At the beginning of the 8th century AD, a visiting delegation composed of Japanese officials, international students, and learned monks left their hometowns and embarked on a life journey to Chang’an, Tang Dynasty, thousands of miles away. This kind of mission is called the Tang envoy, just like in previous times. Their visit to China this time is to absorb the most advanced national culture in the world. Islamic sage Mohammad once said: seek truth, even if it is far away in China. At that time, China was in a golden age of glory, and the capital of the Tang Dynasty, Chang’an, was a place that envoys from all countries wanted to reach, fearing no danger to their lives. At that moment, like Alibaba chanting a spell, the gate of the towering capital suddenly opened, with a street extremely wide, palaces grand and neatly arranged, and the magnificent and magnificent city of Chang’an fully displayed before us. Without a doubt, Chang’an is a magnificent and magnificent international city that attracts people from all over the world. Chang’an is a nourishing place for the world spirit and international spirit. Here, you can see the largest number of foreigners, taste the most diverse exotic food, and be exposed to the most diverse religious beliefs. Behind this is the opening-up policy implemented by the Tang Dynasty, which is why Chang’an became the most advanced city in Asia and even the world.
Xi’an, Shaanxi, formerly known as Chang’an, has been the capital of thirteen dynasties since the establishment of the Western Zhou Dynasty. It is known as the ancient capital of thirteen dynasties, especially the two most glorious and powerful dynasties in ancient Chinese history, the Han and Tang Dynasties, both established their capitals here. The Han Chang’an City Site is currently the oldest and most complete capital site preserved in China. Through Luoyang shovels and archaeologists, we can detect the location, size, and shape of the underground ruins, and now we can glimpse the glory of Han Chang’an City at that time through the ruins.
Xu Longguo, a researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: So this place went through many burning and wars in the late Western and Eastern Han dynasties. So this wall was a scene of a fire at that time, and these pillars, which were the pillars of the city gate, were all burned down, leaving behind the ashes of carbonization.
In 581 AD, Yang Jian, a high-ranking relative of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, proclaimed himself emperor and established the Sui Dynasty. At that time, Chang’an City suffered from war damage, with a small scale, withered and dilapidated, mixed with officials and civilians. In addition, the Wei River invaded the south, causing damage to the city’s drainage system. Moreover, due to a large amount of groundwater being pumped, the water was salty and not very pleasant. Yang Jian decided to relocate and build a new city.
Associate Professor Wang Jing from the School of History and Culture of Renmin University of China: Building a new capital city is not an easy task, it is a complex project. Emperor Wen of Sui first had discussions with Prime Minister Gao Ying and Minister Su Wei at night. The outcome of their discussion was originally quite secretive, but the next day, the official in charge of observing the celestial phenomena, Yu Ji, came to report that he checked the celestial statues at night and the imperial records, which was very consistent with the divination. He said he wanted to move the capital and further persuaded that the water quality of the Han Great Wall had been polluted and was no longer suitable for living. He suggested moving the capital as soon as possible, which was in line with the wishes of Emperor Wen of Sui. So Emperor Wen of Sui issued an edict stating that Chang’an City of Han was no longer the residence of kings. He planned to rebuild the imperial capital on the Dragon Head Plain to the south and southeast of the Great Wall of Han, and the construction of Daxing City began.
The specific project of building the new city was presided over by the famous architectural master Yuwen Kai. At that time, Yuwen Kai was only 27 years old and was appointed as the deputy supervisor of building the new city. The deputy supervisor was roughly equivalent to today’s deputy project commander. However, it was this young person who was fully responsible for the design and construction of the new city. She conducted on-site inspections of the layout characteristics of the capital before the Han Dynasty, absorbed the planning and layout characteristics of the previous capital, and traveled around Chang’an, carefully selected the location according to the principles of feng shui. Finally, she chose the open feng shui treasure land of southeast Chang’an in Han, Longshou Yuannan Road. The terrain here is high in the south and low in the north, with six plump hills (six slopes) stretching from the current Hongmiao Slope to the Dayan Pagoda from east to west. It is bordered by the Wei River to the north, the Chan River and Ba River to the east, the Feng River to the west, and the Zhongnan Mountain to the south. The terrain is spacious, the scenery is beautiful, the water and land transportation is convenient, and the scenery is excellent. It is indeed an ideal place for building supervisors.
