Episodes
The Tang Dynasty's Tea Culture: From Lu Yu to the Tea Horse Road
In this episode, Lucas and Luna steep themselves in the world of Tang Dynasty tea. They follow the legendary Lu Yu, author of The Classic of Tea, as he transforms a simple leaf into an art form. From the misty hills of Mengshan to the bustling teahouses of Chang'an, they trace how tea became the empire's favorite drink — and a cornerstone of its economy. The conversation also uncovers the ancient Tea Horse Road, the rugged trade route that carried Tang tea to the Tibetan Plateau, and the…
The Tang Dynasty's Secret Police: The Censorate and Its Spies
In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into the shadowy world of the Tang Dynasty's Censorate (yushitai) and its network of imperial censors. They explore how the Censorate acted as the emperor's eyes and ears, monitoring officials from the highest ministers to provincial governors, and even the emperor himself. The conversation covers the role of the chief censor (yushi dafu), the three sub-offices, and the famous case of the 'Six Horses of Mawei' during the An Lushan Rebellion, when censors…
The Tang Dynasty's Paper: From Silk to the Diamond Sutra
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how paper transformed Tang China, from the invention of true paper in the Han dynasty to the world's oldest printed book, the Diamond Sutra of 868 CE. They discuss the role of paper in bureaucracy, the spread of Buddhism, and the rise of woodblock printing, which made knowledge more accessible than ever. Along the way, they touch on the legendary Xuan paper, the practical uses of paper for everything from tea bags to toilet paper, and how the Tang…
The Tang Dynasty's Paper and Printing Revolution
In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the Tang Dynasty's transformative innovations in paper and printing. From the imperial paper mills of Chang'an to the first woodblock-printed Buddhist sutras, discover how the Tang became the world's first paper-based empire. Learn about the invention of paper money, the 'flying cash' system that revolutionized trade, and the diamond sutra — the oldest printed book we know of. Lucas explains how these technologies spread across the Silk…
The Tang Empire's Paper Money: How Flying Cash Changed the World
Before banknotes, before bills of exchange, the Tang dynasty invented a financial instrument that made silver and copper obsolete for long-distance trade—flying cash. In this episode, Lucas and Luna trace the birth of paper money from the bustling markets of Chang'an to the battlefields of the An Lushan Rebellion, where a cash-strapped court turned to a desperate solution. Meet the merchants who risked everything on promissory notes, the emperors who tried to ban them, and the Song dynasty that…
The Blossom of Tang Law: From Taizong to the Tang Code
In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the Tang dynasty's legal revolution, from the visionary Emperor Taizong to the completion of the Tang Code under his successor Gaozong. They trace the code's roots in the Sui dynasty's law codes, its structure of Lü, Ling, Ke, and Shi, and the famous principles like the Eight Deliberations and Ten Abominations. The conversation reveals how the Tang Code wasn't just a set of punishments but a moral and political blueprint that shaped…
The Tang Dynasty's Legal Code: How the Tang Code Shaped East Asia's Laws
Long before the Magna Carta, the Tang dynasty of China produced a legal code so systematic and humane that it became the model for law across East Asia for over a millennium. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Tang Code (Tanglü Shuyi) of 653 CE — a masterpiece of legislative precision that defined crimes, punishments, and the principles of judicial fairness. They discuss how the code's five punishments evolved from physical mutilation to a graded system of beatings, exile, and death…
Tang Tri-Colour Horses and the Art of the Afterlife
Lucas and Luna explore the story behind Tang sancai pottery, the tri-colour glazed figurines that filled the tombs of Tang elites. Why were horses such a dominant subject? What did these objects reveal about Tang attitudes toward death, status, and the Silk Road? The episode traces the craft from its origins on the steppes to the kilns of Huangbao, discusses the cobalt trade that made the blues possible, and follows the ware's rise, decline, and rediscovery in the twentieth century. Along the…
Empress Wu Zetian: The Woman Who Ruled Tang China
