Dunhuang (Two-Volume Set)

After the An Lushan Rebellion, the Tang Empire fell apart, and its power waned. Taking advantage of its weakness, the Tibetans occupied vast territories including the Western Regions, Hexi, and Longyou. The Silk Road, which had flourished for centuries, was cut off and faded into history. The Tang Dynasty wanted to reclaim its lost lands, but lacked the strength to do so, leaving the Hehuang region as a festering wound in the empire's heart. After Hexi fell to Tibet, Dunhuang became a settlement for Han Chinese. Though the Han had been cut off for a century and the Western Rong had declined, the customs and culture of its people remained much like those of the interior. The people still considered themselves subjects of the Tang and hoped to one day return to its rule. And so, a great storm of resistance against tyranny was brewing on the western horizon, quietly awaiting the right moment to break...