Why the western national boundary during the early period of the Tang Dynasty extended only to Gaochang

摘要

Using the field data in Xuanzang's the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions and the Mark Elvin's theory, this paper seeks to explain why the western national boundary during the early period of the Tang Dynasty extended only to Gaochang and reveals that limited economic resources was the key reason for it. The understanding of these circumstances will be helpful for continuing investigation into how the spread of Buddhism into East Asia enabled China to expand its political influence into Central Asia.