1. Discuss the legacy of the Tang Dynasty in China, Japan, and Central Asia.

The Li family created the Tang dynasty when they seized power from the Sui, and
the footprint that they left in the world impacted the entire Asian continent. They brought
about revolutionary changes and ideas, such as the idea of credit and the use of a
religious belief in the political system. Their Empire also spurred trade in the area and
helped to bring many cultural and social changes through trading cities like their own
capital. Eventually though, the Tang dynasty came to an end in 907 after internal strife
and rebellion weakened the government.
The Li family was descendants from Turkish elites and that heritage showed in
their conquest. In 618 when the Li seized power from the disorganized Sui dynasty, they
used a powerful mixture of Chinese and Turkish/Silk Road war technology to dominate
the battlefield. An emperor by the name of Li Shimin took advantage of not only the decay
Sui Empire, but also advents such as the Chinese crossbow and infantry and the Turkish
horsemen and iron stirrups. After the downfall of the Sui, the Li family created the Tang
dynasty, basing it much on the Sui government practice and structure; however they also
introduced their own ideas. The Tang kept their government slightly decentralized by
giving power to local nobles and officials, as well as establishing the Tang law code. The
Tang rulers decided to kept the Confusion civil service exams as they were, but also
introduced religion into their government as never before. The main sect of Buddhism in
place was the Mahayana sect, and the local princes and nobles would ask the church to
pray and speak on their behalf, giving them a better public face. In addition, these princes
(who were competing with one another) would ask the monasteries to contribute to their
personal war chest. In return, the prince would give them land, tax exemptions, and
special gifts. Using this system, Buddhism became very popular in China, Japan, and
Central Asia, and the princes gained more popularity among the peoples.
Chang’an was made the capital city during the Sui rule, and the Tang decided to
keep it as the capital during their rule. Chang’an was a central hub for trade and the
Chinese society. It had a well-established road and water system, and even though it was
not connecting to the Grand Canal (between the Yellow and the Yangzi river), it still
served as a trading highway in which people could travel and exchange goods and ideas.
The city of Chang’an was much like a modern one, lined with stalls, vendors, mosques,
temples, inns, and restaurants. Historians call this city and most of the Tang Empire a
cosmopolitan because of the immense diversity that existed. Chang’an’s population
reached over one million people during the Tang rule, yet most of those people lived
outside the walls of the city. They lived in suburbs where they had special duties such as
maintaining tombs and maintaining the Imperial Resort. These peasants helped to
maintain the cities growth and posterity. Cities just like this one existed all over the Tang
Empire. These cities played an enormous role in cultural diffusion. People compare these
cities to melting pots because of this. This created a rich culture that spread all over Asia
and Japan, and that culture still exists today. The Grand Canal also played a big role in
the cultural and technological advancements in Asian society, as well as spurring trade in
the region. The Grand Canal system was so important that it had its own budget, ships,
and all future capitals were built within reach of it. It linked central Asia to the Indian
Ocean trading system, opening the door for many countries and cultures to trade with the
Tang peoples. It also helped to push technological advancements. Seafarers had to
design and build larger and more advanced ships that could carry more supplies in order
to take advantage of the large Tang economy.
All of the trade and cultural diffusion that took place in the Tang dynasty helped to
spread ideas and art styles. New motifs and themes emerged in Chinese art and pottery,
and the entire clothing style changed. Instead of wearing the traditional robes, the
working class now wore pants made of cotton instead of hemp or silk. Also, New stringed
instruments and music reached China during the Tang dynasty. Trading of imported foods
such as spices and tea changed the Chinese diet of not only the peasants but also the
noblemen. Throughout all of this though, China still remained the dominant and superior
source for silk. The Tang dynasty encouraged more designs and patterns that were
becoming more and more complex. This made a huge demand for silk, which kept the
economy moving. Also the Tang dynasty was the first to come up with the idea of credit,
which was much like today’s credit card.
The end of the Tang Empire was brought about in 907 because of internal strife.
The military campaigns that had expanded the empire so greatly left the empire
controlled by local warlords and the government became very decentralized. Also internal
power struggles and rebellion led to the Tang’s downfall. These struggles had a lot to do
with the growing suspicion of Buddhists. The Tang elites started to regard Buddhism as
evil and undermining Confusion ideals. They especially regarded women in a lower
status and were displeased with Buddhist ideas of women’s worth. The government and
officials started to blame common evils and barbaric behavior on Buddhism. The Tang
saw it as a threat to the throne as the Buddhist temple and monks did not pay taxes and
did not serve the army. They claimed that eradicating the Buddhism “threat” would restore
ancient values and peace. Though local warlords protected some Buddhist temples, most
of them were destroyed and Buddhism never recovered in China.