Emperor Tang Taizong: The Second Emperor Of The Tang Dynasty

In the year 598 C.E, a child was born in the county of Wugong, China. The father, a general of the Sui Dynasty, named the child Li Shimin in hopes that his son would bring change and prosperity to a troubled and tumultuous country, as Shimin is a shortened version of the phrase “jishi anmin”, or “to save the earth and pacify the people”. The name was a perfect fit for the child, as he grew up to become the most influential and admired ruler in Chinese history, Emperor Tang Taizong. Although Taizong is regarded as the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty, the first being his father Li Yuan, he is officially considered the founder of the Tang Dynasty, as his brilliance in military and political strategies was instrumental in the victory against

Through the Silk Road, Chinese goods such as silk and porcelain were transported to places such as Persia in exchange for foreign exotic goods . Furthermore, the Silk Road supported the influx of culture and religion to further enforce Taizong’s embracing attitude of a cosmopolitan society. The Silk Road was also a major factor in introducing Buddhism to China, as during the seventh century, Xuan Zhuang used it to travel to India to obtain Buddhist scriptures . The capital of the Tang, and the beginning of the Silk Road, Chang’an, was the most populous and diverse city in both religion and culture in the world at the time , hosting Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, and high ranking officials and citizens from many countries in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East . Under Taizong’s guidance, China created close foreign relations with many foreign nations, and the Silk Road became a major component of trade and revenue for China’s economy. Correspondingly, his capital city of Chang’an became the greatest city in the