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Tang Dynasty

History of China
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Tang Dynasty (唐朝 618-907) followed the Sui Dynasty and preceded the Five Dynasties and the Ten Kingdoms Period in China. The dynasty was interrupted by the Second Zhou Dynasty (690-705) when Empress Wu Zetian seized the throne.

The Tang dynasty, with its capital at Chang'an, the most populous city in the world at the time, 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, continued to flourish during the Tang period and was adopted by the imperial family, becoming thoroughly sinicized and a permanent part of Chinese traditional culture. Block printing made the written word available to vastly greater audiences.

The Tang period was the golden age of literature and art (see Tang Dynasty 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. From Tang times until the closing days of the Qing empire in 1911, scholar officials functioned often as intermediaries between the grassroots level and the government.

By the middle of the 8th century, Tang power had ebbed. Military defeat in 751 by Arabs at the Battle of Talas marked end of Tang authority in Central Asia. Domestic economic instability and subsequent rebellions of An Lushan and warlordism marked the beginning of five centuries of steady military decline for the Tang empire. Misrule, court intrigues, economic exploitation, and popular rebellions weakened the empire, making it possible for warlord Zhu Wen to terminate the dynasty in 907. The next half-century saw the fragmentation of China into five northern dynasties and ten southern kingdoms.

Rulers of the Tang Dynasty

Temple names Chinese family names and first names Reigns Era names and their according durations
Convention: "Tang" + temple name
Note: Wu Hou (武后 Wǔ Hòu) (Empress Wu) was posthumous name.
Gao Zu (高祖 Gāo Zǔ) Li Yuan (李淵 Lǐ Yūan) 618-626 Wude (武德 Wǔ dé) 618-626
Tai Zong (太宗 Tài Zōng) Li Shi Min (李世民 Lǐ Shì Mín) 626-649 Zhenguan (貞觀 Zhēn gūan) 627-649
(高宗 Gāo zōng) Li Zhi (李治 Lǐ Zhì) 650-683 Yonghui (永徽 Yǒng hūi) 650-655
    Xianqing  (顯慶 Xiǎn qìng)  656-661
Longshuo (龍朔 Lóng shuò) 661-663
Linde (麟德 Lín dé) 664-665
Qianfeng (乾封 Qían fēng) 666-668
Zongzhang (總章 Zǒng zhāng) 668-670
Xianheng (咸亨 Xián hēng) 670-674
Shangyuan (上元 Shàng yuán) 674-676
Yifeng (儀鳳 Yí fèng) 676-679
Tiaolu (調露 Tiáo lù) 679-680
Yonglong (永隆 Yǒng lóng) 680-681
Kaiyao (開耀 Kāi yào) 681-682
Yongchun (永淳 Yǒng chún) 682-683
Hongdao (弘道 Hóng dào) 683
Zhong Zong (中宗 Zhōng zōng), dismissed by Wu Hou Li Xian (李顯 Lǐ Xiǎn) or Li Zhe (李哲 Lǐ zhé) 684, (also 705-710) Sisheng (嗣聖 Sì shèng) 684
Rui Zong (睿宗 Rùi zōng), dismissed by Wu Hou Li Dan (李旦 Lǐ dàn) 684, (also 710-712) Wenming (文明 Wén míng) 684
