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Tang dynasty

Dazu Rock Carvings in Chongqing, China . Source: rabbit75_fot/Adobe Stock

Guardians of History: How the Dazu Rock Carvings Captivate the World

The Dazu Rock Carvings are a series of Chinese religious sculptures and carvings located in the Dazu District of Chongqing, China. These carvings date back to the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907 AD) and the...
Chinese empress. Source: dreampicturestud / Adobe Stock.

How a Chinese Empress Built the Largest Palace in the World (Video)

In 662 AD, as Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty’s health waned, Empress Wu Zetian quietly assumed the reins of power, navigating a realm dominated by men. Wu's ambition knew no bounds, and she...
La Courtisane by Thomas Couture (1864) (Public Domain)

Women Of Independent Means, Revered Ancient Courtesans

One day, the 19th-century courtesan, Esther Guimond, was traveling through Naples when she was stopped for a routine examination of her passport. When asked her profession, she quietly and discreetly...
Medieval gunpowder recipes were far from perfected and led to many explosive accidents. Source: photosampler / Adobe Stock

Medieval Gunpowder Recipes Blasted In New Experiment

Researchers have recreated and exploded a series of medieval gunpowder recipes. A new paper shows that through trial and error so-called ‘black powder’ was developed, with some economic setbacks...
The Nara Period: Japan’s First Permanent Capital

The Nara Period: Japan’s First Permanent Capital

The Nara period lasted from 710 to 784/94 AD. This period in Japanese history is named after the seat of imperial government in the ancient city of Nara. This was the country’s first permanent...
Ruins of the Tribal Nanzhao Culture Recently Uncovered

Ruins of the Tribal Nanzhao Culture Speak of Buddha

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient temple complex dating back to a society once subjugated by the Tang Dynasty - the state of Nanzhao. Researchers found the words "Buddha sarira enshrined by...
The ancient history of Korea is one of the more enigmatic historical periods of Asia and is still a subject of very active research by scholars

Jang Bogo: The Powerful Silla Kingdom Warlord And Korean Hero

The ancient history of Korea is one of the more enigmatic historical periods of Asia and is still a subject of very active research by scholars. The surviving writings of the early medieval period...
Calligraphy of Tang Master Yan Zhenqing Unearthed in Ancient Tomb

Calligraphy of Tang Master Yan Zhenqing Unearthed in Ancient Tomb

Following the Sui dynasty, the Tang dynasty, or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty that ruled China from 618 to 907 AD, and was followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Now,...
Archaeologists have found hoards of objects including ceramic figurines and jade clothing in an exciting discovery of Han period tombs. Source: Xi'an Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology / RT

Han Period Tombs Full of Jade Discovered at the Origin of the Silk Road

In a stunning find, hundreds of artifacts dating back to the golden age of China have been discovered in ancient Han period tombs located at the origin of the Silk Road . Xi ’ an (Sian) city is the...
Much of the Radhanites' overland trade between Tangier and Mesopotamia was by camel. Source: Gaper / Adobe Stock

The Radhanites: A Glimpse into the Trade Networks of the Middle Ages

It is no secret that throughout the classical and early medieval period, trade played an immense role in the economy of the world. Trade routes were spread all over Eurasia, and effectively connected...
Chinese empress. Credit: wichansumalee / Adobe Stock

The Reign of Wu Zetian: From Concubine to Empress to… Emperor!

There are rarely any parts of our history more intriguing and interesting than the chronicles of ancient China . Full of unique cultural traits, obscure and colorful mythologies, and above all...
Qianling - the Mausoleum of the Heavenly Hexagram

Qianling, the Mausoleum of the Heavenly Hexagram

In the 7 th century A.D., whilst Europe was still living in the Dark Ages after the fall of the Roman Empire, China was entering its golden age under the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618-907). This dynasty...
China Tomb Raiders

China tomb raiders rescued, then arrested

Two grave robbers ran into some bad luck on Monday when they became trapped in a burial chamber they were trying to rob and had to be rescued by police, who subsequently detained them. The pair was...