© 2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
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Taiwan a province of China. In 1954 Chiang and the U.S. signed a mutual defense treaty, and Taiwan received U.S. support for almost three decades, develop¬ ing its economy in spectacular fashion. It was recognized as the representative of China in the UN until 1971, when it was replaced there by the People’s Republic. Martial law in Taiwan, in effect since 1949, was lifted in 1987, and travel restrictions with main¬ land China were removed in 1988. In 1989 opposition parties were legal¬ ized. The relationship with the mainland grew increasingly close in the 1990s, but it again became strained over the future status of Taiwan after Chen Shui-bian (Ch’en Shui-pian) was elected president in 2000.
Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait Arm of the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Lying between the coast of China’s Fujian province and the island of Taiwan, it is about 100 mi (160 km) wide. The strait connects the South China Sea and East China Sea.
Taiyuan Vti-'ywanX or T'ai-yiian City (pop., 1999 est.: 1,768,530), capital of Shanxi province, China, lying on the Fen River. Known since the time of the Zhou dynasty, it was a strategic centre and administrative capi¬ tal in the time of the Mongols (12th-14th century). It was the scene of a massacre in 1900 of foreign missionaries during the Boxer Rebellion and was one of the first areas to oppose the emperor in 1911. Invaded by the Japanese in 1937, it was again besieged by communist forces in 1948- 49. One of the greatest industrial cities in China, it produces cement, iron and steel, and coal. It also is an education and research centre. There are notable cave temples from the Tang and Yuan eras in the area.
Taizong <?/T'ai-tsung Vtl-'dziu -\orig. Li Shimin (b. 598, China—d. 649, China) Second emperor of China’s Tang dynasty. In his father’s campaign against the Sui dynasty, Li Shimin was responsible for the con¬ quest of Luoyang, the eastern capital. There he built up a regional admin¬ istration and an entourage of talented officials. His brothers are said to have plotted to kill him; he did away with them instead, and his father soon abdicated in his favour. He restored normal civil administration to local government and created a unified civil service. He further devel¬ oped the state schools created by his father and launched the editing of the Confucian Classics. On the frontiers, he fought eastern and western Turks and began to establish sovereignty over the oasis kingdoms of Xin¬ jiang. An invasion of the Korean Koguryo kingdom failed, but he won great prestige for the Tang and came to be widely revered.
Taizu orT'ai-tsu Vtl-'dzu\ (b. 927, Luoyang, China—d. Nov. 14, 976, Kaifeng) First emperor of the Song dynasty, who began the unification of China, which his brother would complete. Initially a general for the founder of the Later Zhou dynasty (951-960), he was induced by his
troops to take over when the dynasty was left in the hands of a child suc¬ cessor. An upright man, Taizu forgave minor faults while holding his offi¬ cials accountable in important matters. He had his ministers submit rough drafts of papers for his review, and he frequently traveled about incog¬ nito to observe conditions among his people. He reformed the Chinese examination system to prevent favouritism and began to award larger num¬ bers of degrees. He gradually moved the administration of the prefectures from the military to civil officials. At his death, a solid foundation had been laid for the future development of the dynasty.
Taj Mahal Vtazh-mo-'halX Mausoleum complex on the southern bank of the Yamuna River, outside Agra, India. It was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631. The Taj complex, begun c. 1632, took 22 years to complete. At its centre lies a square garden area bounded by two smaller, oblong sections, one comprising the mausoleum and the other an entrance gateway. The mau¬ soleum, of pure-white marble inlaid with semiprecious stones, is flanked by two red sandstone buildings, a mosque on one side and an identical building for aesthetic balance on the other. It stands on a high marble plinth with a minaret at each corner. It has four identical facades, each with a massive central arch 108 ft (33 m) high, and is surmounted by a bulbous double dome and four domed kiosks. Its interior, with fine, restrained stone decoration, centres on an octagonal chamber containing the marble tombs, enclosed by a perforated marble screen, with sar¬ cophagi below. Regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful buildings, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. Steps have been taken since the late 1990s to reduce air pollution that has damaged the facade of the building.
Tajikistan \ta-ji-ki-'stan\ officially Republic of Tajikistan Country, Central Asia. Area: 55,300 sq mi (143,100 sq km). Population (2005 est.): 6,849,000. Capitaclass="underline" Dushanbe. The majority of the population are Tajiks;
Uzbeks make up a large minority. Lan¬ guage: Tajik (official). Religion: Islam (predominantly Sunni). Currency: somoni. Tajikistan is a mountainous country; about half of its territory lies at elevations above 10,000 ft (3,000 m), with the Pamirs dominating the east. The entire region is prone to seismic activity. The Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers cross it and are used for irrigation. Cotton, cattle, fruits, vegetables, and grains are raised. Heavy industries include coal mining, petroleum and natural gas extraction, metalworking, and nitrogen fertilizer production. Notable light industries are cotton milling, food processing, and textiles. Tajikistan is a republic with two legislative houses; the chief of state is the president, and the head of government is the prime minister. Settled by Persians c. the 6th century bc, Tajikistan was part of the empires of the Persian Achaemenian
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1866 I Tajumulco Volcano ► Tallapoosa River
dynasty and of Alexander the Great and his successors. In the 7th-8th cen¬ tury ad it was conquered by the Arabs, who introduced Islam. The Uzbeks controlled the region in the 15th—18th centuries. In the 1860s the Russian Empire took over much of Tajikistan. In 1924 it became an autonomous republic under the administration of the Uzbek S.S.R., and it gained union republic status in 1929. It achieved independence with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Civil war raged through much of the 1990s between government forces and an opposition composed mostly of Islamic mili¬ tants. A peace agreement was reached in 1997.