Illustrated World. Sui and Tang Five Dynasties

Author: Gong Shuduo, Liu Delin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The mighty and prosperous Sui Dynasty fell in just two generations, leaving behind the ancient Grand Canal and the splendid but lamented Jiangdu. The Tang Dynasty rose in the rich Guanlong region, where eight rivers surrounded Chang'an, symbolizing the open-mindedness of its rulers. The diverse Tang Sancai ceramics carried the multifaceted pursuits of the Tang people. Cultural prosperity flourished, with thousands of poets composing exquisite regulated verse. The Tang treated its brothers kindly, establishing the Bohai Kingdom, enfeoffing the Nanzhao, and forging alliances with the Tibetan Empire, bringing "all peoples together as one family" in a grand Tang Dynasty atmosphere. Yet this golden age was so brief—after the splendor faded, chaos ensued, with five dynasties rising and ten kingdoms emerging. Amidst the wars, the people longed for peace. This book, richly illustrated and diverse in style, vividly recreates China's long and glorious history through over a thousand carefully selected historical stories. The narrative is clear in its historical context, detailed in facts, concise yet lively in its writing, and supplemented by abundant illustrations, making it a refined and engaging historical read. The book covers politics, economy, military affairs, foreign relations, art, thought, science, and social life, comprehensively reflecting the rise and fall of the Qing Dynasty.