Until this century dynastic families have provided most of the rulers over the human race. Kinship formed an in-group network to support the power holder (or rival) as well as a principle by which to settle (or dispute) the explosive question of the succession of to power. Out of all the dynasties, of the world, none ruled as large a state as China or maintained such a monopoly of central government. As institutions of government, the major Chinese Dynasties are in a class by themselves. Neither Japan, India or Persia produced regimes comparable in scope and power. One such Chinese dynasty was called The T'ang Dynasty. This dynasty ran from 618-907. The Li clan of the T'ang provided 23 emperors and imperial china became one of the wealthiest and most powerful regions of the world.
             It began when the middle kingdom was united under a Chinese emperor, but that emperor, but that emperor was greedy, selfish and cruel, killing his faithful, sturdy people with his overwork for his own pleasure. There were rebellions in the northern provinces and robber bands roamed freely about the country. A young man of 20 years old had another picture in mind, a peaceful, busy, land, its simple people singing at the work. The young man went to seek his father who was in command of the army in that province. He talked his father into rebelling against the emperor, and drive Yang Ti off the throne. These two men belonged to the family of Li. The father was the prince of Tang and the son's name was not a man to stand against such a family as this and fled. Li Shi-mins father was made the new emperor, giving his own title of Tang, a name whose glory rang all over asia and even into Europe. He came to the throne in 618 and it took 6 years to put the whole country in order. He worked with his brillent son Li Shi-min who was a general and brave soldier. Soon the empire was quiet and the rule of the Tang's was accepted from the Eastern Ocea...