The Interconnections Between the Military Reforms of the Tang Dynasty and the Decline of the Empire

Abstract

The first half of the 8th century represents not only the peak of the Tang Dynasty’s power, but is also frequently regarded as the Golden Age of China. However, every peak is inevitably followed by a decline - a process that, in the case of the Tang Dynasty, began in the second half of the century. What was the main cause of this decline? At first glance, the answer seems quite simple if we consider the key period mentioned above. It was the An Lushan Rebellion (756–762), which is still considered one of the bloodiest and most devastating events in Chinese history.

However, the An Lushan Rebellion was, in reality, only the final manifestation of unresolved issues that had plagued the empire for decades and ultimately triggered its irreversible decline. To thor­oughly investigate this topic, it is essential to unpack and analyze each of these problems in detail, in order to understand their severity and sign­ificance.

Many scholars believe that the primary cause of the Tang Dynasty's decline was the military reforms carried out in the 8th cen­tury, which contributed to the outbreak of the rebellion. However, con­­s­iderable attention is also given to the 20-year period, when Emperor Xuanzong largely withdrew from the affairs of state prior to the rebellion. This not only weakened the institution of the emperor but also facilitated the emergence and growth of several internal facti­ons.

The article focuses particularly on the breakdown of the "Equal-Field System" and its broader impact. This system had served as a cor­nerstone of the Tang Empire's military and economic structure since the first half of the 7th century. Moreover, its disintegration became a catalyst for deeper transformations in Chinese history, most notably the disappearance of the free peasantry.