The Golden Age of Tang

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<<audio "TangMusic" loop play>> You are a boy whose family lives on a farm in Tang dynasty China. Click the blue links to make choices. Wise choices will add to your renown. Use the sidebar menu to go back/forward or restart. Click the orange links for historical information. [[Begin|Farming]]

<video autoplay loop muted playsinline webkit-playsinline> <source src="assets/Farmers.mp4" type="video/mp4"> </video> <<audio "TangMusic" loop play>> You live with your family in a modest house, working in the fields during the day. [[Continue|The Tax Collector]]

<<cacheaudio "TangMusic" "assets/TangMusic.mp3">> <<set $renown = 0>> <<set $tradeChoice = "rice">>

<video autoplay loop muted playsinline webkit-playsinline> <source src="assets/taxcollector.mp4" type="video/mp4"> </video> One day you are having dinner with your family when a neighbour brings bad news! A collector has come to the village asking for taxes. But the taxes for that year have already been paid! No-one has any money left. [[Continue|Complain or not]]

<<audio "TangMusic" stop>> Your mother and father sound very worried. They think that the county magistrate has made a mistake, or is just being greedy. Your mother and father think that there's no use complaining about the official, as it will just cause more trouble and nothing will be done. But if the taxes aren't paid, people may come to take away your animals and posessions. You are not so sure. You have heard that the new Emperor is cracking down on incompetent and lazy officials. Your brother says that an important official, the circuit inspector, is staying in a nearby town. [[Go with your brother to try to talk to the official |Complain]] [[Stay out of trouble and do nothing |Do nothing]]

A week or two later, a neighbour comes to your house with some news. The county magistrate has been fired, and the village doesn't need to pay the extra tax any more! No-one is sure, but it seems that someone told the circuit inspector about the [[magistrate's|tang government efficiency]] laziness and incompetence. Your brother winks at you. [[Continue |Career Choice]]

You have decided to trade rice. Your father thinks it's a sensible choice. But there's another choice to be made. How will you transport it to the capital? Your brother thinks that you should load up some mules and go by road. But you've heard that the emperor has improved water transportation. Even though you've never been on a boat, you think it might be the best way. [[Go by land |Go by land]] [[Go by water |Continue Water]]

<<set $renown += 1>> <<set $tradeChoice = "tea">> You have decided to trade tea. Your father thinks it's a sensible choice. But there's another choice to be made. How will you transport it to the capital? Your brother thinks that you should load up some mules and go by road. But you've heard that the emperor has improved water transportation. Even though you've never been on a boat, you think it might be the best way. [[Go by land |Go by land]] [[Go by water |Continue Water]]

The road is long, and hard. The weather is terrible. The mules are troublesome, and hard to handle. You make very slow progress. Fortunately, one day, you are taking a high road and see, not too far away, a river. There is a busy wharf with boats coming and going. A boatman agrees to take you to the capital for a fair price, and you load up and head on your way. [[Go by water |Go by water]]

<video autoplay loop muted playsinline webkit-playsinline> <source src="assets/WaterJourney.mp4" type="video/mp4"> </video> <<audio "TangMusic" loop play>> The [[boat|boat]] sails smoothly and quickly to the magnificent city of Chang'an. [[Chang'an|Chang'an]]

<video autoplay loop muted playsinline webkit-playsinline> <source src="assets/ChangAn.mp4" type="video/mp4"> </video> You arrive at the magnificent city of [[Chang'An|Chan'An]]. It is a bustling metropolis. All kinds of good are sold in the markets. <<if $tradeChoice="tea">> [[You chose to trade tea.|tea]] <<else>> [[You chose to trade rice.|rice]] <</if>>

<<set $renown to $renown +1>> You go to the nearest town with your brother. There isn't much work to do in the fields, so your parents just think you have gone off to play. You hitch a ride on a cart. When you arrive at the town, you ask someone where the circuit inspector is. He's in a local inn. Many people are waiting to talk to him, but finally you get to the end of the queue and tell him your villages' troubles. He looks at you, nods, and makes a note on a scroll. It was a wise choice to complain. The emperor is trying to get rid of all the corrupt and lazy officials to improve the country. [[Continue |County Magistrate Fired]]

You decide that your mother and father are right. Complaining will just cause trouble. However, your brother does not agree. The next morning, he is missing from work at the field for a few hours. It's not a busy day, so no-one really notices, but you wonder where he has gone. You spend the next couple of weeks worrying about the taxes. [[Continue |County Magistrate Fired]]

