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"Heroic Ambition: Constructing a Panoramic Genealogy of Chinese Heroes
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The Sui and Tang periods witnessed the reunification of China once again. This time, it was less about military conquest of all states and more about the assertion of civilizational influence over diverse ethnic groups. With grandeur and self-confidence, the Tang Empire ushered in a flourishing age of culture: a blossoming of poetry, the popularity of music and dance, the perfection of calligraphy and painting, and a diversity of civilizations... Yet, having reached its peak, it began to decline. The Tang Empire was plunged into the abyss of destruction by the An Lushan Rebellion, separatist warlord regimes, and the eunuch crises, leading to an era of the Five Dynasties filled with rebellion, slaughter, famine, plague, deception, and betrayal...
Over these three centuries, supreme glory intertwined with bloody turmoil, and the personal destinies of "heroes" blended with the "contingencies" of historical¿¿, shaping this prosperous yet complex era. Emperor Wen of Sui achieved civil and military feats, unifying the north and south; Emperor Taizong of Tang ruled with diligence and prowess, presiding over myriad states; Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, decisive and visionary, inaugurated a golden age; Emperor Shizong of Zhou, with divine strategy and ambition, laid the foundation for the Great Song. Between the poles of unity and division, founding figures like Zhangsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling, restoration generals like Li Guangbi and Guo Ziyi, and turbulent heroes like An Lushan, Shi Siming, Huang Chao, and Zhu Wen-driven by ambition, power, and cunning-acted out vivid and captivating stories, narrating a heroic history that has echoed through the ages with enduring resonance.
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