Page "History of China" Paragraph 59

Started by the second emperor, Taizong, military campaigns were launched to dissolve threats from nomadic tribes, extend the border, and submit neighboring states into a tributary system.

Military victories in the Tarim Basin kept the Silk Road open, connecting Chang ' an to Central Asia and areas far to the west.

In the south, lucrative maritime trade routes began from port cities such as Guangzhou.

There was extensive trade with distant foreign countries, and many foreign merchants settled in China, boosting a vibrant cosmopolitan culture.

The Tang culture and social systems were admired and adapted by neighboring countries like Japan.

Internally, the Grand Canal linked the political heartland in Chang ' an to the economic and agricultural centers in the eastern and southern parts of the empire.