Tang dynasty

Tang dynasty, rulers of China from A.D. 618 to 907. The Tang period is regarded as the golden age of Chinese civilization by many historians. During this period, Tang rulers centralized the government and unified the country. The capital city, Chang'an (now Xian), served as a worldwide center for scholarship and the arts. During this time, the Chinese invented block printing and produced the first block-printed book (A.D. 868). Emperor Tang Taizong, who ruled for 22 years, led the rise of the Tang dynasty. He conquered foreign lands and opened trade routes that brought the country great wealth and prosperity. Empress Wu followed Emperor Taizong's rule with great skill and came to be known as the second greatest Chinese leader. An 80-year war with the Tibetans in northwestern China, coupled with years of internal fighting, weakened the Tang dynasty, and it came to an end in 907.

See also: China.