[7][1] Founding guitarist Kaiser Kuo briefly returned in May to record some demos with the band, but left again for the United States before sessions formally began in order to complete graduate school.

[1] According to Ding Wu, a significant portion of the songs' melodies were not established until recording was underway,[8] although he later clarified that the band had completed most of the instrumentals before entering the studio.

[10] Magic Stone Records spent the next year launching a massive overseas marketing campaign,[1] securing the band a following in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore.

Kuo justified this approach by pointing out that in addition to being considered the pinnacle of Chinese civilization, Tang-era China - for which the band was named - was decidedly cosmopolitan and open to other cultures and ideas.

Ding Wu's high-pitched vocal delivery, drawing influences from Beijing Opera, can be heard on the song's bridge, which features lyrics drawn from works by poets Du Fu and Fang Gan.

[14] "The Sun" is built around a modal riff heavily reminiscent of Xinjiangnese folk music, augmented by Middle Eastern percussion and ethereal backing vocals, before going into an anthemic half-time chorus.

[16] Scholar Cynthia Wong noted that the band's poetic lyricism juxtaposed with loud, aggressive musicianship was consistent with the ancient Chinese concepts of wén (文; intellect) and wŭ (武; martial ability) respectively, and how "ideal men" were expected to possess a balance of the two.

[4] The characterization of the band members as "warrior-poets"[1] was furthered by the album cover, the accompanying music videos, and Magic Stone's press release emphasizing the "self-confidence of the Chinese".

[23] "A Dream Return to Tang Dynasty" received some minor airplay outside of China, and its accompanying music video was nominated for MTV Asia's International Viewers Choice Awards in 1993.

[24] Indeed, many saw Tang Dynasty's music as a reaction to both the polished, commercial sound of Hong Kong pop (gangtai), and the simple, strophic revolutionary songs pushed by the Communist Party.

"[4] Beijing-based journalist Stephen Schwankert, speaking of the album, observed that "Tang Dynasty produced music that looked and sounded like what Chinese people thought rock should be.

"[19] Although Tang Dynasty was slated for a follow-up release in 1995,[25] internal problems culminating with Zhang's death in a motorcycle accident on May 11 and Liu's subsequent departure the following year put the band on an indefinite hiatus.