Section 3 Prosperity of Post in the Tang Dynasty

Post and communications, by waterway or land, were quite developed in the Tang. There were 16 main lines of communication from the capital to all areas, which covered the whole country along the roads.

The post in the Tang was fully equipped, magnificently decorated. "Baocheng Post" located at the entrance of the road from Chang An to St Chuan, was named as "No.1 in the world", which was magnificent and grand. There was pond outside the hall, for touring and fishing, other large posts were also grand with beautiful environment-trees, inns beside the post. Building, pavilion, corridor were the ideal places for poets creating poetry, "Famous poetry being seen along the road" described such a scene. Poet Yuan Zhen and Bat Juyi were officials at different places. They exchanged their new creations by post delivery and by inscriptions on walls. "Whenever arriving at a post, I'd seek yours poetry around the walls and pavilion" was a vivid description. Poetry inscription in post was popular in the Tang and was carried on by the following generations. Post became an important place for poetry propagation.

Transportation outward in the Tang was rather advanced. It was recorded in detail that China Post road could reach Korea, Xi Yu, India and Bagada, crowded with envoys and couriers. Transposition on seas in the Tang was also advanced, which could reach Nan Yang, India, Iran and Arab in south, and Korea, Japan in North. Some foreign merchants came to China for trading by Chinese ships. In Sui-Tang period, there was intimate culture exchange between China and Japan. Japan sent its envoys for 19 times with time span as long as 164 years. It was recorded in Japan Culture History that in Emperor Xiao De Period, all regulations, calculation, astronomy and geography originated from the Tang. Japan post was also under the command of the Military Department.