The extant writings of the late Tang chief minister Li Deyu form the basis for Michael Drompp’s reconstruction of the Tang dynasty’s response to a threatening event, viz. the collapse of the Uighur steppe empire in 840 C.E., and the subsequent fleeing of large numbers of Uighur refugees to China’s northern frontier.
Through a translation of seventy relevant documents the author analyzes the rhetoric of the crisis, as well as its aftermath. The extant writings of Li Deyu uniquely allow an in-depth look into Chinese-Inner Asian relations, very unusual for such an early period. This volume permits us a close look at the workings of the late Tang government, particularly in terms of policy formation and implementation, as well as the rhetoric surrounding such activities.