Road to the peak

The Tang Dynasty is generally considered to be a golden era in China's imperial period, when national strength reached its zenith around the mid-8th century during the reign of Li Longji, Li Shimin's great-grandson.

Scholars throughout Chinese history tended to credit the Zhenguan era as the beginning of a boom that lasted about a century.

"The Tang Dynasty is known for its well-functioning politics, successful economy, flourishing cultures, and the shared development of many ethnic groups within a united nation," Sun Xiaobing, deputy director of Art Exhibitions China, says.

"Li Shimin devoted his life to an epoch-making journey that started a long career," Sun adds. "He led the Tang from the rubble of war to a society that fully displayed its prosperity. … His legacy has been honored and learned from by following generations."

Consequently, as a pivotal node in history, the Zhenguan period needs to be viewed in a wider context, Feng adds.

"The era didn't suddenly appear," she says. "The exhibition also aims to place his time in a bigger picture."

The Tang era was established on the basis of the centuries-long mixing of ethnic groups, from across northern China in particular, and benefited from constant cross-cultural communication thanks to the Silk Road.