New documentary focuses on immigrants during Tang Dynasty

World
Europe

01:16

The establishment of China's National Immigration Administration in March 2018 has seen more foreigners coming to China.

There are now simpler formalities and fewer procedures foreigners need to go through, but this is not what drives them to come to a foreign land to fulfill their ambitions. The biggest draw is still the country's booming economic development and social openness, just as it was in the Tang Dynasty era about 1,400 years ago.

Ruins along the ancient Silk Road /CGTN Photo

While foreigners have been here throughout the whole of Chinese history, the stories of those present during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) are especially fascinating.

The famed Silk Road, which opened in the second century, was exploited more than ever before during the Tang era. It also earned the name Envoy Road due to the Tang Dynasty's close and frequent contacts with the rest of the world.

This openness resulted in China embracing the world. The Tang capital Chang'an, present-day Xi'an, was the largest city in the world at the time, with a regular population of one million and 100,000 foreign visitors.

Tang pottery figure of a woman with curled hair /CGTN Photo

As shown in the documentary, the clay figurines featuring so many foreign as well as Chinese faces are a testimony to the cosmopolitan nature of Tang society. At that time, people from different parts of the world were drawn to that same city, living, studying and even working for the Tang court to realize their dreams.

Chinese Civilization is a documentary series that focuses on the past glories of ancient China.