TheLaterTangwasthefirstofseveralephemeralstatescreatedbytheShatuoTurksintenth-centuryChinaandLiCunxu,amartialgenius,wasitsfounder.Infifteenyears,heturnedasmallsatrapyonChina’speripheryintoapowerhousecapableofunifyingthenorthandmuchofthesouthwest.HegovernedontheprincipleofracialinclusionandrefusedtosettherulingminorityabovetheChinesemajoritythroughspecialprivileges.Assomeonehighlyliterateandartisticallygifted,LiCunxuseemeduniquelycapableofbridgingriftswithinhisculturallydiverserulingelite.Unfortunately,hesharedthesortofself-absorbednarcissismtypicalofdynasticfounders,whichcontributedtohisdenouementmerelythreeyearsintothereign.
TheLaterTangdynastypresidedovertheepicchangesthatoccasionedtheFiveDynasties,whenChinaevolvedfromamoribundmedievalstatedominatedbyhereditaryelitestooneorganizedaroundindividualmerit,anessentialelementofthenation-state.Criticaltotheevolutionofgovernanceinthetenthcenturywastheruleofmilitarymagnateswithoutvestedinterestintheoldorder.
LATER ICE STATE FIRE FOUNDING LI
