China: A Brief History of the Sui Dynasty
Yang Guang (left in black) depicted as Emperor of Sui The Sui Dynasty was a short lived dynasty that lasted only 37 years (581-618). It was ruled by two different emperors: Emperor Yang Jian who ruled from 581-604, and Emperor Yang Guang who ruled from 605 to the end of the dynasty. Despite good intentions, the Sui Dynasty would fall due to the Emperor's overambitious projects and reforms, which would lead to revolts from the overworked people. Yang Jian Unites North and South China Following a chaotic period of roughly 3 centuries in which the Northern and the Southern Dynasties were constantly at war, Yang Jian, a nobleman who was the prime minister under the previous emperor, united the political and military powers and through his defeats of the other dynasties was able to finally unite both north and south China. Although he established the Sui Dynasty in 581 A. D., it wasn’t until the defeat of the Chen Dynasty in 589 that the ...