Home Region: North China (East Asia)

Tang Dynasty I

617 CE 763 CE

D G SC WF R CC

EQ 2020 cn_tang_dyn_1 / CnTangE

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

581 CE 618 CE Sui Dynasty (cn_sui_dyn) [continuity]

Succeeding Entity:

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General Description

The Tang Dynasty is widely considered a cultural and political high point of imperial China. The dynasty was founded by Li Yuan, the Duke of Tang, when the threat of insurrection forced the previous Sui dynasty court to flee from Luoyang, the capital, to Yangzhou. Li Yuan marched to Luoyang and seized the abandoned capital in 618 CE. ^[1] He became the first emperor of the Tang dynasty (r. 618-626 CE) and is posthumously known as Gaozu. Under the Early Tang Dynasty, the capital was moved from Chang’an to Luoyang. ^[2] We divide the Dynasty into an Early period (618-763 CE) and Late period (763-907 CE), separated by the decline in imperial authority and instability of experienced by the Tang in the 750s, culminating in the An Lushan rebellion to close out the Early period (755‒763 CE).
Under Early Tang leadership, China’s territory expanded considerably. Conquered territories included large areas of Central Asia and northern Korea (Koguryō). ^[3] In later years, however, China pursued a defensive, non-expansionist policy towards groups on the steppe and frontier. ^[4]
The dynasty, also known as the Tang (T’ang) Empire or Li Dynasty, is famous for its poetry, literature, increased trade and general cosmopolitanism. ^[5] In 660 CE, Empress Wu became the first woman to rule China, first governing as a regent to her young son and later ruling as empress dowager and regent until her death in 705 CE. ^[6] Emperor Xuanzong’s 44-year reign (712‒756 CE) ushered in a cultural and economic golden age, which declined as he aged and ended in rebellion and an overthrow of the dynasty. ^[7]
Population and political organization
Emperor Gaozu worked to restore control of the imperial government that had been established by the Sui Dynasty, and founded frontier garrisons controlled directly by the capital. ^[8] The Tang instituted the much discussed ’equal fields’ system, in which land owned by the state was parcelled out in equal allotments to citizens in return for taxation. The Tang also minted many new coins in an attempt to stabilize the economy. ^[8]
The Early Tang imperial government was characterized by an emperor who theoretically had absolute power, but was often in practice overruled by ministers or regents. ^[9] The central government was headed by three chief ministers who ran the Imperial Chancellery, Imperial Secretariat, and the Department for State Affairs. ^[9] The government also included a large central and state bureaucracy, marked by the expanding use of merit examinations. ^[10]
The population of the Early Tang Dynasty is estimated at 37 million in 700 CE and increased to almost 53 million by 754 CE. ^[11] In the 8th century, there were an estimated 1 million people living in Chang’an. ^[12]

[1]: (Benn 2002, 1) Charles Benn. 2002. China’s Golden Age: Everyday Life in the Tang Dynasty. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[2]: (Lewis 2009, 37) Mark Edward Lewis. 2009. China’s Cosmopolitan Empire: The Tang Dynasty. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

[3]: (Benn 2002, 2) Charles Benn. 2002. China’s Golden Age: Everyday Life in the Tang Dynasty. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[4]: (Benn 2002, 8) Charles Benn. 2002. China’s Golden Age: Everyday Life in the Tang Dynasty. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[5]: (Lewis 2009, 1) Mark Edward Lewis. 2009. China’s Cosmopolitan Empire: The Tang Dynasty. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

[6]: (Lewis 2009, 4-7) Mark Edward Lewis. 2009. China’s Cosmopolitan Empire: The Tang Dynasty. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

[7]: (Benn 2002, 8-10) Charles Benn. 2002. China’s Golden Age: Everyday Life in the Tang Dynasty. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[8]: (Benn 2002, 3) Charles Benn. 2002. China’s Golden Age: Everyday Life in the Tang Dynasty. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[9]: (Rodzinski 1979, 118) Witold Rodzinski. 1979. A History of China, Volume 1. Oxford: Pergamon Press.

[10]: (Roberts 1996, 94) J. A. G. Roberts. 1996. A History of China, Volume 1: Prehistory to c. 1800. Phoenix Mill: Alan Sutton Publishing.

[11]: (Rodzinski 1979, 129) Witold Rodzinski. 1979. A History of China, Volume 1. Oxford: Pergamon Press.