The project progressed very smoothly, taking only nine months. A grand and majestic new capital emerged. As Emperor Wen of Sui had been appointed as a worker in Daxing County in his early years, this new capital was named after Daxing. In March of the following year, Emperor Wen of Sui officially moved into Daxing City. By the Tang Dynasty, Chang’an City had been further expanded and its name had changed back to Chang’an. This is the famous city of Chang’an during the Sui and Tang dynasties in history.
Professor Qi Dongfang from the Institute of Archaeology, Peking University: A new country will definitely have a capital, because this capital is not only a place for a country to issue orders, but also a symbol of a country. This reflects an inevitable phenomenon after the unification of China.
The overall structure of Chang’an City consists of three major parts: the Palace City, the Imperial City, and the Capital City. The Capital City, also known as the Outer Guo City, is mainly the place where residents reside, as well as the East and West markets. The Imperial City is mainly the various government agencies of the imperial court, and the Palace City is the place where the emperor resides and handles politics, including the Tai Chi Palace, the Daming Palace, and the Xingqing Palace. The design of Chang’an City reflects the pattern of ancient Chinese cosmology. The Tai Chi Hall is facing the North Star, symbolizing that the emperor responds to the Heavenly Emperor and is appointed to govern the country. The main street outside the Chengtian Gate in front of the Tai Chi Hall is called Chengtian Gate Street, which passes through the main gate of the Imperial City, Zhuque Gate, and then leads to the Outer Guo City. The main gate of the city, Mingde Gate, forms a straight central axis that also forms an extension of national etiquette. Some ceremonial buildings, such as the Tai Temple and Tai She, are symmetrically divided into two sides. It can be said that at the beginning of the construction of Chang’an, It was built to showcase the legitimacy of the new dynasty, as the capital of the universe and the capital of etiquette.
Professor Ning Xin from the School of History of Beijing Normal University: The Triple City did not start from the Sui and Tang dynasties, but we can see that it is complete only in Daxing City and Chang’an City, and there is good archaeological evidence to prove it. Therefore, the division of the Triple City includes Palace City, Imperial City, and Outer Guo City. The division of functional areas is very strict. In addition, all the districts, cities, and palaces have walls. The district is a residential area, and the city is a commodity trading area. In addition, the Palace City is a place for the emperor, harem, office, and residential activities. The imperial city is the center, where official offices are concentrated, with clear functions and orderly zoning. It is a model of classical cities and a peak period.
Chinese cities have a history of at least 5000 years, and the Tang Dynasty’s Chang’an City was a milestone. The planning and design of Chang’an City represented the most advanced level in the world at that time and laid the foundation for the subsequent design of Chinese capital cities. For centuries, the most impressive feature of Chinese capital city planning is respect for history and tradition. Although urban planning and design are constantly evolving, all Chinese cities in Chengdu share common architectural characteristics.
Every city in China, Chengdu, is surrounded by four external walls that are perpendicular to each other, forming a rectangle with defensive watchtowers and battlements. Within these walls, there are usually two or more small rectangles, and the streets are oriented north-south and east-west. When viewed from the air, it looks like a huge, unshielded Go board, reflecting the traditional concept of a round sky and a round place.
Professor Qi Dongfang from the Archaeological Museum of Peking University: The construction of ancient Chinese capital cities has its own unique ideas, architectural layout, and overall development and evolution. China is mainly a military and political center. From the urban layout, it can be seen that for example, in Chang’an City, he placed the imperial city and palace city, which are the imperial palace where the emperor lived and the imperial city of the administrative management institution at that time, in the center of the entire center, and then surrounded by neighborhoods on the southeast, east, west, and south sides, with one city on each side, which is a very idealized city. In fact, this city was designed around imperial power and palace city.
