The Tang Dynasty (618-907) was one of the most prosperous dynasties in Chinese history. It was a period that saw national unification, clean governance, developed economy, splendid culture and open society. It was also a period when China started to embrace the world and have frequent foreign exchanges. It was the prime of feudal China. The prosperous dynasty bred gorgeous Tang poetry and the splendid Tang poetry nourished the prosperous empire in turn. In this lesson, we will start from great poet DU Fu’s “Recalling the Past” and introduce the historical characteristics of the Tang Dynasty. What was its imperial civil examination system like? What about its agriculture? Which renowned figures appeared in the domains of poetry, calligraphy and painting? What connections did the empire have with the rest of the world? Answers to these questions will all be presented to you in this lesson.