State Strengthening in the Tang Dynasty

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the State Strengthening during the Tang Dynasty (618–907). It briefly discusses the two earlier dynasties that influenced Tang politics and society—the Qin and Han. The chapter then presents a general introduction of Tang politics, with a focus on the medieval aristocracy and Tang fiscal and military institutions. It also investigates the mid-Tang crisis, especially the An Lushan Rebellion, and how it weakened state control. The chapter discusses one of the most important fiscal reforms in historical China—the Two-Tax Reform—which influenced the structure of taxation over the next millennium. It also outlines the social network analysis of 141 major politicians from the mid-Tang era (779–805), and demonstrates that the elites during this period formed a star-type network with a coherent center and ties reaching out to the periphery. This centralized elite network helps explain both the success of the fiscal reform and the short duration of Tang emperors.