The Ancient City Wall Ruins in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province
The basic appearance of the Xi’an city wall, which has been preserved to this day, is that it was rammed during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1378 AD) and added with bricks in the 4th year of the Longqing period (1570 AD). After multiple repairs in the Qing Dynasty, the remaining Chang’an City of the Ming Dynasty can be vaguely seen with its majestic and magnificent grandeur.
The scale of Chang’an in the Sui and Tang dynasties was very large. According to archaeological measurements of the site, the city of Chang’an was rectangular in shape, with a length of 9721 meters from east to west, a width of 8652 meters from north to south, and a circumference of 36.7 kilometers. The total area of Chang’an was 84 square kilometers. Chang’an in the Sui and Tang dynasties was almost six times that of Chang’an in the Ming dynasty, and this number was also six times that of Baghdad, the capital of the Arab Empire during the same period. Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, which is now Istanbul, was seven times that of Istanbul. The Daming Palace was the daily residence and hearing place for most Tang emperors after Emperor Gaozong of the Tang dynasty, with a total area of 320 hectares, equivalent to 3.5 Forbidden City in Beijing. Its grandeur and grandeur can be imagined.
Li Chunlin, a researcher at the Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: Now we are located in the most important palace in the Daming Palace, called the Hanyuan Hall. In the Tang Dynasty, the main function of this hall was to invite the emperor. The Tang Dynasty held New Year’s Day court meetings in this place, and sometimes issued edicts here when the emperor ascended the throne, which was a very important place.
The Daming Palace Site in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province
From these huge marble pillar foundations that remain today, we can imagine the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty’s Daming Palace and the vastness and majesty of this Eastern Empire. The poem by the prosperous Tang poet Wang Wei, “The Nine Heavenly Changs open the palace, and the attire of all nations pays homage to the imperial court,” depicts the spectacular scene of the Tang Emperor receiving foreign envoys at the Daming Palace. The architectural sites preserved on the ground in the Daming Palace include the Hanyuan Hall, Xiangluan Hall, Qifeng Pavilion, Sanqing Hall, Taiye Pool, Dajiao Temple, etc. The archaeological work of the Daming Palace began in the late 1950s and has been going on for nearly 60 years. However, there are still many relics waiting for archaeological workers to discover, and the charm of the Daming Palace seems to be something we can never fully appreciate.
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences archaeologist – Li Chunlin: Since 2011, we have been excavating the area 180 meters northwest of Hanyuan Hall. It has been three years since then. During the Tang Dynasty, this area was a very important area. Based on literature records and ancient records, we compared and determined that it was a site of the Tang Dynasty’s Zhongshu Province. There were a total of 11 north-south streets and 14 east-west streets in Chang’an City. The streets that connected the city gates were the main streets of the city, with a width of mostly over 100 meters. Even in today’s urban planning, such a wide road is still a staggering number. At that time, the population of Chang’an City reached 1 million, which was the most populous city in the world. For a mega city, it was essential for residents to use water effectively to ensure timely discharge of domestic sewage. Chang’an City, the capital city of Tang, adopted the most advanced water supply and drainage system in the world during its urban construction.
Professor Qi Dongfang from the Archaeological Museum of Peking University: In such a large city, it is impossible to solve the water supply problem without solving it. Therefore, in a sense, water is like human blood. The water supply system is very important in Chang’an, and when designing Chang’an, this issue was already considered. The southeast river flows in, and there are main roads and some branch roads. Because in ancient times, water was different from today’s water use, and there were basically wells dug inside. At that time, Chang’an City could still drink well water.
