Tang China And The Collapse Of The Uighur Empire

This detailed study examines how the Tang Dynasty managed the political crisis triggered by the sudden collapse of the Uighur Empire in 840 CE, when massive numbers of steppe refugees flooded China's northern borders. Through meticulous translations of approximately seventy Chinese government documents, Michael Robert Drompp reconstructs the complex bureaucratic response to this geopolitical upheaval, offering readers unprecedented access to the inner workings of late Tang administration during a critical historical moment.

What makes this work particularly valuable is its focus on the practical mechanisms of imperial crisis management rather than abstract political theory. By analyzing official memoranda, border reports, and court communications, Drompp reveals how Tang officials balanced humanitarian concerns with security imperatives while navigating the power vacuum left by their former steppe rivals. Readers interested in Tang Dynasty history, Central Asian studies, or the mechanics of pre-modern bureaucracy will find this documentary approach uniquely illuminating, providing concrete evidence of how empires manage sudden border crises and refugee influxes.