[12]: (Roberts 1996, 106) J. A. G. Roberts. 1996. A History of China, Volume 1: Prehistory to c. 1800. Phoenix Mill: Alan Sutton Publishing.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

2 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

2 Suprapolity Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

1 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

1 Religion Genus

1 Religion Family

1 Alternate Religion Genus

1 Alternate Religion Family

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

15 Polity Territory

5 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

2 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

1 Occupational Complexity

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

1 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Non Phonetic Writing

1 Mnemonic Device

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

2 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Donkey

1 Dog

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases

3 Crisis Consequence

Power Transitions

10 Power Transition

Instability Events

35 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1) was in:
(618 CE 762 CE)	Middle Yellow River Valley

Home NGA: Middle Yellow River Valley

General Variables

Identity and Location Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	50 S Expert	617 CE 763 CE
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Original Name	Tang Dynasty I Expert	617 CE 763 CE
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Capital	Chang'an Expert	617 CE 763 CE
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Alternative Name	Li Dynasty Expert	617 CE 763 CE
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Alternative Name	T'ang Empire Expert	617 CE 763 CE
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Temporal Bounds Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	740 CE Expert
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Duration	[617 CE ➜ 763 CE] Expert
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Political and Cultural Relations Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	none Expert	617 CE 763 CE
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Suprapolity Relations	mn_turk_khaganate_2 alliance with cn_tang_dyn_1	682 CE 744 CE
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Supracultural Entity	China Expert	617 CE 763 CE
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Succeeding Entity	Later Tang Dynasty Expert	617 CE 763 CE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction	[5,000,000 to 6,000,000] km² Expert	617 CE 763 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity Expert	617 CE 763 CE
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Preceding Entity 581 CE 618 CE	Sui Dynasty (cn_sui_dyn) [continuity] Expert
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Degree of Centralization	unitary state Expert	617 CE 763 CE
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Language Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Sino-Tibetan Expert	617 CE 763 CE
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Language	Chinese Expert	617 CE 763 CE
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Religion Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Religion Genus	Chinese State Religion Expert	617 CE 763 CE
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Religion Family	Imperial Confucian Traditions Expert	617 CE 763 CE
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Alternate Religion Genus	Buddhism Expert	617 CE 763 CE
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Alternate Religion Family	Chinese Buddhist Traditions Expert	617 CE 763 CE
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Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	1,000,000 people	700 CE 763 CE
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Polity Territory	6,225,000 km²	620 CE
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Polity Territory	6,350,000 km²	630 CE
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Polity Territory	6,475,000 km²	640 CE
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Polity Territory	3,600,000 km²	650 CE
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Polity Territory	4,900,000 km²	660 CE
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Polity Territory	3,900,000 km²	670 CE
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Polity Territory	4,400,000 km²	680 CE
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Polity Territory	4,900,000 km²	690 CE
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Polity Territory	5,067,000 km²	700 CE
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Polity Territory	5,233,000 km²	710 CE
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Polity Territory	5,400,000 km²	720 CE
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Polity Territory	5,133,000 km²	730 CE
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Polity Territory	4,867,000 km²	740 CE
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Polity Territory	4,600,000 km²	750 CE
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Polity Territory	4,100,000 km²	760 CE
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Polity Population	37,000,000 people	700 CE
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Polity Population	37,000,000 people	705 CE
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Polity Population	41,400,000 people	726 CE
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Polity Population	48,000,000 people	740 CE
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Polity Population	52,800,000 people	754 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	6	617 CE 763 CE
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Religious Level	3	617 CE 763 CE
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Military Level	8	617 CE 763 CE
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Administrative Level	7	617 CE 763 CE
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Professions Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Absent	617 CE 737 CE
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Professional Soldier	Present	737 CE 763 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Occupational Complexity	Uncoded Undecided	617 CE 763 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Merit Promotion	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Examination System	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Law Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Judge	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Court	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Irrigation System	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Food Storage Site	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Port	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Canal	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Bridge	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Information / Writing System Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Script	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	617 CE 763 CE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Mnemonic Device	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Sacred Text	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Religious Literature	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Practical Literature	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Philosophy	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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History	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Fiction	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Calendar	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Information / Money Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Uncoded Undecided	617 CE 763 CE
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Precious Metal	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Paper Currency	Absent Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Foreign Coin	Uncoded Undecided	617 CE 763 CE
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Article	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Information / Postal System Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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General Postal Service	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Courier	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Information / Measurement System Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Unknown Suspected	617 CE 763 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	617 CE 763 CE
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Moat	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Fortified Camp	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Earth Rampart	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Ditch	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Complex Fortification	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Long Wall	48 km	617 CE 763 CE
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Military use of Metals Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Iron	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Copper	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Bronze	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Projectiles Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Present Disputed	617 CE 763 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent Disputed	617 CE 763 CE
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Sling	Absent Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Self Bow	Absent Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Javelin	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	617 CE 763 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	617 CE 763 CE
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Crossbow	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Composite Bow	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Atlatl	Absent	617 CE 763 CE
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Handheld weapons Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Sword	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Spear	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Polearm	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Dagger	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Battle Axe	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Animals used in warfare Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Donkey	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Dog	Absent	617 CE 763 CE
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Armor Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Shield	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Scaled Armor	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Plate Armor	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Limb Protection	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Leather Cloth	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Laminar Armor	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Helmet	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Chainmail	Absent Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Breastplate	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Naval technology Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Absent	617 CE 763 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present Inferred	617 CE 763 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Present	617 CE 763 CE
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Human Sacrifice Tang Dynasty I (cn_tang_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More