During its construction, Yuwen Kai cleverly utilized natural geographical conditions by constructing the Longshou Canal in the east to attract water from Chanshui, and the Yong’an Canal in the south to attract water into the city. Afterwards, the Tang Dynasty continued to expand on the basis of the Sui Dynasty, and the water supply project in Chang’an City continued to improve. The moat built outside the city is not only a military defense project, but also an important component of urban drainage engineering. It can discharge sewage inside the city and also store ground rainwater. After reasonable design, it is very important to distinguish the water supply and drainage system, because drinking contaminated water can cause epidemics, which will limit the development of the city.
Han Chang’an City Site, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province
Associate Professor Wang Jing from the School of History and Culture of Renmin University of China: The streets of Chang’an City are high in the middle and low on both sides. Then, the water runs into the street ditches and trenches next to the road. In addition to this drainage system, there are seepage pits and wells. The water from the seepage pits is then discharged into the small drainage ditch and then into the drainage ditch next to the main street before flowing into the city ditch.
As the most developed city in the world at that time, Chang’an, the capital of Tang Dynasty, already had complete urban functions. In the early Tang Dynasty, Chang’an City implemented a strict neighborhood system, with crisscrossing streets that divided the outer walls of Chang’an City into 108 neighborhoods and two cities, east and west. The residential areas were located within each neighborhood, and the arrangement of each neighborhood was orderly. The residents of Chang’an City were strictly limited to each neighborhood, and each neighborhood had a neighborhood chief who was responsible for opening and closing the doors according to the sound of drums in the morning and evening. If the streets were empty at night, they would be inspected by night patrols Jin Wu.
Professor Qi Dongfang from the Institute of Archaeology, Peking University – Qi Dongfang: This has a strong military fortress nature. Every morning and evening, the gate is opened according to the sound of drums, which means that during the day, one can walk freely on the street, but at night, one must return to their own gate, which is a bit of martial law. This is a very important feature of Chang’an City, especially in the early stage of the Tang Dynasty. The Great Wall has a strong military management nature, but in order to fully meet the daily needs of millions of residents for food, clothing, transportation, labor, leisure, and entertainment, there are various buildings such as hotels, pawnshops, brothels, etc. built in the neighborhood, big and small. Temples and Taoist temples are also scattered among them. The East and West markets are located on both sides of the southeast and southwest streets of the imperial city, with numerous shops and exceptionally prosperous, Among them are various professions closely related to the lives of residents.
Professor Qi Dongfang from the Institute of Archaeology, Peking University: As the economy developed, there were gradually some commercial activities in the neighborhood, and even the level of liveliness exceeded the government’s regulations for the eastern and western cities. Not to mention, later on, night markets emerged, which were called day and night noisy and constantly lit. This is what we are talking about in the nightlife. The development of industry and commerce naturally broke through this neighborhood system. Therefore, in the late Tang Dynasty, shops were opened along the streets, and the walls of the neighborhood were pushed open. The emergence of night markets led to a fundamental change in this city, which used to have a strong military nature, completely due to the development of economy and culture. It triggered a bloodless breakthrough of the neighborhood system at that time, which was an important feature completed in the Tang Dynasty.
Due to the open policy of the Tang Dynasty, the economy of Chang’an City was very prosperous. Chang’an City became the most important commercial and trade center in the Eastern world at that time, attracting people from all over the country and foreign envoys and merchants from all directions. Like a tide, it flowed in and out, and thousands of Western region merchants lived in Chang’an for a long time. The descendants of these Western region immigrants still live here today.
The Hui people near the Xi’an Mosque are safe and trustworthy: Originally, my ancestors in front of me, like my father, my grandfather, and my grandfather, seemed to have something in his appearance? A bit Arabic, a bit Persian. Based on this judgment, it may be that those who came from there to Xi’an and settled here have never moved again, and from my surname, it is also a foreign surname, right? My surname is An.
