One corner of China’s internet is insisting that the Tang Dynasty never existed
A CNN report on a fringe Chinese internet meme claiming the Tang dynasty “never existed” prompts comparisons to Western conspiracy theories like flat Earth and “phantom time.” Commenters note that the claim runs directly against abundant historical and archaeological evidence and likely began as satire or a low-stakes way for youth to mock official narratives, but it also intersects with sensitive issues of Han nationalism and CCP-backed versions of history. The exchange broadens into worries about historical denialism, the erosion of trust in experts, and how social media amplifies both ironic and sincere misinformation worldwide.
Nature of the “Tang Never Existed” Claim
- Many see it as a meme-level hoax, comparable to “birds aren’t real,” flat earth, “Belgium/Bielefeld doesn’t exist,” etc.
- Some argue CNN and state-linked Chinese outlets are overplaying a fringe joke, bordering on exoticizing a normal online phenomenon.
- Others note that, as with QAnon, what starts as trolling can attract a small group of genuine believers and a larger group of the unsure.
Historical and Political Context in China
- Several comments link the hoax to rising Han nationalism and disputes over which dynasties are “legitimate” (Tang, Ming) vs “foreign” (Qing).
- Criticism of Qing ties into modern issues: territorial claims (Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Taiwan) and ethnic unity narratives.
- Some see the Tang hoax partly as satire of Western-themed “pseudohistory” that downplays Chinese civilization, and partly as a safe way to mock authorities and “experts.”
Evidence and Broader Historiography
- Commenters list extensive evidence for the Tang: archaeological sites, contemporaneous Chinese histories, and independent foreign records (Japanese missions, Abbasid interactions).
- By contrast, debates over the existence or exact identity of much older Xia and Shang dynasties are described as serious scholarly issues.
- There is criticism of Wikipedia phrasing that emphasizes Han ancestry for Tang founders, seen as politically motivated ethnic reframing.
Parallels with Other Conspiracies and Revisionism
- Thread frequently compares this to: phantom time, Fomenko’s new chronology, Tartarian Empire, Helen Keller skepticism, nuclear-weapons denial, anti-vaccine movements, 2020 US election denial, and textbook battles in Texas over slavery and race.
- Some argue small “pockets of divergent belief” can stress-test expert knowledge; others say systematic confusion is a tool of propaganda and corrosive to democracy.
Media, Censorship, and Critical Thinking
- One line of discussion: even heavy-handed Chinese internet controls cannot fully suppress fringe narratives.
- Another line criticizes Western media for framing this mainly as “China bad,” while others note Chinese state media themselves amplified the issue.
- Multiple comments emphasize using such hoaxes as teaching tools for critical thinking, especially for children in a social-media-dominated information environment.