In this two-hundredth episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna step back from the battlefield to look at the woman who ruled the Tang from behind the throne and then from on top of it: Wu Zetian. They trace her rise from a teenage concubine of Emperor Taizong to the power behind her son Gaozong, her ruthless consolidation of power, and her eventual proclamation of her own Zhou dynasty in 690 — the only woman in Chinese history to hold the title of emperor. Along the way, we meet the officials…
The Tang Dynasty's Greatest Poet: Du Fu's Life and Legacy
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the life and times of Du Fu, often called China's greatest poet. They trace his journey from a privileged youth in Chang'an to his harrowing experiences during the An Lushan Rebellion, which shaped his mature, compassionate voice. They discuss his friendship with Li Bai, his years of wandering, and how his poetry became a chronicle of a crumbling empire. The episode touches on his famous works like 'Spring View' and 'Song of the War Carts,' and examines…
Tang Dynasty Music and Dance: The Pear Garden Troupe
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the vibrant world of Tang dynasty music and dance, focusing on the famous Pear Garden (Liyuan) academy founded by Emperor Xuanzong. They discuss the emperor's personal involvement in the arts, the fusion of Central Asian and Chinese traditions, the role of the court's entertainers, and the lasting legacy of the term 'Liyuan' as a synonym for opera. Along the way, they touch on specific instruments like the pipa and konghou, the grand performances at the…
Tang Sancai: The Ceramic Horses That Carried an Empire
In this episode, Lucas and Luna dig into the story behind Tang dynasty sancai — those iconic three-colour glazed ceramics that have become a museum staple. From the warrior-horse figurines buried in tombs to the kilns of Huangbao and the technology that made the greens, ambers, and blues possible, they trace how a funerary craft mirrored the empire's power, tastes, and global connections. Along the way, they touch on the cobalt that may have travelled the Silk Road from Persia, the shadowy…
The Horse That Built the Tang Silk Road
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the legendary Ferghana horses of the Tang Dynasty—the 'heavenly horses' that carried armies, pulled emperors, and inspired poetry. They trace the breed's origins in the Ferghana Valley, its arrival in China via the Silk Road, its role in the An Lushan Rebellion, and its symbolic power in Tang art and culture. From the blood-sweating horses of myth to the battlefields of Talas, they unpack how these animals shaped trade, politics, and warfare in East Asia.…
The Battle of Tong Pass: How Guo Ziyi Saved Tang China
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Battle of Tong Pass, the decisive stand that turned the tide of the An Lushan Rebellion. When the rebel general An Lushan swept through northern China, the fate of the Tang dynasty hung on a single mountain pass. Lucas tells the story of Guo Ziyi, the veteran general who outmaneuvered the rebels at Tong Pass, and the strategic genius that preserved the dynasty — at least for a while. They discuss the geography of the pass, the politics of the Tang…
The Fall of Chang'an: A City's Last Stand
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the dramatic final years of Chang'an, the greatest city of the Tang Dynasty. From the An Lushan Rebellion to the Huang Chao Uprising, we trace how a metropolis of over a million people—with its grand avenues, bustling markets, and cosmopolitan mix of Sogdian merchants, Nestorian priests, and Persian exiles—succumbed to war, famine, and betrayal. We discuss the city's founding by Emperor Wen of Sui, its grid layout, the Western and Eastern Markets, and the…
Tang Dynasty's Urban Nightlife: Lantern Festivals and City Life
In this episode, Lucas and Luna step into the bustling streets of Chang'an after dark. They explore the nightly curfew that kept the city orderly, and then dive into the spectacular lantern festivals that lit up the capital during the Shangyuan Festival. Learn how Emperor Xuanzong's court threw monumental displays with towering lantern trees, and how these celebrations became a rare moment when class boundaries dissolved, as commoners and aristocrats mingled in the glow of thousands of lights.…
Tang Dynasty's Golden Age: The Silk Road's Busiest City
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the bustling heart of the Tang Dynasty's golden age: the cosmopolitan capital of Chang'an. They trace the city's origins under the Sui, its grid-like layout designed by Yuwen Kai, and its transformation into the world's largest city by the 8th century. The episode focuses on the vibrant Western Market, where Persian, Sogdian, and Indian merchants traded spices, silks, and horses, and the cosmopolitan culture that made Chang'an a hub of religious…
