Chang ‘an: The glorious core of the Tang Dynasty
The majesty of the political center
In 618, Li Yuan proclaimed himself emperor in Chang ‘an, inaugurating the Li Tang Dynasty. As the capital, Chang ‘an became the political heart of the country. Taiji Palace was a key place for political activities in the early Tang Dynasty. Taizong Li Shimin created the “governance of Zhenguan” here. With an enlightened political concept, he selected the talented and able, accepted advice with an open mind, and improved the imperial examination system, so that countless poor scholars had a way to promotion, injected fresh blood into the national governance, and made the political integrity and social stability of the Tang Dynasty. With the passage of time, the Tang Gaozong period began to build a large scale Daming Palace, since then, Daming Palace became the Tang Dynasty emperor to handle the main palace. Hanyuan Hall, as the main hall of Daming Palace, has a magnificent atmosphere. On every major celebration, the emperor sat here and accepted civil and military officials and envoys from various countries to worship, highlighting the supreme majesty of the Tang Dynasty. Its architectural style also had a far-reaching impact on the palace architecture of later generations.
An economic boom
The economy of Chang ‘an is highly developed, and the East City and the West City are the commercial core areas. East city serves the dignitaries, exquisite luxury goods, silks and satins, rare treasures everything; Xi City was a stage for international trade, bringing together Hu merchants from Central Asia and West Asia, bringing exotic goods such as spices, jewelry, medicinal herbs, and selling Tang silk, porcelain, tea and so on overseas. The transportation network of Chang ‘an is well developed, connecting the whole country by land and connecting Jiangnan by water through canals, which greatly promotes the circulation of materials. The agricultural production around Chang ‘an is also very advanced, and the water conservancy facilities are perfect, ensuring food supply and laying a solid foundation for the prosperity of the city.
The glory of cultural prosperity
Chang ‘an in Tang Dynasty was a palace of culture and art. In the field of poetry, Li Bai, Du Fu, Wang Wei and many other poets gathered together. Li Bai’s bold and free, Du Fu’s depressed, Wang Wei’s fresh and natural, they used poems to describe the magnificent mountains and rivers of the Tang Dynasty, social conditions, and human warmth. These poems have become treasures of Chinese culture. In the art of painting, Yan Liben’s figure paintings have both form and spirit, and Wu Daozi’s paintings are graceful and dynamic, and are respected as “painting saints”. Their works reflect the social style and aesthetic concept of the time. In terms of religion, Buddhism and Taoism prevail. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda was built to preserve the Buddhist scroll Buddha statue that Xuanzang brought back from India, which is a witness of the exchange of Buddhist culture. As a sacred place of Taoism, Louguantai was highly respected in the Tang Dynasty, and Taoism had an important influence on social life and cultural development.
A center of international exchange
Chang ‘an was the focus of the world at that time, attracting ambassadors, merchants, scholars and monks from all over the world. Japan sent emissaries to the Tang Dynasty many times to learn the political system, culture, art, science and technology of the Tang Dynasty. After returning to Japan, they promoted the reform of Japan and promoted the social reform of Japan. The Silk Road took Chang ‘an as its starting point, spreading the Tang civilization to other parts of the world. Western art forms such as music, dance and painting were also introduced to Chang ‘an, which enriched the cultural connotation of Datang and made Chang ‘an an international metropolis with multi-cultural integration.
Through Time: Exploring the ruins of the Tang Dynasty in Xi ‘an
The Big Wild Goose Pagoda: A long historical testimony of the Buddha
The Big Wild Goose Pagoda, located in the Great Ci ‘en Temple, is the earliest and largest existing brick pagoda of the four-way pavilion of the Tang Dynasty. The tower is simple and solemn, and it still stands after thousands of years of wind and rain. Visitors can climb the pagoda to overlook and feel the profound heritage of Buddhist culture in the Tang Dynasty. The temple has a quiet environment and many ancient buildings and cultural relics are preserved, which makes people feel like going back to the time when Master Xuanzang translated scriptures and gave lectures, witnessing the brilliant cultural exchanges along the Silk Road.
Daming Palace National Heritage Park: a revival of past glory
Daming Palace National Site Park is the largest palace site in the “three great inner” of Chang ‘an City of Tang Dynasty. Hanyuan Hall, Xuanzheng Hall, Zichen Hall and other palace ruins, although through the vicissitudes of time, but can still see the grand layout of the year. Through multimedia display, live performance and other modern means, visitors can intuitively feel the Tang court life and political activities, enjoy the magnificent momentum of the Tang Dynasty.
Tang Furong Garden: the splendor of the royal garden
The Tang Furong Garden was rebuilt after the style of the Tang royal garden, which is a theme park displaying the style of the Tang Dynasty. Ziyun Building, Ladies Hall, Royal Banquet Palace and other scenic spots, the architectural style is elegant, the garden landscape is scattered. There are also wonderful performances in the park, such as Dreaming Back to the Tang Dynasty, which vividly show the prosperity and cultural charm of the Tang Dynasty through dance, music, acrobatics and other forms, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the royal life of the Tang Dynasty.
Xi ‘an City Wall: the historical memory engraved by years
Although the city wall of Xi ‘an was built on the basis of the Tang Imperial City in the Ming Dynasty, it still retains the majestic momentum of the Tang Dynasty city wall. The city wall is tall and thick, with a circumference of about 14 kilometers, and can be visited by bicycle on the city wall to enjoy the scenery inside and outside the city wall. Walk the city walls, feel the subtlety of the ancient city’s defense system, and imagine the hustle and bustle of Chang ‘an in the Tang Dynasty, the traces of years are clearly visible on the city bricks.
Contemporaneous Europe and America: Different trajectories of history
Europe: The Rise, Fall and Change of Empires
In Europe, the Byzantine Empire flourished. When Justinian I was in power, he tried to restore the glory of the Roman Empire, reconquered parts of the Western Roman territory, and compiled the Justinian Code, which became an important cornerstone of the development of European law. With the gradual rise of the Frankish kingdom, Charles Marte, the minister of the Palace, carried out the reform of the fief, conditionally divided the land, established a feudal hierarchy with land as a link, promoted the development of the Frankish kingdom, and had a profound impact on the course of European medieval history. During this period, the Christian forces in Europe continued to grow, the church had a huge influence in politics, economy, culture and other aspects, and the monastery became an important place for cultural inheritance and academic research.
America: The Independent Development of civilization
In the distant Americas, the Mayan, Aztec and Inca civilizations were following their own unique trajectories. The Mayan civilization made outstanding achievements in mathematics, astronomy, calendar, architecture and other aspects. The pyramids and temples they built showed superb architectural skills. The Aztec civilization centered on Tenochtitlan, established a huge empire, developed agriculture, invented “floating garden”, increased the area of arable land; The Inca civilization rose in the Andes region of South America, establishing a tight social organization and efficient transportation network, and its architecture is made of stone, exquisite workmanship, and amazing. These American civilizations and the Oriental civilization represented by Chang ‘an in the Tang Dynasty developed independently of each other, and each created its own unique culture and achievements.
The glorious history of Xi ‘an in the Tang Dynasty is the pride of the Chinese nation, and those historical relics preserved to this day become our window to understand the past. At the same time, the development of Europe and the United States also showed the diversity and richness of world history, and different civilizations blossomed their unique glory in their respective regions. I wonder which part you’re more interested in? Whether it is a historical event in Chang ‘an in the Tang Dynasty, or a detailed introduction of a tourist attraction, or the specific development of Europe and America at the same time, you can tell me at any time.