The ancient civilization of China goes back thousands of years and they have achieved many great accomplishments. Since 221 B.C. when Qin Shihuangdi united China to 1911, many different ruling families have watched over and guided the people of China towards prosperity. These ruling families are called dynasties, but which one was the best of all? There has been great debate over this topic, but I think it was the Tang. The Tang Dynasty was the greatest, because they improved the government, made many technological advancements, and aided the flowering of their culture.
The Sui Dynasty, the one before Tang, had fallen because of internal rebellions so the remaining generals fought for power. The general Li Yuan won and founded the Tang Dynasty. He established a capitol in Chang'an (modern Xi'an) with a centralized government that presided over the provinces and brought together the noble families. Both nobles and peasants could become court officials; some got in on personal recommendation and others could get in through the civil service examinations.
Chinese art from the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), an...
English: A foreign merchant in northern China, Tan...
A Chinese Tang Dynasty tri-color glazed porcelain ...These tests measured the abilities of people in classical Confucian learning and literary composition. Besides expanding the administrative system, the Tang also made developments in the judicial department. They created the Tang Code that bases the punishment of a criminal on the crime and the extent of relation between the criminal and the offended person; it's the first complete Chinese code still existing. Having a good government is important because it dictates how well the country will be run and it can also help later dynasties if the government works well. With this new government and judicial rules, 13,465 officials in 657 A.D. managed more than 50 billion people.
The people of Tang China were also able to contribute many inventions to the world like porcelain, block printing, and gunpowder.