In the 750s, after some years of military discontent, troops led by a Turkic general rebelled and plunged China into its worst civil war until modern times. Peace was restored, but the dynasty limped along in tatters until it died in 906. Jiang's selective use of the Tang dynasty may have moved one Chinese language newspaper to run an article about efforts of officials in Guangdong province to cut down on Hong Kong television. Modern communication tools, especially the Internet, are key to bringing China's glorious new age. During the Tang Dynasty, Buddhist and Taoist priests published tracts arguing against Confucianism, for individuality and freedom.
China is now full of old and new creeds.
Americans are banging on China's door, some as missionaries, others in military clothing, and others as corporate merchants. Indeed, in Chinese minds, Americans have qualities similar to the foreigners who once settled in China during the Tang Dynasty. Americans have awesome military and technological power. And the potential of bringing great changes and chaos to the Middle Kingdom. If all this is so, then President Jiang Zemin's Tang metaphor may turn out to be more than a simple prediction.