The Rise and Fall of Tang Dynasty

Join us for an engaging history discussion as we explore the rise and fall of the Tang Dynasty after the reign of Li Shimin/Emperor Taizong. From the consolidation of imperial power under Emperor Gaozong and Wu Zetian to the dazzling prosperity of the High Tang, this period saw China become one of the most cosmopolitan and powerful civilizations in the world. Yet beneath its poetry, trade, military expansion, and cultural brilliance, the Tang also faced court rivalries, frontier pressures, regional warlords, devastating rebellions, and the gradual collapse of central authority.

Topics for Discussion

• The Reign of Emperor Gaozong
• Wu Zetian and the Zhou Dynasty
• The Restoration of the Tang
• Emperor Xuanzong and the High Tang Era
• Chang’an as a Cosmopolitan Capital
• Tang Poetry and Cultural Flourishing
• The Equal-field System and Tax Reforms
• The Silk Road and Tang Foreign Relations
• The Expansion into Central Asia
• The Battle of Talas
• Yang Guifei and Court Politics
• The An Lushan Rebellion
• The Rise of Military Governors
• The Decline of Imperial Authority
• The Huang Chao Rebellion
• Zhu Wen and the Fall of Tang