The Grand Canal: Tang China's Lifeline and Its Hidden Cost
In this episode, Lucas and Luna trace the Grand Canal's evolution from its Sui dynasty origins to its pivotal role in Tang China's economy and military. They explore how the canal enabled the transport of grain from the fertile south to the northern capitals, fueling Chang'an's grandeur and supporting frontier armies. But they also unpack the canal's darker side: the corvée labor that broke millions, the flooding that devastated farmlands, and the strategic vulnerabilities it created…
Tang China and the Fall of Goguryeo
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Tang dynasty's military campaigns in Korea, focusing on the alliance with Silla and the pivotal naval Battle of Baekgang in 663. They discuss the three Korean kingdoms — Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla — and how the Tang-Silla coalition defeated Baekje and its Yamato (Japanese) allies, leading to the fall of Goguryeo in 668. The conversation also covers the shifting alliances, the role of General Liu Rengui, and the eventual emergence of a unified Silla that…
The Sogdian Merchants Who Shaped Tang China's Silk Road
They were the invisible architects of the Silk Road: Sogdian merchants from Central Asia who dominated trade between China and the West for centuries. In Tang dynasty Chang'an, they formed vibrant communities, introducing new fashions, music (including the pipa), and religions like Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism. This episode explores their daily lives, their influence on Tang culture, and their tragic decline after the An Lushan rebellion—which was led by one of their own. We also discuss…
Nestorian Christianity in Tang China: The Stele That Changed History
In 635, a Persian monk named Alopen arrived in Chang'an carrying the scriptures of a Christian sect from the East. Emperor Taizong welcomed him, and soon a monastery was built and the faith spread across the Tang empire. This episode explores the fascinating story of Nestorian Christianity in China, preserved on the famous Nestorian Stele erected in 781. We look at how this branch of Christianity, deemed heretical in Byzantium, found a home in cosmopolitan Tang, the imperial patronage it…
Tang Tea Culture: Lu Yu and the Classic of Tea
In this episode of the Fexingo History podcast, Lucas and Luna explore the Tang dynasty's transformation of tea from a medicinal herb into a cultural cornerstone. Learn how Lu Yu's eighth-century masterpiece, the Cha Jing (Classic of Tea), codified tea cultivation, preparation, and philosophy. Discover how Buddhist monasteries spread tea drinking along the Silk Road, fueling a trade that connected China with Tibet and Central Asia. We examine the Tang tea ceremony — involving grinding tea…
The Tang-Tibet Treaty of 822: The Stone Pillar That Stopped a War
In 822, two exhausted empires carved their peace agreement into stone. The Tang Dynasty and the Tibetan Empire, after decades of war, signed the Treaty of Changqing — and erected a bilingual pillar in front of Lhasa's Jokhang Temple that still stands today. This episode explores the negotiations, the terms, and the legacy of this remarkable diplomatic monument. We cover the Tibetan occupation of the Gansu corridor during the An Lushan Rebellion, the role of Emperor Muzong and the Tibetan king…
The Guwen Movement: Han Yu, Liu Zongyuan and Tang Prose
In this episode of The Tang Dynasty: China's Cultural Peak Explained, Lucas and Luna explore the Guwen (Classical Prose) movement that reshaped Chinese literature during the Tang dynasty. We meet Han Yu, the fierce Confucian scholar who rejected the ornate parallel prose of his time, and his friend Liu Zongyuan, whose essays and fables like 'The Donkey of Guizhou' remain classics. We discuss their call for 'writing to convey the Way,' their influence on the civil service exams, and how their…
Abe no Nakamaro: The Japanese Poet in Tang China's Court
Abe no Nakamaro, a Japanese student who traveled to Tang China in the early 8th century, became a court official and a celebrated poet, befriending icons like Li Bai and Wang Wei. This episode follows his remarkable journey—from the dangerous sea crossing to his life in Chang'an, his literary friendships, and his tragic attempted return to Japan. We explore the Kenzuishi (Japanese missions to Tang), the cultural exchange that shaped East Asia, and the poignant poem Li Bai wrote upon hearing of…
