T'ang T'ai-tsung (600-649), emperor of China during the seventh century, took over much of Asia and created a dynasty that was culturally as well as economically prosperous.

Chinese emperor T'ang T'ai-tsung (also known as Li Shih-min and Taizong) firmly established the Tang dynasty in imperial China and conquered much of Asia during his reign, setting the stage for one of the most celebrated eras in all of Chinese history. After helping to orchestrate the overthrow of the Sui dynasty, T'ai-tsung watched as his father assumed control of the nation. When his turn to rule arrived, T'ai-tsung consolidated Chinese territory lost to invading forces in from the north and west in previous centuries and presided over a culture flowering with poetry and art and an economy brimming with growing trade among the Western nations.

Rose to Power through Ruthless Political Maneuvering

T'ai-tsung's early years were in many respects representative...