You are happy that the village won't have to pay the extra taxes, but your family is still quite poor, so you decide to go out into the world and earn some money. You are a brave boy, and you have heard that soldiers can earn a reasonable wage, and even rise to a high position if they are successful and get promoted. There is a garrison near the village - maybe you could go there and try to offer your services. However, your brother believes that merchants can earn a lot of money. He thinks that if you take some goods to the capital city, Chang'An, it will be possible to sell them for a good price. [[Try to join the army |Join the army]] [[Become a merchant |Continue Merchant]]

When you tell your family that you want to join the army, they think it's a bad idea. 'Think of the danger!' says your mother. 'These are peaceful times!' says your father. 'There's not so much need for soldiers!' 'I think you'll make more money as a merchant,' says your brother. 'Won't you change your mind?' [[Change your mind |Become a merchant]] [[Continue with your plan |Become a soldier]]

Your parents agree that trying to become [[merchants|merchants]] is a good idea. Times are prosperous, and you may be able to make some money. But what will you sell? The village mainly grows rice, but there's a tea plantation nearby. Your father thinks that people will always need rice, but your mother says that tea is becoming fashionable, and will fetch a high price in the capital. [[Trade Rice |Trade Rice]] [[Trade Tea |Trade Tea]]

You travel to the garrison. When you knock on the gate, the soldier lets you in and when you tell him what you want, he takes you to the commanding officer. But the officer laughs. 'Have you heard of the chancellor [[Yao Chong|Yao Chong]]. 'He's said that there won't be so much fighting. We'll defend our borders, but that's all. There's not so much need for soldiers at the moment. Go home to your family.' You return home, a little embarassed. You decide to become a merchant with your brother. [[Become a merchant |Become a merchant]]

<<if passage() != "The End">> Your renown is $renown <<else>> Your renown is $renown out of a maximum possible score of 4 <</if>>

<<set $renown to $renown +1>> A wise choice. [[Continue|Go by water]]

<<audio "TangMusic" stop>> Although you manage to sell your rice, you regret not bringing [[tea|tea info]]. A new tea-drinking culture has sprung up in the city of Chang'an, and you could have got a very good price for tea. [[Continue|The End]]

<<audio "TangMusic" stop>> A new [[tea|tea info]]-drinking culture has sprung up in the city of Chang'an. The tea fetches a very good price. [[Continue|The End]]

<<set $renown to $renown +1>> A wise choice [[Continue|Become a merchant]]

Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty once presided over the evaluation of county officials and dismissed more than 40 unqualified county magistrates on the spot. [[Return|County Magistrate Fired]]

Business in the Tang Dynasty was very prosperous, with developed water and land transportation and thriving domestic trade. [[Return|Become a merchant]]

The output and variety of tea in the Tang Dynasty far exceeded those of previous dynasties, and the trend of drinking tea was prevalent. Lu Yu of the Tang Dynasty loved tea all his life, was proficient in tea ceremony, and wrote "The Classic of Tea". "The Classic of Tea" systematically summarizes the planting, origin, brewing, and tasting of tea, and is the world's first monograph that comprehensively introduces tea. Lu Yu is honored as the "Tea Saint". <<if State.history.length > 1>> <<link "Return">> <<run Engine.play(State.history[State.history.length - 2].title)>> <</link>> <<else>> No previous passage to return to. <</if>>

Emperor Xuanzong oversaw extensive renovations and expansions of the Grand Canal network (initially built under the Sui). He commissioned numerous infrastructure improvements, dredged canals, repaired locks and embankments, and ensured navigability across critical waterways.The Tang Emperor paid special attention to repairing and developing water transportation. [[Return|Go by water]]

Yao Chong was a wise chancellor who made 10 suggestions to improve the government of China, which the emperor accepted. One of the suggestions was to reduce expensive, unneccesary military campaigns. [[Return|Become a soldier]]

<video autoplay loop muted playsinline webkit-playsinline> <source src="assets/End.mp4" type="video/mp4"> </video> <<audio "TangMusic" loop play>> Over time, you repeat the journey, taking tea from your village by boat to Chang'an. Eventually, you become a wealthy merchant and buy yourself a mansion in the capital. The End.

Chang'an was a gathering place for merchants, envoys, artists, students, monks, craftsmen, etc. from all over the country and all ethnic groups, with a population of one million. Chang'an was not only a political, economic, and cultural exchange center, but also a world-renowned international metropolis. [[Return|Chang'an]]