Tang Dynasty followed Sui Dynasty and preceded the Five Dynasties and the Ten Kingdoms Period in China.From its establishment in 618 to its downfall in 907, the Tang Dynasty is the most prosperous dynasty in Chinese history.
portraits of Li Yuan and Li Shimin
Establishment
At the end of Sui Dynasty (581 - 618), the whole country fell into chaos due to the tyranny of Emperor Yang; rebellions roused by peasants were everywhere. The Li family belonged to the northwest military aristocracy prevalent during the reign of the Sui emperors. The mothers of both Emperor Yang of Sui and the founding emperor of Tang were sisters, making these two emperors of different dynasties first cousins. Resenting Emperor Yang´s ruling, the chief officer of Taiyuan - Li Yuan, who was also known as Tangguo Gong (a vassal in Sui Court) raised an army in Taiyuan from May 617. In November of the same year, Li Yuan´s army captured the capital city Chang´an (currently Xian) and put a new monarch, Yang You, on the throne as Emperor Gong. Meanwhile, Li Yuan proclaimed himself Da Chengxiang (prime minister) and Tang Wang (King of Tang). In 618 after Emperor Yang was killed by his chancellor, Yuwen Huaji, Li Yuan seized the chance to proclaim himself emperor and changed the state title into Tang, still with Chang´an as the capital city.
map of Tang Dynasty
