During The Tang Chaozhen Concept Of Strategic Culture Research

With the rising of Constructivism, international relations theory gives more and more emphasis to culturual elements. And recently there emerges a trend of research focused on unit level. As an important factor influencing a nation's strategic decision, a kind of strategic culture draws more attention. In chinese history, Tang dynasty is quite an outstanding era featured in extensive and open glamour. Especially the Zhen Guan period, under the reign of Emperor Li Shimin, is a rarely-seen flourishing age throughout human history.When tackling security relations with those surrounding tribal states, Emperor Li insisted on a kind of openly-defensive strategic culture which encompasses three basic assumptions about strategic environment and strategic preference order based on these assumptions. Influenced by this kind of strategic culture, Tang Court properly handled both internal and external relations. Thus a sound external environment was created for the emerging of the flourishing Zhen Guan heyday.The thesis is aiming at undertaking a research and analysis into the ruling strategic culture during Zhen Guan period, Tang dynasty. The framework of Professor Johnson's theory for strategic culture will be fully utilized. According to the concept, the connotation and the logic under his theoretical framework, a set of historic documents that embody the strategic culture are chosen as targets for research and analysis. After analyzing those documents, type of the strategic culture is to be determined. Also its funtion in Tang Court's decision-making process could be found through the historic analysis of its real influence to strategic practice. Additionaly, a brief analysis of the reasons for the emerging of this kind of openly-defensive strategic culture concludes this thesis.