Disaster Crisis And The Tang

Tang dynasty is a natural calamities frequently occurring times owing to its warmth and moisture. As far as the nature is concerned , the natural calamities' appearance is a crisis. The social levels were shocked by their occurrence. This made the levels carry out all kinds of measures in order to steadily overcome the crisis.In general, we can roughly summarize two aspects according to natural calamities' leading to social crisis: one is social economy. The calamities brought many losses to people's manufactures and lives. Lessening calamities and rescuing calamities are urgent; The other is social politics. The calamities lashed feudal dominion. Political situation's turbulence provided with a new balcony for the social levels and groups' struggles. In respect to calamities' crisis and Tang's handle, former historians paid attention to the authority's measures to relieve the people in stricken areas. The topics discussed mainly centered on famine's relief, for example, setting up storehouses, carrying out the measures to send relief to a famine area. These methods relaxed the authority's pressure to some extent. At the same time, the government's purpose to save oneself was much more significant than that to relieve victims of a natural disaster. Usually the authority's disgusting conduct led to famine's aggravation. But in the past, these researches were not far enough. The political impact of the calamities should be paid corresponding attention to."The theory of Calamity Punishments by Nature" of "Interaction between Man and Nature" had an serious effect on the Tang authority's famine measures since Xi Han dynasty.The famine crisis had a enormous impact on imperial power or authority. As the spokesman of the Providence in the world of mortals, the monarch must be firstly responsible for the Providence. He usually promulgated rescript for condemning himself, and took a series of measures to pray to gods to avert a misfortune, such asaverting mail hall, reducing meals, praying to gods, sending out maid-in-waiting, changing the title of his reign, "Yin Zai lu Qiu" and promulgated rescript for expostulating, In terms of modern science, some measures were superstitious, even fantastic. In fact, these measures had both plentiful connotation of politics in historical data and a certain impact on political situation; and it must be construed specifically. Since some measures could improve the environment of victims, tranquilize the mind of victims and compose social order, they and the action of almsgiving were in step with each other. It must not to do one thing and neglectanother, and these measures shouldn't be negated entirely.The famine crisis had a potential influence on imperial power or authority. For instance, the famine may change the establishment of prince or make prime ministers resign based on the "Yin Yang Xie Li". The dispute of party usually made use of famine. The salvation of local officials proceeded in concert with the court, and they prayed to gods to avert a misfortune and provided disaster relief.The famine crisis made society turbulent. The fortune of the minority such as Turks> Tubo. Huihu and so on, was made flourish or decline and the relation between court and minority was influenced. The famine had a impact on court's the attitude towards seigniors. The most result of famine was the victims having lost the means of production and living. They couldn't endure and had to rise up as the court didn't provide disaster relief, or even aggravated corruption and exploitation. The Tang Dynasty ruined after lasting more than 290 years partly because of famine.If we have realized the different reactions of all estates of the Tang Dynasty, and regard them not as "superstitious" or "fantastic", it is significative to enrich the understanding of the history of the Tang Dynasty, especially the politics of the Tang Dynasty.