Nanzhao (Traditional Chinese: 南詔, Simplified Chinese: 南诏, pinyin: Nánzhāo, Alternate spellings: Nanchao, Nan Chao) was a Bai kingdom that flourished in East Asia during the 8th and 9th centuries. It was centered around present-day Yunnan in China. Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Simplified Chinese characters (Simplified Chinese: 简体字; Traditional Chinese: 簡體字; pinyin: jiǎntǐzì; also called 简化字/簡化字, jiǎnhuàzì) are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin (Chinese: 拼音, pÄ«nyÄ«n) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard... Bai (白族; pinyin: bái zú) is one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the Peoples Republic of China. ... Geographic scope of East Asia East Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms. ... (7th century — 8th century — 9th century — other centuries) Events The Iberian peninsula is taken by Arab and Berber Muslims, thus ending the Visigothic rule, and starting almost 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. ... This earthenware dish was made in 9th century Iraq. ... Yunnan (Simplified Chinese: 云南; Traditional Chinese: 雲南; pinyin: ; Vietnamese: Vân Nam) is a province of the Peoples Republic of China, located in the far southwestern corner of the country. ...

Founding and ethnography

Originally, there were several Bai tribes that settled on the fertile land around Erhai lake. Each tribe had its own 'kingdom' known as a 'zhao'. In the year AD 737, with the support of the Tang Dynasty of China, Pileguo united the six zhaos in succession, establishing a new kingdom called Nanzhao. The Nanzhao kingdom maintained close links with the Tang Dynasty ('Nan' is Chinese for south), and it was made up of both Bai and Yi nationalities. Some historians believe that the majority of the population was Bai, but that the elite was Yi. In any case, the capital was established in 738 at Taihe (modern day Taihe village, a few miles south of Dali). Located in the heart of the Erhai valley, the site was ideal: it could be easily defended against attack, and it was in the midst of rich farmland. Erhai Lake is a lake in the Chinese province of Yunnan. ... Events Favila becomes king of Asturias after Pelayos death Births Emperor Kammu of Japan (d. ... Also the name of a rock band. ... The Yi people (Chinese: 彝族 Yìzú, own name: Nosu) are a modern ethnic group in China. ... Events Xukpi suffers a major defeat against Quirigua Saint Boniface visits Rome, and goes on to establish bishopries in Bavaria Births Deaths Categories: 738 ... DALI (Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industry) is a manufacturer of high-end loudspeakers situated in Denmark. ...

Religion

Nanzhao had a strong connection with Buddhism, as evidenced by surviving stone carvings from the period. Some scholars are said to have claimed that Nanzhao's Asarya Buddhism was related to the Tantric Ari Buddhism of Pagan, Myanmar. A replica of an ancient statue of Gautama Buddha, found from Sarnath, near Varanasi Buddhism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. Buddhism gradually spread from India... Tantric can refer to: Tantric yoga, also known as tantra The Louisville, KY hard rock band Tantric This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Ari Buddhism is the name given to the religious practice common in Pagan, Myanmar prior to Anawrahtas rise and the subsequent conversion of Pagan to Theravada Buddhism. ... Pagan (also known as Bagan) was an important ancient kingdom in Myanmar. ...

Expansion

In 750, Nanzhao rebelled against the Tang Dynasty. In retaliation, the Tang sent an army against Nanzhao in 751, but this army was soundly defeated at Xiaguan. (It was in the same year that the Tang suffered another serious defeat at the hands of the Arabs at the Battle of Talas in Central Asia; these defeats weakened the dynasty both internally and externally.) Today the General's Cave (two km west of Xiaguan), and the Tomb of Ten Thousand Soldiers (in Tianbao Park) bear witness to this great massacre. In 754 another army was sent, this time from the north, but it too was defeated. Bolstered by these successes, Nanzhao expanded rapidly, first into Burma, then into the rest of Yunnan, down into northern Laos and Thailand, and finally, north into Sichuan. In 829, Chengdu was taken; it was a great prize, as it enabled Nanzhao to lay claim to the whole of Sichuan province, with its rich paddy fields. This was too much for the Chinese, who lost no time in counter attacking. Events Last Umayyad caliph Marwan II (744-750) overthrown by first Abbasid caliph, Abu al-Abbas al-Saffah Bold textItalic textLink title GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM... Events Pippin the Short is elected as king of the Franks by the Frankish nobility, marking the end of the Merovingian and beginning of the Carolingian dynasty. ... For other uses, see Arab (disambiguation). ... The Battle of Talas in AD 751 was a conflict between the Arab Abbasid Caliphate and the Chinese Tang Dynasty over the control of Central Asia. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Events Pope Stephen III crowns Pepin the short King of the Franks at St. ... Sichuan (Chinese: 四川; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ssu-ch`uan; obsolete romanizations include Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in central-western China with its capital at Chengdu. ... Events Egbert of Wessex conquers Mercia and is recognized as Bretwalda. ... Location within China Chengdu (Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Cheng-tu) is the capital of Sichuan province and a sub-provincial city, located in southwest China, and bordering Tibet. ...

Decline

By 873, Nanzhao had been expelled from Sichuan, and retreated back to Yunnan. Taking Chengdu marked the high point of the Nanzhao kingdom, and it was a watershed: from then on, the Nanzhao Kingdom slowly declined. Events Viking raid of Dorestad. ...

Overthrow

In 902, the Nanzhao dynasty was overthrown, and it was followed by three other dynasties in quick succession, until Duan Siping seized power in 937 to establish the Kingdom of Dali. Events Births Deaths Categories: 902 ... Events Athelstan wins the Battle of Brunanburh September 21 - Magdeburg is now the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, after a Diet held by Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor Births Duke William IV of Aquitaine (d. ... Dali (大理 pinyin: Dàlǐ) was a Bai kingdom centered in what is now Yunnan Province of the Peoples Republic of China. ...

References

• Chan, Maung (March 2005) Theravada Buddhism and Shan/Thai/Dai/Laos Regions.