At the end of the Sui Dynasty (617 AD), Li Yuan (566-635), a Sui general and, later, the Duke of T’ang, joined the scores of rebels and marched straight for the Sui capital, Chang’an. His armies overwhelmed its defenses and took control of the city, where he would then, for six months, relegate the emperor to the…
Read moreTextiles in the Tang Dynasty – Reflection
Before this week, I didn’t know how textiles were made or what kind of techniques were used to make them. I especially didn’t know how important textiles were in Ancient China, and that they even served as a form of currency. They were so important that even taxes were sometimes collected in the form of…
Read moreTextiles in the Tang Dynasty
Textiles, types of cloth/woven fabric made of natural or synthetic fibers, vary in color, pattern, and durability. While simpler textiles were common and more numerous, the more complex textiles were hand-woven and expensive, made using a compound, gauze, satin, or twill weave. Fancier textiles were often woven into silk. Textiles were so essential that they…
Read moreThe Tang Dynasty – Reflection
Reading about the Tang Dynasty and the Silk Road was not only a blast from the past, but eye opening as well. The Tang Dynasty was a monumental moment in Chinese history as it allowed them to open their doors to the outside world and expand economically and politically. It was this period of creating…
Read moreThe Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty (5th to 8th century) China was known for its foreign affairs and success in territorial expansion mainland, and was considered the golden age for cultural and artistic prosperity. It was also a glorious period for economic, political, and military expenditures. To have done so, China had to extend its resources. They heavily relied…
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