The market in Xi’an today is also very similar to the market at that time. Some popular food practices can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty, such as various cakes and baking methods, rich spices, and exotic foods, which were common during that prosperous era. Here, you can see the largest number of foreigners, taste the most diverse exotic foods, and be exposed to the most diverse religious beliefs. As the first international metropolis in world history to reach a population of one million, the population structure of Chang’an City may be the most complex. Here, there is a central government composed of emperors and his officials, a huge army, local residents of the capital, as well as officials, scholars, and merchants from all over the country. Jia, along with envoys, businessmen, international students, and various monks and Taoists from surrounding countries Missionaries.
Professor Qi Dongfang from the Academy of Archaeology, Peking University: The most important characteristic of a city is that it provides a stage for people from different industries who make a living through various means. If it is in the ancient capital of China, this stage is very important. If a person has achieved success in a certain aspect and has not performed on this stage, it seems that it is not possible. Moreover, the capital is a place where politicians, economists, and thinkers, especially writers, have emerged. You can see that many literary giants are in Chang’an, and there are also some people who have obtained Chang’an. After this, you can become a famous person in the country, including Li Bai. He also performed in Chang’an for the last time, like Du Fu and Bai Juyi, didn’t they all end up in Chang’an;
Chang’an culture is flourishing, with a strong humanistic atmosphere that radiates infinite charm. At that time, many famous artists lived in Chang’an, and the Tang Dynasty’s tricolor production was exquisite, which to some extent reflects the superb craftsmanship of the Tang Dynasty.
Yin Xiaqing, a researcher at the Shaanxi Tang Sancai Art Museum: There is some cultural integration and tolerance in this, such as the cobalt protective blue in the Tang Sancai. The cobalt color is blue, and this cobalt color is also brought from outside the region to Chang’an. Chang’an, combined with some local coloring agents, burns to create a colorful and brilliant Tang Sancai. It is well known that Tang people love horses very much, so they have a love for them. Therefore, Tang Dynasty craftsmen also meticulously depict horses.
In the Tang Dynasty, horses were deeply loved by people. Dance horse performances were held on the square of the Daming Palace, which was also the place where the emperor received tribute horses. Walking on the streets of Chang’an during the prosperous Tang Dynasty, exotic customs could be seen everywhere. Foreign merchants in the market, exquisite performances in the square, Hu monks walking on the street, and performers of pipa at banquets were all very common scenes at that time. For the young people in Chang’an, those with snowy skin, high noses and deep faces, as well as ethnic women, undoubtedly have great attraction. Moreover, they sell rare grape wine in China at that time, and their expertise in Hu Xuan dance is more passionate and unrestrained than traditional Chinese songs and dances.
In fact, it is the immigrants with different skin colors, colorful clothing, and different languages who have created the unique charm of Chang’an City. They are a flowing landscape, whether in the fields of painting, music, dance, or social customs such as clothing and amusement. In the prosperous Tang Dynasty, Chang’an was greatly influenced by foreign cultures. The Tang Dynasty welcomed foreign cultures with a broad and enthusiastic heart, and foreign cultures continued to spread in. Various cultures from China and abroad exchanged, collided, and stirred with each other here. The rich and colorful culture not only enriched and satisfied the spiritual life of Chang’an residents, but also created a good opportunity for the integration and development of Chinese culture.
Professor Wang Jing from the School of History at Beijing Normal University: In an international city, there is a high degree of mobility. With the influx of outsiders, they can live for a long time, travel, and also come to visit relatives, friends, travel, seek opportunities, and engage in public or private activities. Therefore, the frequency of such exchanges is relatively high, which is why they can bring this kind of internationalization to the city. It can have a high degree of internationalization.
The Xi’an Stele Forest preserves a stone tablet called the “Monument to the Popularization of Nestorianism in China during the Great Qin Dynasty”. The tablet was erected in the second year of Emperor Dezong’s reign and was written in both Chinese and Syrian languages, providing a detailed record of how the Nestorianism of Christianity was introduced to China through Persians during Emperor Taizong’s reign and spread throughout China. This is a historical witness to China’s close exchanges with Persia and Western countries, and also a proof of Chang’an’s great attraction as a world cultural center.
