Tang Dynasty

The Tang Dynasty started in the late 500s and lasted until the early 900s.  The Tang Dynasty had a great influence on Japan and Korea.  Much of Japanese and Korean culture was borrowed from the Chinese. Some things that were borrowed from the dynasty were Buddhism, the writing system, Confucianism (5 Relationships) and the respect for nature. The Silk Road helped the dynasty expand westward. The Silk Road also connected China with western cultures (Muslim and Byzantine Empires). Some contributions from the Tang Dynasty were gunpowder, the compass, a mechanical clock, porcelain, the spinning wheel and block printing. The Tang dynasty was vast, with its control ranging from Korea, southern Manchuria, and Northern Vietnam. In the west, the Tang influence was felt as far away as present-day Afghanistan. The early Tang monarchs were good rulers overall. But, one emperor, Hsuan Tsung, fell in love with a woman and neglected his duties. This allowed the woman to place friends and family in government positions. One general that was placed in such a position, A Li-shan, had a quarrel with the woman's brother, causing a war to break out. Fighting went on for eight years, and was stopped due to alliances made with the Central Asian tribes. After this rebellion, the central government was never the same. The Tang could no longer control the generals along the border. These generals withheld tax money and eventually created kingdoms from the land they were to protect.

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