1. The Tang Dynasty 618–907

2. The Li Family founded by the Li ( 李 ) family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire. The dynasty was interrupted briefly by the Second Zhou Dynasty (October 16, 690–March 3, 705) when Empress Wu Zetian seized the throne, becoming the first and only Chinese empress regnant, ruling in her own right. The An-Shi Rebellion (755-763) marks the turning point when the Tang dynasty started declining. Comparable to the Han dynasty in terms of the open door policy; both dynasties are prosperous.

3. Three Most important Emperors Taizong Li Shimin (reign 626 – 649) Empress Wu Zetian (r. 690-705) Xuanzong Li Longji (r. 712-756) (the An-Shi Rebellion 775-763)

4. Emperor Taizong of Tang Li Shimin 李世民 (r. 626– 649) considered one of the greatest in Chinese history. Throughout the rest of Chinese history, Emperor Taizong's reign was regarded as the exemplary model against which all other emperors were measured, and his "Reign of Zhenguan" (Simplified Chinese 贞观之治 / Traditional Chinese 貞觀之 治 ) was considered a golden age of Chinese history and required study for future crown princes.

5. The Palace Coup at the Xuanwu Gate 玄武门之变 xuánw ǔ mén zhībiàn The crown prince Li Jiancheng 李建成 and Li Shimin’s 4 th younger brother Li Yuanji 李元吉 committed adultery with their father’s favorite consorts/concubines Zhang Jieyu & Yin Defei 李建成 Because of Li Shimin's contributions, at various times, Emperor Gaozu (Li Yuan) considered replacing Li Jiancheng with him, but eventually did not, as Li Jiancheng was supported by Li Yuanji and Emperor Gaozu's favorite concubines. At the funeral service for Princess Ping Yang, when Li Shimin barely took a little sip of wine, a flying swallow left its dropping into his cup, and smeared his clothes. Li went to change clothes. All of a sudden, he felt sharp pains in his stomach… On July 2nd 626, Li Shimin slaughtered his two brothers

6. Li Shimin’s Quotation “On Government” “ 民，水也；君，舟也 。水能载舟，亦能覆 舟。 A monarch to his subjects is as water to a boat; Water can carry a boat; it can also capsize it. Though Li Shimin had a bloody start, he turned out to be a great emperor Legitimacy: Crown prince is not qualified; Li Shimin earned respect from his subjects;

7. Famous painting Internal Frames (Contrast) Emperor Taizong Li Shimin (r. 626-649) receives Ludongzan, 禄 东赞 ambassador of Tibet, at his court; painted in 641 AD by Yan Liben 阎立本 (600- 673) 唐太宗接见吐蕃使者 Songtsän Gampo’s marriage

8. A Soldier and His Horse Contrast in Proportion A bas-relief 浅浮雕 / 低 浮雕 (relief sculpture in which the figures project slightly from the background) of a soldier and horse with elaborate saddle and stirrups, from the tomb of Emperor Taizong, c. 650. 低 浮雕 which

9. Songtsän Gampo 松赞干布 (605 or 617? - 649) was the founder of the Tibetan Empire (Tibetan: Bod; Chinese: 吐蕃, Tubo/Tufan), by tradition held to be the thirty-third ruler in his dynasty.

10. Political Significance One marriage is equal to 100,000 elite troops; Generous dowry Chinese civilization was introduced to Tibet; Princess Wencheng

11. Princess Wencheng 文成公主 (623—680 ） In 641, Li Shimin sent Princess Wenchen to Tibet Potala Palace 布达拉 宫 (in Tibet) was built for Princess Wencheng http://www.howjsay.c om/index.php?word= potala%20palace http://www.howjsay.c om/index.php?word= potala%20palace

12. Li Shimin’s “Reign of Zhenguan” 贞观之治 (626-649) Li Shimin proved to be an energetic and competent ruler. He regularized the administrative system of six ministries that the Sui had initiated and set up a separate bureaucracy to administer the imperial household. He pursued a series of successful military campaigns that added or regained territory in Korea and Vietnam and extended Tang power far into Central Asia along the Silk Road. His capital, called Chang’an and located at the modern site of Xian, had a population of two million people and was the largest city in the world.

13. 唐三彩【 tángsānc ǎ i 】 tri-colored glazed pottery of the Tang Dynasty. Tang statue of a civil official dressed in Hanfu, made of sancai glazed earthenware; he wears a tall hat, wide-sleeved outer garment tied at the waist with a wide belt, and rectangular "kerchief" in front. A white inner gown hangs over his square shoes. He holds a tablet to his chest, preparing to provide a report to his superiors.

