of feeble governments, oppressions and rebellions. Almost the only
event worth chronicling is the iconoclastic policy of the emperor
Wu-tsung (841-847). Viewing the increase of monasteries and
ecclesiastical establishments as an evil, he abolished all temples,
closed the monasteries and nunneries, and sent the inmates back to
their families. Foreign priests were subjected to the same repressive
legislation, and Christians, Buddhists and Magi were bidden to return
whence they came. Buddhism again revived during the reign of the
emperor I-tsung (860-874), who, having discovered a bone of Buddha,
brought it to the capital in great state. By internal dissensions the
empire became so weakened that the prince of Liang found no difficulty
in gaining possession of the throne (907). He took the title of
T'ai-tsu, being the first emperor of the Later Liang dynasty. Thus
ended the T'ang dynasty, which is regarded as being the golden age of
Chinese literature.

Five dynasties, viz. the Later Liang, the Later T'ang, the Later Tsin,
the Later Han and the Later Chow, followed each other between the
years 907 and 960. Though the monarchs of these lines nominally held
sway over the empire, their real power was confined to very narrow
limits. The disorders which were rife during the time when the T'ang
dynasty was tottering to its fall fostered the development of
independent states, and so arose Liang in Ho-nan and Shan-tung, Ki in
Shen-si, Hwai-nan in Kiang-nan, Chow in Sze-ch'uen and parts of
Shen-si and Hu-kwang, Wu-yu[)e] in Cheh-kiang, Tsu and King-nan in
Hu-kwang, Ling-nan in Kwang-tung and the Uighurs in Tangut.

Sung dynasty.

A partial end was made to this recognized disorganization when, in 960,
General Chao Kw'ang-yin was proclaimed by the army emperor in succession
to the youthful Kung-ti, who was compelled to abdicate. The
circumstances of the time justified the change. It required a strong
hand to weld the empire together again, and to resist the attacks of the
Khitan Tatars, whose rule at this period extended over the whole of
Manchuria and Liao-tung. Against these aggressive neighbours T'ai-tsu
(_ne_ Chao Kw'ang-yin) directed his efforts with varying success, and he
died in 976, while the war was still being waged. His son T'ai-tsung
(976-997) entered on the campaign with energy, but in the end was
compelled to conclude a peace with the Khitan. His successor, Chen-t