During the centuries after the Han dynasty, many regional kingdoms asserted their authority all over China, but none were able to bring all of China under a centralized imperial rule, until Yang Jian of the Sui dynasty. After the collapse of the Sui, the tradition of centralized rule was passed to the Tang dynasty and then to the Song dynasty. The Tang and Song dynasties organized Chinese society so efficiently that China became a center of exceptional agriculture and industrial production.
Comparisons
Tang vs. Han: Ruthless Leaders
Both of these empires had ruthless leaders at some point. The Tang's second emperor, Tang Taizong, was ruthless and he even murdered his two brothers and pushed his father aside to claim the imperial throne. In The Han dynasty, Qin Shihungdi, had harsh punishment for those with different opinions, and even burned books so that China's history began with him.
Tang vs. Persia: Trade and Transportation
Both the Tang Dynasty and the Persians maintained a well articulated transportation and communication network. The Persians built the Royal Road, and the Tangs had the Grand Canal and an extensive communications network based on roads, horses, and sometimes human runners.
*Note that like Persia, almost all of the other past chapters could be related to this comparison, since many took advantage of the Silk Road or built irrigation systems, roads, etc.
Song vs. Han and Rome: Nomadic Invasions
These three empires were taken over by nomadic peoples. The Khitan and Jurchen took Song, the Xiongnu took Han, and the Germanic nomads known as the Visigoths, took Rome.
Tang vs. Han: Tribute Payments
The Tang emperors revived the Han dynasty's practice of maintaining tributary relationships between China and neighboring lands.
Tang vs. Islam: Letters of credit (checks)
In the Tang dynasty they had letters of credit known as "flying cash" that allowed them to deposit money and draw the equivalent amount somewhere else. In Islam they had Sakks, which allowed them to do the same thing
Both of these empires had ruthless leaders at some point. The Tang's second emperor, Tang Taizong, was ruthless and he even murdered his two brothers and pushed his father aside to claim the imperial throne. In The Han dynasty, Qin Shihungdi, had harsh punishment for those with different opinions, and even burned books so that China's history began with him.
Tang vs. Persia: Trade and Transportation
Both the Tang Dynasty and the Persians maintained a well articulated transportation and communication network. The Persians built the Royal Road, and the Tangs had the Grand Canal and an extensive communications network based on roads, horses, and sometimes human runners.
*Note that like Persia, almost all of the other past chapters could be related to this comparison, since many took advantage of the Silk Road or built irrigation systems, roads, etc.
Song vs. Han and Rome: Nomadic Invasions
These three empires were taken over by nomadic peoples. The Khitan and Jurchen took Song, the Xiongnu took Han, and the Germanic nomads known as the Visigoths, took Rome.
Tang vs. Han: Tribute Payments
The Tang emperors revived the Han dynasty's practice of maintaining tributary relationships between China and neighboring lands.
Tang vs. Islam: Letters of credit (checks)
In the Tang dynasty they had letters of credit known as "flying cash" that allowed them to deposit money and draw the equivalent amount somewhere else. In Islam they had Sakks, which allowed them to do the same thing