Director of Xi’an Beilin Museum – Zhao Liguang: The shape of this monument itself is the same as ancient Chinese inscriptions. Below is the turtle seat, and above is the ceremonial dragon. As we can see from this monument, there is a Christian symbol on top, with a cross. There are many texts below, all in ancient Syrian script. These are the names of some monks. This monument records the Nestorian sect of Christianity, which later spread to China. In the 9th year of the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty, a Nestorian monk was actually a missionary. He came to Chang’an to preach, and was ordered by Emperor Taizong Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty, Prime Minister Fang Xuanling, to personally come. Welcome from outside the city. Later, this Nestorianism spread its teachings in the city of Chang’an and many temples were built. At that time, it was said that there were ten streams of Dharma, and the temples were full of hundreds of cities.
Chang’an’s tolerance for the world can be reflected through its tolerance for religions. Foreign religions such as Manichaeism, Taoism, Nestorianism, Islam, and Brahmanism can all be accepted here, and Buddhism has flourished and developed here.
Jia Maiming, deputy curator of the History Museum of Northwest University, the one I have in my hand is the Han white jade sculpture of the Tang Dynasty, a statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. We know that the Tang Dynasty highly worshipped Buddhism. Almost every one of the 109 blocks in Chang’an City in the Tang Dynasty has a relatively large temple. So the White Marble sculpture of Avalokitesvara in my hand is very exquisite and quiet. It is the worship of Buddhism by people in the Tang Dynasty, which has reached a very high level. So we see that the carving process is very smooth, and the carving process is also very exquisite, which is unmatched by other dynasties.
The mosque located in the center of Xi’an is still a gathering place for local Muslims, similar to the situation in Chang’an at that time. The white snow has made this city mosque even more beautiful.
Northwest Mosque Ma Liang: Our current mosque is usually called the Mosque. The historical record goes back to 742 AD in the first year of the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty. After the mosque was built, Persian and Arab people from the Tang Dynasty gathered in Xi’an, engaged in business and work. Therefore, our prophet Muhammad once said that your study was far away in China, which indicates that the relationship between Chang’an and Arabia was very close at that time, and the history was also very long.
Northwest Mosque Ma Liangji: Mosque, it is a place where people of all ethnic groups who believe in Islam worship and recite scriptures. It is not only a place for religious activities, but also a good opportunity for Muslims to meet and communicate, and a place to serve the Muslim community.
Professor Qi Dongfang from Peking University Archaeological and Cultural Museum: The temple has become a public activity space, which is an important feature of Chang’an City during the Tang Dynasty in China. This temple has buildings that you can admire, gardens that you can play with, and murals that were painted by famous Tang Dynasty artists such as Wu Daozi. Therefore, when visiting the temple, you can appreciate these artworks, and some can also live and read inside. Therefore, it has become a public activity space, which was a very important public activity space that we could think of at that time in China. Because of its unique characteristics, it is different from those cities in Europe.
In April 2014, a shocking news came from Xi’an to the academic community. The History Museum of Northwest University collected a precious Tang Dynasty epitaph from the public, which is the famous “Jing Zhencheng Epitaph”. The most eye-catching sentence in the epitaph is undoubtedly the first sentence: “The public surname is Jing, the character is Zhencheng, and the country name is Japan.”.
Jia Maiming, Deputy Director of the History Museum of Northwestern University: This epitaph was discovered in the spring of 2004 in the eastern suburbs of Xi’an City. As soon as it was announced, it immediately caused a considerable sensation both domestically and internationally, especially in Japan. His discovery of this epitaph was the first to discover cultural relics related to the Japanese envoy to the Tang Dynasty; The second Japanese national name appeared on cultural relics, and it was the earliest; Thirdly, he provided us with a very important historical material for studying the exchange of ancient cultural relics between China and Japan.
