THE PHENOMENON OF REJECTING THE “BARBARIANS”  IN THE LATE TANG DYNASTY

Synin Chzhan

doi:10.36906/2311-4444/26-3/05

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THE PHENOMENON OF REJECTING THE “BARBARIANS” IN THE LATE TANG DYNASTY

Published in Bulletin of Nizhnevartovsk State University · Issue 3, 2026 · Pages 64–72 · Rubric: General History

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36906/2311-4444/26-3/05

Received: 13.08.2026 Accepted: 10.09.2026 Published: 25.09.2026

Authors

Synin Chzhan

ORCID Scholar

Synin Chzhan

Belarusian State University Belarus · Minsk

ORCID Scholar

ABSTRACT

In the early Tang period, the barbarian (hu, 胡) peoples were widely involved in the political, military and economic life of the country, and the integration of hu and Han cultures became a social norm. These foreign communities, maintaining their distinct religious traditions enjoyed a certain degree of autonomy and privileges in China, permitted at the governmental level. However, after the An Lushan Rebellion (755–763), the image of the hu sharply deteriorated, anti-hu sentiments gradually gained momentum, and eventually evolved into a deep and long-lasting phenomenon of ethnic exclusion and discrimination. This article is devoted to the study of the phenomenon of "rejection of the hu" (pai hu, 排胡) in the late Tang period. The paper systematically examines its social origins, main manifestations and historical consequences. The author shows that the rejection of the hu was expressed not only in popular hostility and in vigilante violence against the hu, but also in targeted political repression, institutional restrictions, as well as in cultural denigration and stigmatisation of the hu peoples. Based on a comprehensive analysis of official histories, private notes, poetic works and epigraphic monuments, it is concluded that the phenomenon of rejection of the hu was the result of the intertwining of interethnic contradictions and social crisis in the Tang era. It reflected the intensification and transformation of the traditional concept of “distinguishing between Chinese and barbarians” (hua yi zhi bian) under specific historical conditions. This phenomenon not only had a profound impact on the political situation and interethnic relations in the late Tang period, but also serves as a telling example for understanding the limits and difficulties faced by ancient Chinese dynasties in regulating ethnic issues.

KEYWORDS

Tang dynasty, An Lushan rebellion, hu (barbarians), pai hu (rejection of foreigners), hua-yi zhi bian, ethnic discrimination, xenophobia, dynastic histories, Imperial China

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Chzhan S. THE PHENOMENON OF REJECTING THE “BARBARIANS” IN THE LATE TANG DYNASTY // Bulletin of Nizhnevartovsk State University. 2026. no. 3. pp. 64-72. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36906/2311-4444/26-3/05. (Date of access 19.10.2026).

MLA

Synin Chzhan. "THE PHENOMENON OF REJECTING THE “BARBARIANS” IN THE LATE TANG DYNASTY." Bulletin of Nizhnevartovsk State University.3 (2026): 64-72. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36906/2311-4444/26-3/05.

APA

Chzhan S. (2026). THE PHENOMENON OF REJECTING THE “BARBARIANS” IN THE LATE TANG DYNASTY. Bulletin of Nizhnevartovsk State University(3), 64-72. https://doi.org/10.36906/2311-4444/26-3/05

Chicago

Synin Chzhan. "THE PHENOMENON OF REJECTING THE “BARBARIANS” IN THE LATE TANG DYNASTY." Bulletin of Nizhnevartovsk State University, no. 3 (2026): 64-72. https://doi.org/10.36906/2311-4444/26-3/05.

WIKI

{{cite journal | author = Chzhan S. | title = THE PHENOMENON OF REJECTING THE “BARBARIANS” IN THE LATE TANG DYNASTY | journal = Bulletin of Nizhnevartovsk State University | year = 2026 | issue = 3 | pages = 64-72 | doi = 10.36906/2311-4444/26-3/05 }}

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