damingpalace 2010 - Daming Palace and the Tang Dynasty: National and International Perspectives

Daming Palace was the main royal palace in the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) where Tang emperors lived and dealt with state affairs. The palace was located on high land in Longshou, in the northeast of Chang'an City, namely Xi'an. It encloses 3.5 square kilometres and it is four times the size of the Forbidden City in Beijing. From the reign of Emperor Gaozong, Daming Palace became the political centre of the Tang Dynasty and has been considered to be a masterpiece in the history of Chinese architecture. However, it was destroyed by fire after suffering from three wars in 883, 885 and 896 respectively

Since the 1950s, the archaeological work in the Daming Palace has focused on major sites within the complex. As a result, several halls and pavilions can now be clearly seen. In recent times, the Daming Palace has been an important scenic spot for tourists from home and abroad, disseminating the long history and culture of China. However, it has been recognised for some time that the site offered far more extensive opportunities to develop public understanding of the Tang Dynasty, and also that the site itself deserved more enhanced recognition of its importance and its research and educational potential. As a result there is now a major project in Xi'an to re-present the Daming Palace.

Heritage & Tourism International (a partnership between Oxford Archaeology and TEAM Tourism Consulting) and the University of Oxford is working with the Xi'an Qujiang Daming Palace Heritage Area Protection and Reconstruction Office as part of this project. In addition to advice regarding the re-presentation of the site, we have been advising the Daming Palace National Heritage Park as to how they can stimulate international research interest in the Palace site.

This conference will play an essential role in developing a research agenda for the Daming Palace and the Tang Dynasty by considering its history and archaeology, not just from a national but also from an international perspective. For this purpose, we are gathering experts on the Daming Palace, the Tang Dynasty and the Silk Road to offer a holistic conference where these matters will be presented and discussed.