Tang Empire Research Paper

Tang Empire

Rise date of empire: 618 AD

Fall date of empire: 907 AD

Dates of dominance:

~626 (rule of Taizong)

Tang China Empire

b.) The author’s thesis of this chapter is that in the beginning, China was known for its intolerance and when it realized that it was being threatened on all sides, it knew that it had to start having tolerance for different races, cultures and religious groups to be successful. The Tang empire was changed and now very tolerant, they’re religion was now Buddhism, and Chinese families started to intermarry with different groups of people. Her argument for including this Empire in her book is that it rose to become a hyperpower in the means of being world dominant in every factor. She describes this hyperpower

On page 8, Chua describes in detail the fall when she says, “Ironically, the fall of the Tang can be traced to an attack by a foreigner who was allowed too much power. And once the Tang Empire began to decline, intolerance set in.” Tolerance caused there to be no identity as a part of the Empire. In other words, on page 81, Chua says, “As a result, no common political, linguistic, or cultural “glue” bound “barbarians” and Chinese together in the sprawling Tang Empire.” There was a little bit too much diversity, anyone could practice any religion or have any culture, but there was no Tang religion or Tang culture which meant there was nothing to bring the people together as people part of the same Empire. Tolerance affected more factors that also led to the fall. On page 82, Chua states one of these affected factors, “Because successful aggression was rewarded, independent military actions grew more frequent. As a result, loss of central control and military dominance by foreigners grew more pronounced over the course of Ming Huang’s reign.” Foreigners were becoming a threat because they were given too much freedom. On page 82, Chua explains how tolerance and lack of identity led to the fall of the Empire, “In the end, the great Tang dynasty was brought low by foreigners, who really came to see themselves as part of the Middle Kingdom.” The An Lushan Rebellion was a turning point in Chinese history, marking the beginning

The Empire fell in parts, not all at once. The pivotal point of failure is described on page 122, “But throughout the Mongol- dominated lands, the decline of the empire was marked by one consistent feature: a stark turn toward intolerance, especially religious intolerance, both officially and among the Mongol population.” Leaders started to be intolerant and cruel to people of different religions which caused revolts, even riots broke out. As described on page 122, “…churches were sacked and Christians arrested, beaten, or killed.” In the end, all of this religious intolerance led to the Empire breaking into four parts because there was no “glue” or identity to hold the different kingdoms