From the beginning to the end of the Tang Dynasty, whether under the reign of Emperor Taizong or Empress Wu, efforts were made to create a strong central government that weakened opportunities for the interests of wealthy individuals and families and the censors and chiefs of staff reported directly to the emperor/empress. In fact, with the rise of centralization, the demand for civil servants increased, causing the system to move away from only looking for wealthy citizens and, instead, also looking for lower class men to have the opportunity. This necessitated investment in education and created an examination system to provide access to more eligible scholars. Although the military system recruited huge peasant infantry, developed and applied new technologies, and provided cavalry farms, the diversion of academia weakened the development of military control in China. The Tang dynasty used education as a political tool to advise heirs to limit military investments, promote low-level officials over soldiers, and encourage mothers to raise their children in a scholarly manner in order to deprive the military aristocracy of its power, thus truly centralizing the Chinese. government. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned"?Get the original essayFirst, in "Emperor Taizong on Effective Government", the second Tang emperor writes advice on governance for his heir, saying: “A warlike country, however vast and secure it may be, will eventually decline and endanger its population. Although military force cannot be entirely eliminated, he mentions that it should not be used at all times. Instead, Emperor Taizong emphasized the importance of academia: “Nothing is better than literature for spreading morals and guiding customs; nothing better than school to propagate regulations and educate people” (Buckley 91). Because he is writing this for his heir, it is a leadership mentality that Emperor Taizong hopes his successors will inherit and embody generation after generation. While he idealizes no longer giving priority to military expansion, he leaves the possibility for the heir to find the importance of educating the learned citizen to enforce the law, especially since the code of Tang law had just been established at this time and which Taizong insisted would persist into the future. By advocating the construction of study halls and rituals, the reading of books from various schools of thought, and the in-depth study of the six arts, we begin to move away from military might being on the agenda of the emperor and that of future emperors. In Tang society, Emperor Taizong wanted a more intellectual society, and because he wanted centralized government and military progress to then become a foreign affair, it was time to weaken military force by diverting attention from the academic world. Here, education was used as a political tool to advise heirs to no longer have military advancement as a priority at the time of their reign. Second, in "The Examination System", depicting the end of the Tang dynasty during the reign of Empress Wu, we learn that the prestigious exam that an expanded pool of candidates, including the noble class, took in order to be selected for distinguished positions in government. If an individual passed the highest exam, the whole family would gain a hugehonor, which would lead to an increase in the number of candidates aspiring for a seat, including how they lived their lives. Because 400,000 students took the provincial exams, 10,000 students took the highest-level capital exams, and only 500 students were selected for central government jobs, these men "had to spend more time effort and energy to prepare for the exam by studying the classics and practicing literary composition. (Buckley 98)' As demonstrated, this is an incredibly selective review. Regardless, this text encourages those of the lower classes to continue on this path. Xiao Yingshi, an individual who passed the test, turned a blind eye to an old man and a page who needed accommodation, without realizing that the old man is one of China's municipal councilors. Minzhong, who was pressured to turn his back on his friend He Baji in order to gain a seat on the council, decided to save his friendship rather than destroy it out of greed. This, in turn, allowed them to be offered positions because of their loyalty to each other and good dignity. Although Zhan Bi was considered humble compared to his cousin Peng Kan, over time he also managed to pass the exam... “When Zhan Bi passed the exams, Peng Kan fell off his ass . (Buckey 99) » All of these examples demonstrate the ability of the poor to rise as long as they study hard and exemplify good character. As we learned from Emperor Taizong's advice to his heir: "Teach people the military arts when they are free from agriculture." » (Buckley 91). Although it does not directly address education and instead mentions agriculture, a profession that is not necessarily crucial for economic growth - China mainly imports music, instruments, porcelain and pants , we can conclude that the urgency of training one's men for the military is not held to as high a standard as other activities in their lives. Because most of their men were dedicated to preparing for the rigor of the exam, education was used as a political tool to distract the men's lives from military training. Thus, the examination system helped to divert military development. Finally, in "The Mother of Mencius", the Book of Songs often describes Mencius' mother as someone who "knew the right influences for her son" and someone who "understood the way of motherhood" (Buckley 96) . When Mencius left school without a valid explanation, she reprimanded him saying, “The superior person studies to build a reputation and acquire vast knowledge. She added: “If a woman neglects her work or if a man abandons the cultivation of his character, they can end up as mere thieves, or even as slaves! » (Buckley 97). According to the Book of Songs, mothers who prioritized academic studies and pressured their children were considered the ideal standard, insinuating other mothers in the Tang Dynasty to do the same. As for the children, they were given an ultimatum: they might as well be a lowly thief if they didn't strive to become a respectable man. With a more studious education, these children may be better prepared to take the exam to become a scholar later in life and bring honor to their family. To further show these maternal academic values ​​in retrospect to the army, before Mencius and his mother settled near a school, they lived near a cemetery. Growing up, he performed burial rituals and built tombs and mounds as if he were taking on death and all that ».. 91.