The An Lushan Rebellion: How a General Destroyed Tang China's Golden Age
In 755, General An Lushan—half-Sogdian, half-Turkic and a favorite of Emperor Xuanzong—launched a rebellion that shattered the Tang dynasty's golden age. This episode covers the rebellion's origins in Xuanzong's late reign and Yang Guozhong's corruption, the stunning fall of Luoyang and Chang'an, the desperate defense of Suiyang under Zhang Xun, and the decisive loss at Tong Pass. We also explore the aftermath: the Tang's reliance on Uighur mercenaries, the rise of jiedushi warlords, and the…
The Siege of Suiyang: Cannibalism in Tang China
In 757, during the An Lushan Rebellion, the Tang city of Suiyang became the stage for one of history's most desperate sieges. Commander Zhang Xun held out for ten months against a rebel army ten times his size, defending the Grand Canal and buying precious time for the Tang dynasty. As food ran out, defenders turned to cannibalism, a grim testament to their resolve. This episode unfolds the tactics, the starvation, the moral dilemmas, and the siege's pivotal role in saving the Tang from…
Tang Dynasty Civil Service Exams Meritocracy or Myth
Step into the world of Tang dynasty examinations — the keju system that supposedly created a meritocratic bureaucracy. Lucas and Luna explore how exams actually worked: the two main tracks (mingjing and jinshi), the grueling multi-day tests in tiny cubicles, the rampant cheating and aristocratic advantages, and the surprising role of poetry in selecting officials. They debate whether the system truly rewarded talent or just perpetuated privilege, and trace its lasting impact on Chinese…
Battle of Talas: Tang China vs Abbasid Caliphate
In 751 AD, along the Talas River in modern Kyrgyzstan, the armies of Tang China and the Abbasid Caliphate clashed in a battle that would reshape Central Asia. Led by the Goguryeo-born general Gao Xianzhi, the Tang forces faced a coalition of Abbasid Arabs and local allies, including the Qarluq Turks who would betray them at a critical moment. Though the battle itself was a tactical defeat for the Tang, its most enduring legacy was the capture of Chinese papermakers—technicians who brought…
Empress Wu Zetian: China's Only Female Emperor
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the life and reign of Empress Wu Zetian, the only woman in Chinese history to rule as emperor. From her rise as a concubine in Emperor Taizong's court to her use of Buddhism to legitimize her Zhou dynasty, Wu Zetian reshaped Tang politics and culture. They discuss her construction of the Mingtang, her patronage of the arts, reforms to the civil service exams, and her ruthless suppression of rivals. The episode also touches on the debate over her…
Tang Dynasty's Li Bai and Du Fu The Poets Who Defined an Era
In this episode of the Tang Dynasty series, Lucas and Luna explore the lives, friendship, and enduring legacy of China's two greatest poets: Li Bai and Du Fu. Lucas explains how Li Bai, the free-spirited 'Immortal Poet,' embodied the Romantic spirit of the High Tang, while Du Fu, the 'Poet Historian,' chronicled the empire's tragic decline through the An Lushan Rebellion. The conversation covers their first meeting in Luoyang in 744, their contrasting styles — Li Bai's spontaneous verses versus…
Tang Dynasty Woodblock Printing: The Diamond Sutra and Beyond
This episode explores the revolutionary impact of woodblock printing during the Tang Dynasty, focusing on the world's oldest surviving printed book—the Diamond Sutra from 868 CE. Lucas and Luna discuss how this technology emerged from earlier seal and rubbing techniques, the role of Buddhism in driving demand for mass-produced texts, and the social consequences of making knowledge more accessible. They touch on the integration of Chinese and Central Asian techniques, the printing of almanacs…
Tang Dynasty's Tang Tri-Colored Pottery Ceramics
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the vibrant world of Tang sancai, or three-colored pottery, which flourished during China's Tang dynasty (618–907). They discuss the origins of lead-glazed ceramics in the Han dynasty, the development of sancai during the Tang, and the materials—cobalt, iron, copper—that produced the iconic amber, green, and blue hues. The conversation covers the role of these ceramics in Tang funerary practices, including mingqi burial figures like the famous horse and…
Emperor Gaozong and the Rise of the Tang Legal Code
