Tang Dynasty facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids

Tang

唐

618–907
690–705: Zhou dynasty

Tang dynasty c. 669

Capital

Chang'an (618–684 and 705–904)
Luoyang (684–705 and 904–907)

Common languages

Middle Chinese

Religion

Government

Monarchy

Emperor

• 618–626 (first)

Emperor Gaozu

• 626–649

Emperor Taizong

• 712–756

Emperor Xuanzong

History

• Established

June 18, 618

• Usurped
by Wu Zetian

690–705^a

• An Lushan Rebellion

755–763^b

• Abdication in favour of the Later Liang

June 1, 907

Area

715

5,400,000 km² (2,100,000 sq mi)

Population

• 7th century

50 million

• 9th century

80 million

Currency

Chinese coin
Chinese cash

Preceded by

Succeeded by

	Sui dynasty
	Eastern Turkic Khaganate
	Western Turkic Khaganate
	Goguryeo

Later Liang
Wu
Wuyue
Min
Former Shu
Khitans

^a October 8, 690 – March 3, 705.
^b December 16, 755 – February 17, 763.

Tang Dynasty

"Tang dynasty" in Han characters

Chinese

唐朝

Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Táng cháo
Gwoyeu Romatzyh	Tarng chaur
Wade–Giles	T‘ang² ch‘ao²
Wu
Romanization	Dáõn záu
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization	Tong⁴ chiu⁴
Jyutping	Tong⁴ ciu⁴
Southern Min
Tâi-lô	Tông tiâu
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese	dang djew

Map of China during the Tang Dynasty. In yellow are the territories of China and the area of vassals and allies are in dark yellow.

The Tang Dynasty (Chinese: 唐朝; Pinyin: Táng Cháo) was a very important time in Chinese history. It lasted from June 18, 618, to June 4, 907. This dynasty came after the Sui dynasty and was followed by a period called the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.

The Tang Dynasty was started by the Li (李) family. They rose to power when the Sui Empire was falling apart. For a short time, the Tang Dynasty was paused by the Zhou Dynasty. This happened from October 16, 690, to March 3, 705. The Zhou Dynasty was founded by Empress Wu Zetian, who became the first and only female emperor of China.

Historians often see the Tang Dynasty as a high point in Chinese civilization. Some even think it was greater than the earlier Han Dynasty. It was a "golden age" for culture, known for being very open and welcoming to people from all over the world.

The Tang Dynasty: A Golden Age
Images for kids
See also

The Tang Dynasty: A Golden Age

The Tang Dynasty is famous for its strong government and amazing culture. It was a time when China was very powerful and respected by other countries. Many new ideas and inventions came from this period.

The Amazing Capital City: Chang'an

The capital city of the Tang Dynasty was Chang'an. Today, this city is known as Xi'an. During the Tang era, Chang'an was the largest city in the entire world. It was a bustling center of trade, culture, and learning. People from many different countries lived and worked there. This made Chang'an a truly global city.

Empress Wu Zetian: China's Only Female Ruler

One of the most interesting figures of the Tang Dynasty was Empress Wu Zetian. She was the only woman in China's long history to rule as an emperor. She was very smart and talented. Empress Wu took control of the empire from 690 to 705. She was a strong leader who made many changes. Her rule showed that a woman could lead a powerful empire.

A Time of Great Culture and Art

The Tang Dynasty was a golden age for Chinese culture. Poetry, art, and music all flourished. Many famous poets lived during this time, like Li Bai and Du Fu. Their poems are still loved today.

Buddhism became very popular during the Tang Dynasty. Many temples and statues were built. New technologies also appeared, like woodblock printing. This made it easier to share books and ideas. The Tang Dynasty was also known for its beautiful pottery, especially the colorful sancai glazed ceramics.

How the Tang Dynasty Ended

The Tang Dynasty began to weaken over time. There were many rebellions and conflicts. One major event was the An Lushan Rebellion, which lasted from 755 to 763. This rebellion caused a lot of damage and made the empire less stable.

Finally, in 907, the Tang Dynasty came to an end. A military leader named Zhu Wen took control. He removed Emperor Ai of Tang from the throne. Zhu Wen then started his own dynasty, called the Later Liang. This marked the beginning of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, a time when China was divided into many smaller states. Emperor Ai later died.

Images for kids

Portrait painting of Emperor Yang of Sui, commissioned in 643 by Taizong, painted by Yan Liben (600–673)
The Fengxian cave (circa 675 AD) of the Longmen Grottoes, commissioned by Wu Zetian.
Empress Wu (Wu Zetian), the sole officially recognized empress regnant of China in more than two millennia.
Map of the six major protectorates during Tang dynasty.
Map of An Lushan Rebellion
Xumi Pagoda, built in 636
A late Tang mural commemorating the victory of General Zhang Yichao over the Tibetans in 848 AD, from Mogao cave 156
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang wearing the robes and hat of a scholar
Civil service exam candidates gather around the wall where results had been posted. Artwork by Qiu Ying.
Emperor Taizong (r. 626–649) receives Gar Tongtsen Yülsung, ambassador of the Tibetan Empire, at his court; later copy of an original painted in 641 by Yan Liben (600–673)
Pottery tomb figure of a warrior from Duan's Tomb, Shaanxi.
A 10th-century mural painting in the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang showing monastic architecture from Mount Wutai, Tang dynasty; Japanese architecture of this period was influenced by Tang Chinese architecture
Kizil Caves
Tomb guardian (wushi yong), early 8th century
Illustration of Byzantine embassy to Tang Taizong 643 CE
Sancai glazed horse tomb figure
A mural depicting a corner tower, most likely one of Chang'an, from the tomb of Prince Yide (d. 701) at the Qianling Mausoleum, dated 706
Map of Chang'an in Tang Dynasty
The bronze Jingyun Bell cast 711, height 247 cm high, weight 6,500 kg, now in the Xi'an Bell Tower
A Tang dynasty era copy of the preface to the Lantingji Xu poems composed at the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, originally attributed to Wang Xizhi (303–361 AD) of the Jin dynasty
Calligraphy of Emperor Taizong on a Tang stele
A Tang dynasty sculpture of a Bodhisattva
A timber hall built in 857, located at the Buddhist Foguang Temple of Mount Wutai, Shanxi
A Tang sancai-glazed carved relief showing horseback riders playing polo
Palace ladies in a garden from a mural of Prince Li Xian's tomb in the Qianling Mausoleum, where Wu Zetian was also buried in 706
Tang era gilt-gold bowl with lotus and animal motifs
Tomb figure of a lady attendant, 7th- to 8th-century; during the Tang era, female hosts prepared feasts, tea parties, and played drinking games with their guests.
A rounded "offering plate" with design in "three colors" (sancai) glaze, 8th-century
A page of Lu Yu's The Classic of Tea
A square bronze mirror with a phoenix motif of gold and silver inlaid with lacquer, 8th-century
The Diamond Sutra, printed in 868, is the world's first widely printed book to include a specific date of printing.
The Dunhuang map, a star map showing the North Polar region. c. 700. The whole set of star maps contains over 1,300 stars.
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang giving audience to Zhang Guo, by Ren Renfa (1254–1327)