Wu Hou (武后 Wǔ hòu) Wu Zetian (武則天 Wǔ Zé tiān) 684-705 Guangzhai (光宅 Guāng zhái) 684
    Chuigong  (垂拱 Chuí gǒng)  685-688
Yongchang (永昌 Yǒng chāng) 689
Zaichu (載初 Zài chū) 690
Zhou Dynasty (690 AD - 705 AD)
Continuation of Tang Dynasty
Zhong Zong (中宗 Zhōng zōng), retake the throne Li Xian (李顯 Lǐ Xiǎn) or Li Zhe (李哲 Lǐ Zhé) (also 684,) 705-710 Shenlong (神龍 Shén lóng) 705-707
    Jinglong (景龍 Jǐng lóng) 707-710<be>
Shao Di (少帝 Shào dì) see note below the table Li Chong Mao (李重茂 Lǐ Chóng Mào) 710 Tanglong (唐隆 Táng lóng) 710
(睿宗 Ruì zōng), retake the throne Li Dan (李旦 Lǐ Dàn) (also 684,) 710-712 Jingyun (景雲 Jǐng yún) 710-711
    Taiji   (太極 Tài jí)   712
Yanhe (延和 Yán hé) 712
(玄宗 Xuán zōng) Li Long Ji (李隆基 Lǐ Lóng Jī) 712-756 Xiantian (先天 Xiān tiān) 712-713
    Kaiyuan  (開元 Kāi yuán)  713-741
Tianbao (天寶 Tiān bǎo) 742-756
(肅宗 Sù zōng) Li Heng (李亨 Lǐ Hēng) 756-762 Jide (至德 Zhì dé) 756-758
    Qianyuan  (乾元 Qián yuán)  758-760
Shangyuan (上元 Shàng yuán) 760-761
(代宗 Dài zōng) Li Yu (李豫 Lǐ Yù) 762-779 Baoying (寶應 Bǎo yìng) 762-763
    Guangde (廣德 Guǎng dé) 763-764
Yongtai (永泰 Yǒng tài) 765-766
Dali (大曆 Dà lì) 766-779
(德宗 Dé zōng) Li Gua (李适 Lǐ Guā) 780-805 Jianzhong (建中 Jiàn zhōng) 780-783
    Xingyuan  (興元 Xīng yuán)   784
Zhenyuan (貞元 Zhēn yuán) 785-805
Shun Zong (順宗 Shùn zōng) Li Song (李誦 Lǐ sòng) 805 Yongzhen (永貞 Yǒng zhēn) 805
(憲宗 Xiàn zōng) Li Chun (李純 Lǐ chún) 806-820 Yuanhe (元和 Yuán hé) 806-820
Mu Zong (穆宗 Mù zōng) Li Heng (李恆 Lǐ héng) 821-824 Changqing (長慶 Cháng qìng) 821-824
Jing Zong (敬宗 Jìng zōng) Li Zhan (李湛 Lǐ zhàn) 824-826 Baoli (寶曆 Bǎo lì) 824-826
Wen Zong (文宗 Wén zōng) Li Ang (李昂 Lǐ áng) 826-840 Baoli (寶曆 Bǎo lì) 826
    Dahe  (大和 Dà hé) or Taihe (Tài hé 太和) 827-835
Kaicheng (開成 Kāi chéng) 836-840
(武宗 Wǔ zōng) Li Ya (李炎 Lǐ yán) 840-846 Huichang (會昌 Huì chāng) 841-846
(宣宗 Xuān zōng) Li Chen (李忱 Lǐ chén) 846-859 Dachong (大中 Dà chōng) 847-859
Yi Zong (懿宗 Yì zōng) Li Cui (李漼 Lǐ cuǐ) 859-873 Dachong (大中 Dà chōng) 859
    Xiantong (咸通 Xián tōng) 860-873
Xi Zong (僖宗 Xī zōng) Li Xuan (李儇 Lǐ xuān) 873-888 Xiantong (咸通 Xián tōng) 873-874
    Qianfu    (乾符 Qián fú)    874-879
Guangming (廣明 Guǎng míng) 880-881
Zhonghe (中和 Zhōng hé) 881-885
Guangqi (光啟 Guāng qǐ) 885-888
Wende (文德 Wén dé) 888
Zhao Zong (昭宗 Zhāo zōng) Li Ye (李曄 Lǐ yè) 888-904 Longji (龍紀 Lóng jì) 889
    Dashun   (大順 Dà shùn)   890-891
Jingfu (景福 Jǐng fú) 892-893
Qianning (乾寧 Qián níng) 894-898
Guanghua (光化 Guāng huà) 898-901
Tianfu (天復 Tiān fù) 901-904
Tianyou (天佑 Tiān yòu) 904
Ai di (哀帝 Aī dì) or Zhaoxuan di昭宣帝 Zhāo xuān Dì Li Zhu (李柷 Lǐ zhù) 904-907 Tianyou (天佑 Tiān yòu) 904-907

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Last updated: 10-24-2004 05:10:45