This episode zeroes in on Emperor Gaozong of Tang, the often-overlooked ruler who codified the Tang legal system into the Tang Lü Shuyi, a legal code that influenced East Asia for centuries. We explore his reign beyond the shadow of his father Taizong and his wife Wu Zetian, examining how he consolidated power through law, commissioned the official history of the Sui dynasty (Sui Shu), and managed the delicate balance between aristocratic families and a centralized bureaucracy. We also look at…
Emperor Taizong and the Fall of the Eastern Turks
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how Emperor Taizong of Tang crushed the Eastern Turkic Khaganate in 630 AD, a campaign that reshaped the balance of power in East Asia. They discuss Taizong's strategic brilliance, the role of the jiedushi system born from this victory, and the fate of the captured Khan Jiali Khan. The conversation also touches on the cultural exchange that followed—Turkic warriors serving in the Tang army, and the adoption of Turkic cavalry tactics. Lucas explains the…
Tang Dynasty's Diplomatic Marriages: Princesses and Peace
The Tang dynasty often sealed alliances with neighboring powers through diplomatic marriages, sending imperial princesses to marry rulers of Tibet, the Uighur Khaganate, and Nanzhao. This episode focuses on the most famous case: Princess Wencheng, who married the Tibetan emperor Songtsen Gampo in 641 CE. We explore the political motivations behind the marriage, the journey from Chang'an to Lhasa, and the cultural exchange that followed, including the introduction of Buddhism and Chinese…
Tang Dynasty's Gunpowder Invention and Early Weapons
Long before the Song dynasty's fire lances and Ming cannons, the Tang dynasty was already experimenting with a mysterious black powder that would one day change the world. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the early development of gunpowder in Tang China—from alchemists searching for elixirs of immortality to the first recorded formulas in texts like the Zhenyuan Miao Dao Yaolue. They discuss the earliest known recipes that mixed saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal, and how Buddhist monks and…
Tang Dynasty Legal Code: The Tang Lü Shuyi Explained
Lucas and Luna dive into the Tang Dynasty's legal masterpiece, the Tang Lü Shuyi — the Tang Code with commentaries. This episode explores how the code was compiled under Emperor Gaozu and further refined by Taizong and Gaozong, its structure of 502 articles across 12 sections, and its emphasis on the "Five Punishments" (wu xing) — from bamboo strokes to exile and death. They discuss the code's Confucian foundations, including the "Eight Deliberations" (ba yi) that granted leniency to nobles and…
The Tang Dynasty's Failed Campaign Against Nanzhao
In the mid-eighth century, the Tang Empire launched a massive military campaign against the small kingdom of Nanzhao in modern Yunnan. What began as a punitive expedition ended in one of the worst military disasters in Chinese history. This episode examines the disastrous 751 campaign led by Xianyu Zhongtong, the strategic blunders, the devastating losses at Xiaguan, and how Tang overconfidence and poor intelligence contributed to the defeat. We also explore the aftermath: the rise of Nanzhao…
The Tang Dynasty's Failed Campaign Against Nanzhao
In the 8th century, Tang China's greatest military disaster was not against the Tibetans or Turks, but against a small kingdom in modern Yunnan: Nanzhao. This episode explores the disastrous 751 and 754 campaigns led by Xianyu Zhongtong and Li Mi, where tens of thousands of Tang soldiers perished in the jungles of the southwest. We examine the geopolitical backdrop of Nanzhao's alliance with the Tibetan Empire, the tactical blunders of the Tang commanders, and how the defeats weakened the…
Tang Dynasty's Xuanzang Pilgrimage to India
In episode 168 of The Tang Dynasty: China's Cultural Peak Explained, Lucas and Luna trace the epic 17-year journey of the Buddhist monk Xuanzang from Chang'an to India and back. They discuss his perilous crossing of the Gobi Desert, his audience with the Hephthalite and Turkic rulers, his studies at Nalanda University, and the 657 Buddhist texts he brought home. The conversation covers Emperor Taizong's support for Xuanzang's translation project at the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, the creation of…
Tang Dynasty's Chang'an Urban Planning: The World's Greatest City
Before New York, before Rome, there was Chang'an — the Tang Dynasty capital that was the largest and most meticulously planned city on earth. In this episode, Lucas and Luna walk the wide avenues and walled wards of a metropolis that housed over a million people, including Persians, Sogdians, Koreans, and Japanese. They explore the gridded layout inspired by the Zhou Dynasty's ideal capital, the strict curfew enforced by drum towers, and the two bustling markets where silk, spices, and slaves…
