Historians often talk about certain "golden" ages. In China, the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) and the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE) are certainly candidates for "golden ages." But what about that four-hundred- year interval in between? Even though this wasn't a period of many long-lasting dynasties, the roughly four centuries between the Han and the Tang were still very important in Chinese history. Much of what is currently understood as Chinese culture emerged during this period, and the foundations were created for later economic and political developments.