An explosive population growth

This group of tri-colored glazed Han-Hu horse-riding figurines embodies typical Tang style. The female riding figurines had their hair in high buns, and wore tights with narrow sleeves and a round or a V-shaped collar. The male riding figurines wore Futou (a soft gauze covering the head) and narrow-sleeved tights with a round collar. One of the figurines had deep eyes and a prominent nose, with large sideburns that curled over his cheeks and reached to the ears, and wore long boots and a Hu-style coat with a high collar, presenting a typical Hu image.

This group of tri-colored glazed horse-riding figurines of Tang Dynasty mixed with Hu and Han peoples, is representative of a large number of horse-riding figurines unearthed in the Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province. At the same time, similar tri-colored glazed figurines were unearthed in Shaanxi, Henan, Shanxi, and Shandong. There were also tri-colored glazed figurines with different social status and obvious differences in social hierarchy, including the figurines of civil and military commanders and musicians mixed with the Hu and Han peoples, which confirms the diversity of the population composition in the flourishing Tang Dynasty.

It is a very difficult task to calculate the average annual population growth rate in ancient China. There was a scholar who, based on various ancient population data, came up with a statistical result that the average annual population growth rate in ancient China was 1.4‰.

However, according to the research findings in the book History of China′s Population Development written by Ge Jianxiong, a Chinese cultural scholar, from year 639 to 755, the population of the Tang Dynasty increased rapidly from more than 12 million to about 53 million in 116 years, with an average annual population growth rate of 20—12 ‰. This was far above the average annual population growth in ancient China.

Why did the population increase so rapidly during the flourishing Tang Dynasty? Scholars believe that this level of growth could never have been achieved by relying solely on the natural growth of the population on the Central Plains.

First of all, the rapid population growth in the Tang Dynasty was related to the light taxes and measures taken by the early Tang rulers to restore social and economic development, as well as the government's policy of promoting marriage and encouraging production. At the same time, it should also benefit from the scientific adjustment of the household registration management system in the Tang Dynasty, which enabled those who had lost or missed their registration due to war to be re-registered.

However, apart from these factors, many ethnic minorities moved from the border areas and were included in the government's household registration, which was also an important factor. During the period of the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420–589), approximately 6.4 million ethnic minorities from both the northern and southern regions migrated internally. By the Sui (581–618) and Tang Dynasties, these populations had become solidly integrated into the Han community of the Central Plains and were officially registered in the household census. This number accounted for more than 10% of the peak registered population in the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, the addition of ethnic minority populations in the border areas, who were incorporated into the household registration and gradually integrated with the Han people, was another reason for the population explosion in the prosperous Tang Dynasty.

In addition, the Tang Dynasty welcomed many foreign visitors from different cultures and backgrounds with an open mind. The prosperous city of Chang'an (present-day Xi'an in Shaanxi Province) was the center of the world at that time. All kinds of "foreigners" poured into the Central Plains along the prosperous and smooth Silk Road and settled in Chang'an. There was once a designated area for these "foreigners" to live in the West Market of Chang'an.

These historical scenes show that during the Sui and Tang dynasties, the demographic composition of the Chinese nation had undergone significant changes in its internal structure due to the extensive and in-depth integration of the northern and southern ethnic groups and the integration of a number of non-regional populations.

Changes in the demographic composition of the Chinese Nation

This group of tri-colored glazed horse-riding figurines of Tang Dynasty mixed with the Hu and Han peoples is a microcosm of ethnic integration at that time, reflecting the integration of different ethnic groups and different classes into the Chinese nation during this period. Throughout the Tang Dynasty, these "Hu people" made important contributions to expanding the territory of the Tang Dynasty, promoting economic prosperity and cultural development, and maintaining social stability. The valiant and adept military commanders of the Hu tribes notably etched an indelible stroke in the annals of the Tang Dynasty's expansion and unification efforts. Their significant contributions are exemplified by the Twenty-four Loyal and Meritorious Generals of the Tang Dynasty, whose deeds are honored in the Lingyan Pavilion.

Lingyan Pavilion was built in the Tang Dynasty to commend the meritorious generals who had made great contributions to the country. Among them, Zhangsun Wuji, who ranked the first, was a Xianbei man who had made great contributions to the founding of the Tang Dynasty. The seventh was Yuchi Gong, who was also from Xianbei. He was later honored as the "God of Door" and became a well-known god of good fortune all over China. Qu Tutong, who ranks twelfth, was a Xibe (a branch of the eastern Xianbei) and he helped Emperor Taizong Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty to pacify the country and recapture Luoyang.

In addition, the loyal Turkic noble Asna Sheal, who fought for the Tang Dynasty, had flattened Gaochang, recovered Gaogouli (Koguryo), and established a formidable reputation in the Western Regions. Qibi Heli, the former Tiele Khan who led his army to Tang, defeated Tuyuhun, put down Gaochang, Xueyantuo, and Qiuci.

During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty, General Gao Xianzhi, the main guardian of Tang military forces in the Western Regions and governor of Anxi Four Military Towns, was a native of Gaogouli. He devoted his whole heart to safeguarding and governing the Western Regions' passageways of the Tang Dynasty and defending against invasions by the Tubo Kingdom and Arab Empire. A large number of Khitan chiefs such as Li Guangbi and Wang Sili were highly regarded by the Tang Dynasty to put down the An-Shi Rebellion. When Yuchi Sheng, king of Khotan, located far away in the Western Regions, heard about the news of the An-Shi Rebellion, he immediately led his army to Tang to offer aid. He gave up his throne and served as a minister in the Tang Dynasty thereafter.

Under the guidance of the unified structure of the Tang Dynasty, these Hu military commanders, who could be seen everywhere, with their robust physiques and prowess in battle, integrated into the historical tide of the unity of the Chinese nation.

The Sui and Tang dynasties were originally established on the basis of the integration of various peoples, among which the maternal ancestors of the Sui and Tang royal families were Xianbei people who had accepted the Han culture. This intermingling of bloodlines established the enlightened and tolerant cultural mentality of the Sui and Tang dynasties. More importantly, the political environment of the Sui and Tang dynasties, their unified strong economic strength and inclusive ethnic policy attracted people from the frontier regions to gather in the Central Plains, which triggered a large-scale population growth stretching from the Northern Dynasty to the prosperous Tang Dynasty, and made the population composition of this period show a distinct integration of various ethnic groups.

Thus, by the time of the Sui and Tang dynasties, the demographic composition of the Chinese nation had undergone significant transformation. The traditional "Huaxia-Han" majority had extensively absorbed various groups such as the northern five Hu tribes and southern ethnic groups, as well as a substantial number of peoples from beyond the border of the Sui and Tang dynasties, culminating in the emergence of a vibrant and dynamic new community.

Source: Becoming the Chinese Nation: The historical memories of multi-ethnic Chinese Nation in 100 cultural relics

Liu Xian /Editor    Xue Wensi /Translator

Yang Xinhua /Chief Editor    Liu Xian /Coordination Editor

Liu Li /Reviewer

Zhang Weiwei /Copyeditor    Tan Yujie /Image Editor

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