Tang Dynasty's Foreign Religions: Zoroastrians Nestorians and Manichaeans in Chang'an
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the vibrant religious diversity of Tang Dynasty Chang'an, a city where Zoroastrian fire temples, Nestorian Christian crosses, and Manichaean manuscript illuminations existed alongside Buddhist monasteries and Daoist abbeys. They discuss how the Sogdian diaspora brought Zoroastrianism from Persia, how the Church of the East established monasteries via the Silk Road, and how Manichaeism survived persecution after the Uighur Khaganate adopted it as state…
Tang Dynasty's Tea Culture: From Medicinal Brew to National Drink
In episode 165, Lucas and Luna explore how tea transformed from a medicinal curiosity in the Han dynasty into the defining social beverage of Tang China. Lucas traces the influence of Lu Yu's 'Classic of Tea' (Cha Jing), written in the 760s, which codified everything from cultivation to brewing. They discuss the role of Buddhist monasteries in spreading tea drinking, the rise of the tea trade along the Yangtze River, and the political impact of the tea tax under Emperor Dezong. The episode also…
The Sogdian Whirlwind: How Central Asian Merchants Transformed Tang China
Beyond the Silk Road's spices and silks lay a deeper exchange: the Sogdians of Samarkand and Bukhara brought not just goods but Zoroastrian fire temples, Manichaean texts, and a script that became the Uighur alphabet. This episode traces their influence on Tang dynasty politics, religion, and culture—from the Sogdian ward in Chang'an to the generals who led Chinese armies. We explore the Sogdian Ancient Letters, their role as translators and spies, and how their diaspora shaped everything from…
Tang Dynasty Cosmopolitan Chang'an Daily Life
Episode 163 takes you inside the daily life of Tang Dynasty Chang'an, the world's largest city. Discover how the grid-like ward system organized over a million residents, the musical rhythms of bell and drum towers that regulated life, the multicultural neighborhoods where Persians, Sogdians, and Koreans lived, and the vibrant entertainment quarter of the Western Market. We explore the city's sophisticated water supply, the role of government messengers, and the social hierarchy from…
Tang Dynasty's Salt Monopoly: The Tax That Shook an Empire
In this episode, Lucas and Luna delve into the Tang Dynasty's salt monopoly, a state-controlled tax on salt that became the empire's financial backbone. They trace its origins under Emperor Xuanzong's reign, when the brilliant administrator Liu Yan restructured the system after the An Lushan Rebellion. The discussion covers the Salt and Iron Commission, the use of salt vouchers called yan yin, and how the monopoly fueled both the Tang's recovery and its eventual downfall — including the role of…
The Tang Dynasty's Salt Monopoly: Money, Rebellion, and Imperial Power
In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the Tang Dynasty's state monopoly on salt—a seemingly mundane commodity that shaped imperial finance, fueled the An Lushan Rebellion, and sparked a crisis of legitimacy. How did a simple mineral become the economic backbone of the Tang empire? Lucas unpacks the role of Liu Yan, the brilliant commissioner who restructured the salt monopoly in the wake of the An Lushan Rebellion, generating vast revenues with minimal burden on farmers.…
Tang Dynasty Science: Zhang Heng and the First Seismoscope
Long before modern seismology, a remarkable inventor named Zhang Heng created the world's first seismoscope during the Han dynasty — but his legacy echoes deep into the Tang era and beyond. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the forgotten scientists of early imperial China: the astronomers who mapped the heavens, the engineers who built armillary spheres and water-powered orreries, and the medical scholars who compiled the Tang Bencao — the world's first state-sponsored pharmacopoeia. They…
Tang Dynasty's Horse Culture: From War to Sport
Lucas and Luna gallop into the Tang Dynasty's deep connection with horses — from the legendary "heavenly horses" of Ferghana to the polo fields of Chang'an. They explore how the Tang military's success hinged on cavalry and horse trading with steppe nomads, and how Tang emperors from Taizong to Xuanzong sponsored massive stud farms and imported superior breeds. The conversation covers Tang tri-colored pottery horses, the imperial stables, the Office of the Heavenly Horses, and the surprising…
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