14. Wu Zetian （ 624 － 705 ） hold court from behind a screen/curtain Or the Second Zhou Dynasty (690–705) Palace Examination 殿试【 diànshì 】 final imperial examination (presided over by the emperor) was pioneered by Wu Zetian

15. Judge Di Renjie 狄仁杰 630-700 Nicknamed as Chinese sherlock Holmes, twice serving as chancellor during Wu Zetian’s reign. He was one of the most celebrated officials of Wu Zetian's reignchancellor Amazing Detective Di Renjie, TV series

16. Sherlock Holms 歇洛克 · 福尔摩斯 Sherlock Holmes ( / ˈʃɜ rl ɒ k ˈ ho ʊ mz/) is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A brilliant London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve difficult cases./ ˈʃɜ rl ɒ k ˈ ho ʊ mz/physicianArthur Conan DoyleLondonlogical reasoning disguiseforensic sciencecases

17. Arthur Conan Doyle 1859 – 1930 Sherlock Holmes (right) and Dr. Watson, by Sidney Paget

18. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji 唐玄宗李隆基（ 685 － 762 ） Emperor Xuanzong of Tang wearing the robes and the hat of a scholar

19. Famous Painting A Man Herding Horses, by Han Gan (706-783), a court artist under Xuanzong Everything is well fed in the Tang dynasty! A different set of criteria in judging beauties. Plumpness is preferred.

20. Xuanzong’s Accomplishments Promotion of Daoism Reclaim the territories in the west Hire the right persons except his employment of An Lushan;

21. Four Ancient Beauties Xi Shi/Wang Zhaojun/ Dao Chan/Yang Yuhuan

22. Xi Shi: Sinking the fish in the Spring & Autumn Period King Fuchai of the Wu State (495–473 BC) in 494 BCE defeated King Goujian of Yue; To win trust, Goujian, then in captivity as hostage with his chancellor Fan Li, tasted King Fuchai’s excrement! Fan Li’s three strategies: 1. Have garrison troops grow grains; 2. station troops; 3. dispatch pretty girls to King Fuchai of Wu;

23. Wang Zhaojun or Wang Qiang (the Han dynasty) 54 BCE A political marriage between Han and Hun; Wang refused to bribe the court painter Mao Yanshou ; Emperor Yuan of Han had the painter Mao Yanshou executed; Geese forgot to flip their wings upon seeing such a beauty!

24. Diao Chan (Three Kingdoms) eclipsed the moon!

25. “Precious Lady” Yang Yuhuan Embarrassed the flowers! 杨贵妃，杨玉环 （ 719 － 756) Emperor Xuanzong’s favorite concubine who influenced/distractred him a great deal; Associated with the An Lushan Rebellion The precious lady’s elder brother Yang Guozhong became the chancellor!

26. Li Po, a Tang Poet Li Po or Li Bai (701 – 762) Peak of Romanticism “Precious Lady” Yang Yuhuan once ground ink for him

27. Huaqing Pool, A Hot Spring Huaqing Pool is located at the foot of north Lishan Hill in Lintong, leaning against Wei River in the north and about 30 kilometers from the city of Xi'an, and enjoys quite favorable geographical location boasting green mountains and blue water.

28. Huaqing Hot Spring Huaqing Hot Spring has been the site of a famous imperial bathing pool and various palace complexes over its 3,000 year history. It is a National Cultural Relic and one of China’s Hundred Famous Gardens. Huaqing (Hua means brilliant, Chinese or flowery; qing means pure or clear)

29. An-Shi Rebellion (755-763) An Lushan’s father was possibly a Hun, and his mother belongs to the Tujue ethnic group/Turk; He knows multiple languages His constant conflict with Yang Guozhong An Lushan declared himself as emperor in the north; Shi Siming An Lushan finally got a direct access to the Precious Lady, calling her mother; A power struggle between An Lushan and Yang Guozhong, Precious Lady’s elder brother and Li Linfu, the prime minister

30. Tang’s artworks A Tang period gilt-silver jar, shaped in the style of northern nomad's leather bag decorated with a horse dancing with a cup of wine in its mouth, as the horses of Emperor Xuanzong were trained to do.

31. 琵琶【 pípa 】 pipa A five-stringed pipa (wuxian) from the Tang Dynasty,pipa 琵琶【 pípa 】 pipa, a plucked string instrument with a fretted fingerboard.

32. 唐三彩【 tángsānc ǎ i 】 tri- coloured glazed pottery of the Tang Dynasty. A Tang Dynasty tri- color glazed figurine of a horseglazed

33. 大雁塔 D à y à n T ǎ The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, Chang'an (modern-day Xi'an. Built in 652, repaired by Empress Wu Zetian in 704.) Successful candidates’ names will be posted after the imperial examinations; The number one scholar could marry the emperor’s daughter!

34. A New Aesthetic Standard 仕女图【 shìnǚtú 】 traditional Chinese painting of beautiful women. In Tang painting, these women figures are no longer depicted as slim or slender; Instead, they look plump! Tang Dynasty represents the peak in Chinese civilization in many ways;

35. Zhang Xuan & Zhou Fang 唐 · 张萱、周昉《唐宫仕女图》

36. Du Fu (712–770) With his Moral Engagement Tang Poet representing the peak of realism in depicting the reality His life, like the whole country, was devastated by the An Lushan Rebellion of 755, and his last 15 years were a time of almost constant unrest. “poet sage" ( 詩聖 shī shèng), a counterpart to the philosophical sage, Confucius. Du Fu standardized the regulated Tang Poetry.

37. Pentasyllabic Regulated Verse 161-180 by Zong-Qi Cai Introduction to Chinese Poetry Chapters on the Tang poetry