As the cultural center of the Eastern world, Chang’an’s attraction to the neighboring island nation of Japan is unparalleled. Thousands of Japanese people have been dedicated to it for their entire lives, eager to set foot on the land of China and go to Chang’an. They regard the grandeur of being able to study, seek Dharma, visit, and witness the prosperous Tang Dynasty in Chang’an as the greatest honor of their lives. Most scholars believe that Japan had sent envoys to China at least 19 times at that time, and in the Wanye Collection, they were referred to as envoys to the Tang Dynasty, including many Japanese celebrities at that time.
Professor Qi Dongfang from Peking University Institute of Archaeology, Culture and Museum: Foreign students, embassies, and monks have come to China one after another, and they can settle down in China, marry and have children, get married, and live here for a long time. They can even take the Chinese imperial examination and become officials. For example, there is a person in Japan named Abe Nakamura, who later changed his name to Chao Heng. This person is not only from Japan, but also studied in China and passed the Chinese imperial examination, achieving a third rank official. What does this third rank official mean? In our current words, it is a ministerial level cadre who can become a very high ranking official in the core of Chinese bureaucracy.
Abe Zhongma Lu’s Chinese name is Chao Heng. He usually befriended Chinese poets such as Li Bai, drank alcohol and wrote poetry, had a great conversation, and had a deep friendship. After hearing rumors of his unfortunate shipwreck, Li Bai even wrote a poem called “Crying Chao Qingheng” to mourn his friend.
Xu Jianxin, a researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: Abe Zhongmalu studied very hard in China, worked very hard, and had a deep knowledge. He also formed deep friendships with many literati at that time. So, people like him, such as Konghai Master, Jicheng Master, and Jibei Zhenbei, were among the envoys to the Tang Dynasty. These people later had a great impact on Japanese culture.
Jibei Zhenbei was a Tang envoy who studied in China for 17 years. Later, he returned to China and became a prime minister. In terms of education, culture, military, law, architecture, calendar, and other aspects, he carried out extensive reforms following the Tang Dynasty, effectively promoting the development of ancient Japanese culture, which had a great impact on the cultural development of Japan.
Professor Wu Zongguo from Peking University: With the development of Japan itself and the continuous deepening of understanding of the Tang Dynasty, what the envoys brought back from the Tang Dynasty were not only the system, but also the profound traditional Chinese culture and Tang Dynasty culture. Therefore, Tang Dynasty culture and Chinese traditional culture played a huge role in the development of Japanese culture.
The Tang Dynasty culture brought back to Japan by the Tang envoy also includes architecture and urban planning. Japan has two famous cities, namely Pingchengjing and Anjing, which are completely modeled after the layout of Chang’an City. Starting from 710 AD, Hiragama Castle was designated as the capital of Japan. Within this rectangular city, there are roads connecting every 500 meters, regardless of the east, west, north, or south. The main gate of the imperial city, Pingcheng Jing, is almost directly modeled after the Zhuque Gate of the Daming Palace in Chang’an City.
Ping’an Jing is another city modeled after Tang Chang’an. The Ping’an Jing we see now was once the millennium capital of Japan. It was founded in 794 and its buildings are arranged in a rectangular shape, with Zhuque Road connecting north and south as the axis, divided into two capitals: east and west, which are very similar to the layout of Chang’an.
Associate Professor Wang Jing from the School of History and Culture at Renmin University of China: Due to the global influence of the Tang Dynasty, Chang’an City in Tang Dynasty also had a deep influence on cities in East Asia. Japan’s Pingchengjing and Ping’an Jing were deeply influenced by the planning of Chang’an City, and the layout of Buddhist temples in Japan was also deeply influenced by the layout of Chang’an Buddhist temples. Tang culture, with Chang’an culture as its core, also deeply influenced East Asia, Japan, and Korea.
Xu Jianxin, a researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: At that time, the mentality of the Chinese people was very confident, and I think it was very confident and open. It can be said that at that time, around East Asia, he believed that no one could conquer it or surpass it. It was a source of cultural radiation, radiating to the surrounding areas. The source of culture was here because it had this confidence.
