The Tang Dynasty (Chinese: ??; pinyin: T谩ng Ch谩o; June 18; 618 - June 1; 907) was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li (?) family; who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire. The dynasty was interrupted briefly by the Second Zhou Dynasty (October 8; 690 - March 3; 705) when Empress Wu Zetian seized the throne; becoming the first and only Chinese empress regnant; ruling in her own right.

The Tang Dynasty; with its capital at Chang'an (present-day Xi'an); which at the time was the most populous city in the world; is generally regarded as a high point in Chinese civilization鈥攅qual to; or surpassing that of; the earlier Han Dynasty鈥攁 golden age of cosmopolitan culture. Its territory; acquired through the military campaigns of its early rulers; rivalled that of the Han Dynasty. In two censuses of the 7th and 8th centuries; the Tang records estimated the population by number of registered households at about 50 million people.