This was like the Ali-Fraser of the 8th century, and the Abbasids won, which ended up defining who had cultural influence where, with the Abbasids dominating to the west of the river and China dominating to the east. The Tang also produced incredible art that was traded all throughout Asia. And many of the more famous sculptures from the Tang Dynasty feature figures who are distinctly not Chinese, which again demonstrates the diversity of the empire. The Tang was also a golden age for Chinese poetry, with notables like Du Fu and Li Bao applying their craft, encouraged by the official government. And the Sung Dynasty, which lasted from 960 to 1258, kicked even more ass, it's not cursing if you're talking about donkeys. By the 11th century, Chinese metalworkers were producing as much iron as Europe would be able to produce in the 18th century. Some of this iron was put to use in new plows, which enabled agriculture to boom, thereby supporting population growth.