The Tubo Dynasty emerged almost simultaneously with the Tang Dynasty on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau. When this emerging dynasty took the initiative to initiate friendly exchanges with the Tang Dynasty, not only did Tang and Tubo create a beautiful love story, but the Tang Dynasty also selflessly gave its most advanced cultural technology to this friend.
In 641 AD, Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty was about to embark on a distant journey and marry Tubo Songtsen Gampo. Her dowry was extremely special, including fabrics, textile tools, agricultural tools, crop seeds, musical instruments, gold and silver utensils, silk and satin, and most importantly, a large number of books and classics, astronomical and calendar calculations, medical diagnosis and treatment, etc.
Princess Wencheng’s wedding from Chang’an to Xizang was the most advanced cultural achievement in the world at that time. Princess Wencheng’s dowry team is also unique. Among the more than 600 people accompanying her, there are blacksmiths, bricklayers, carpenters, agronomists, winemakers, chefs and other skilled craftsmen and technicians. Princess Wencheng’s faraway marriage is of great significance to the economic and social development of Xizang.
In Chang’an thereafter, a large number of Tibetan aristocratic children gathered here to deeply study various aspects of the Tang Dynasty. They hoped to bring back new customs to Tibetan society, as Tang Dynasty poet Chen Tao said in his poem “Journey to Longxi”: “Since the noble lord’s marriage, half of the Hu style has resembled that of the Han family.”.
Chang’an is so famous that people of all colors come from all directions, from south to north, from east to west, from land to sea, to study and live here, engage in commercial exchanges, cultural exchanges, political alliances, and so on, to the extent that it has become a world-class capital.
The fate of the city is closely linked to the fate of the country. Although Chang’an is vast and sturdy, it did not last long. From the 9th century to the beginning of the 10th century, Chang’an experienced multiple wars and wars. In 904 AD, Zhu Wen forced Emperor Zhaozong of Tang to relocate the capital to Luoyang, causing great damage to the palaces, walls, and neighborhoods of Chang’an City. After many disasters, the magnificent Chang’an City has almost turned into ruins. The original area of 84 square kilometers of Chang’an City has been reduced to 5.2 square kilometers, only 1/16 of the original. The world, which was once glorious for 300 years, will be like a heroic martyr who passed away. The martyrs are in their old age. The prosperity has declined, leaving only broken walls and ruins for future generations to mourn and reminisce about the glory of the prosperous Tang Dynasty.
But Chang’an has not been forgotten by the world, the destroyed city walls have been rebuilt, and a new city has risen from its ruins. Xi’an is now a vibrant city in western China, with a prosperous economy and rich and colorful culture. In the new era, the ancient Chang’an has once again shone with brilliant brilliance. Dreaming back a thousand years, the former prosperity and strength are still clearly visible.
90 Seconds of History: Princess Wencheng Enters Tibet
In 641 AD, Princess Wencheng, the princess of the Tang Dynasty, was about to embark on a long journey to marry the Tibetan Zanpu Songtsen Ganbu. Her dowry was very special, including cloth, textile tools, farm tools, crop seeds, musical instruments, gold and silver appliances, silk and satin, etc., as well as a large number of books and records, astronomical calendars, medical diagnosis and therapy. Princess Wencheng’s dowry to Xizang was the most advanced cultural achievement in the world at that time. Princess Wencheng’s dowry team was also different. Among the more than 600 people accompanying her, including blacksmiths, carpenters, agronomists and other skilled craftsmen and technicians, Princess Wencheng’s faraway marriage, The economic and social development of Xizang is of great significance, and it has also injected precious spiritual wealth into Xizang. The Juewo Buddha brought by Princess Wencheng from Chang’an is still enshrined in the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, It has become an important symbol for Buddhism to take root in Xizang. Princess Wencheng’s entry into Xizang has also laid a good foundation for Tibet’s eventual return to the motherland.
