "Ascend the Stork Tower".
7. People's Poet: Bai Juyi, also known as Letian and Xiangshan Jushi, was a great realist poet in the Tang Dynasty and one of the three major poets in the Tang Dynasty. Bai Juyi's poetry has a wide range of themes, diverse forms, and simple and popular language. He is known as the "Poetry Demon" and the "Poetry King". Representative poems include "Song of Everlasting Sorrow", "Charcoal Seller", "Pipa Play", etc.
(2) Prose
1. Han Yu, whose courtesy name was Tuizhi, called himself "Junwang Changli" and was known as "Han Changli" and "Mr. Changli" in the world. Han Yu was an advocate of the classical prose movement in the Tang Dynasty and was respected by later generations as the head of the "Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties". His famous prose works include "Shi Shuo" and "Horse Shuo".
2. Liu Zongyuan, whose courtesy name is Zihou, is known as "Liu Hedong" and "Mr. Hedong". Liu Zongyuan wrote more than 600 poems and essays in his life, and his achievements in writing are greater than poetry. There are nearly a hundred parallel prose pieces. The prose is highly argumentative, sharp and satirical. The travel notes describe the scenery, and many of them are based on "The Collection of Mr. Hedong". His representative works include "River Dwelling", "Jiang Snow" and "The Fisherman".
(3) Calligraphy
Four calligraphers in the early Tang Dynasty: Ouyang Xun, Yu Shinan, Chu Suiliang and Xue Ji represent the style of the early Tang Dynasty.
During the prosperous Tang Dynasty: Zhang Xu, Huai Su, Yan Zhenqing, Liu Gongquan, etc.
Ouyang Xun: a calligrapher in the early Tang Dynasty who was most skilled in regular script and created the original "European style".
Yu Shinan: A famous calligrapher in the early Tang Dynasty, his regular script is as famous as Ouyang Xun.
Yan Zhenqing: In the Tang Dynasty, he was good at using seal script to write regular script, and his "Yan style" was a model for future generations.
Liu Gongquan: a famous calligrapher in the Tang Dynasty who was extremely skilled in regular script. The "Liu style" created is often used by beginners to study calligraphy.