The Sui Dynasty

Introduction
The Sui Dynasty was amongst China’s shortest ruling dynasties, serving for only thirty-nine years. The dynasty was founded in 580 AD and fell during 619 AD having only three rulers within the period. This dynasty rose many decades after the fall of the Han Dynasty during 220 AD, thus reuniting China once more. The first Emperor, Yang Jian originated the capital city in Chang’An.


Reasons for Take-Over
Sui Wendi, the first emperor of the Sui dynasty took over after the last emperor of the previous dynasty had taken over. However, China at this time was broken up for nearly 400 years because of political unrest. The North and South of China were completely separated and various dynasties and emperors ruled the people of China.
The first step towards the foundation of the short lived Dynasty began when Wendi’s daughter became the Empress Dowager of Northern Northern Zhou Official for Emperor Wu and Xuan. When his son in law, Emperor Xuan died in 580, Wendi as the prime minister of Zhou defeated the Eastern Provinces with an army mutiny and claimed himself Emperor. He mercilessly killed fifty-nine princes of the Zhou Royal Family and forcefully took over the throne. He became known as the “Cultured Emperor”. After that, he got rid of the Anti-Han Policies and was also supported by the Confucius Scholars who had previously powered Han Dynasties.

Leaders
Emperor Wendi or Yang Jian
Wendi ruled the Chinese from 581-604 AD. He was a father of eight children and was married to Empress Dugu Qieluo. Although he had a number of Concubines, the two most well known were Consort Chen and Cai. As a ruler, Yang Jian was known to be a hardworking administrator and an organized manager. Although he supported the spread of Buddhism, the official religion was Confucianism. His reign was seen as the most prosperous and successful since the Han Dynasty.

Emperor Yangdi or Yang Guang
Yang was the second son of Emperor Wendi and reigned from 605-618 AD. His first name was Yang Ying, however was renamed after consulting the oracles to Yang Guang. During his rule, Yangdi commanded a couple of huge projects such as the competition of the Grand Canal and the reconstruction of the Great Wall [taking nearly 6 million lives]. Following that, he committed to military expeditions that expanded the dynasties territories. One of them was to Champa [now Vietnam], and another to Gorguryeo [one of Korea’s three Kingdoms].
Rumors have it that Yang murdered his father after many conflicts for the throne with his elder brother. When the Sui Dynasty was founded and was made the Prince of Jin. He was also in charge of the five armies that invaded the South Chen Dynasty and is said to be widely accomplished in military skills and leadership. However, he found faults with his older brother, which Wendi believed, in order to become the Crown Prince.
Although the Emperor accomplished a great many number of things within a relatively short amount on time, Yandgi was known to be one of the worst rulers and tyrants in all of China’s History. About eight million people died in his conquest to build the Great Wall, Great Canal, palaces, roads, and ships. He was blamed for the Sui Dynasties short rule and spent his last days in Jiangu before being strangled in a coup. Most of the areas ruled lived in poverty and turmoil because of these expensive, life taking projects.

Emperor Gongdi or Yang You
Emperor Yang ruled for a mere one year before the Emperor of the preceding Tang Dynasty forced the throne to be yielded to him. Emperor Gaozu of Tang had already captured the capital Chang’An during the reign of the former Emperor of Sui, Yangdi. However, the military still viewed Gongdi as their Emperor, whilst the military of Li viewed him as theirs. Only when general Yuwen Huaji killed Gongdi did the Sui people begin to believe the throne had been yielded.

Another Ruler Outside China
Prophet Muhammad was born in 570 AD in the trading society of Mecca, which was a great trade city for businessmen, merchants of all races and religions. Muhammad married a rich widow and became the father of Fatima. In 610, Muhammad claimed to be meditating in the desert when God spoke to him, leaving messages about life. His revelations were written after his death, and are now published in the Holy Book of Islam, the Qur’an. Although he was born poor, he became known as the founder of Islam and was claimed to be a poet with a fearless heart.



Accomplishments
The Sui Dynasty’s incredibly short rule was the foundation for further accomplishments for the Tang Dynasty. This preceding dynasty took Chinese civilization and imperial to even further, and greater heights.

Religion and Customs
After nearly four hundred years of disunion of China, the founding of the Sui Dynasty merged the philosophy, customs, literature, language, music and arts of the North and South together. The Southern stressed the rituals and principles of Buddhism, whilst the North took a more intuitive approach. The Emperor relied on Confucian scholars as his government however supported Buddhism greatly because it was widespread in all social classes. He built temples at the five sacred mountains of Chinese religious faith and made sure there were national temples in every locality. Since Wendi was also a disciple of Buddha he followed the footsteps of the Great Indian King Ashoka and built thousands of stupas and pagodas. This impressive state religion gained the attention of even Japanese and Korean rulers.

Science, Technology, Inventions
Progress in the field of Science began when Confucian scholar Liu Zhuo explored his knowledge in Astrology. He used sophisticated and innovative methods to calculate the beginning of the year and created the Huangji Calendar [that was used during the Tang Period]. He did this by calculating the position and routes of the five planets.
Another scientist, Chao Yuanfand wrote a medical encyclopedia called “Origin and Treatment of the Diseases.”
Later, the geographer Pei Ju studied the topographical features and customs of the Western regions. His book Xiyu Tuji was one of the several geographies of Sui China.
Li Chun, a Sui architect designed and constructed the oldest and still existent segment of the stone arch bridge of China, in the Anji Bridge.

Economy
Because of the several centuries of civil war and constant migration before the Sui Dynasty, economic stability for crucially needed [especially in the North]. The poorly kept lands had to be repopulated in order for agriculture production and state income to increase by the tax of grain output. The Sui Administration implemented the Equaland System where land that was not privately owned was confiscated and distributed amongst peasants. Yet, all land was actually owned by the state. This prevented large estates to develop among the rich. This meant that all people in every status were given equal amount of land, which was to be returned to the state upon the death of the owner. State granaries were built over the country to ensure a stable amount of grain at all times.

The Tax system was also not new and was in three parts. There was a] the tax in grain, b] in textiles and other materials and c] military service for 20 days every year [or corvee labor]. Peasants had to be either soldiers or were sent to work for the large Dynasty Projects. The Tax System was however a problem, as every household had to pay the same amount of tax regardless of their stature in society rankings, which became a burden to the poor. Also many of the peasants did not have a household, and found employment as servants, laborers and tenant farmers and therefore, didn’t pay taxes.
New 5-zhu coins were created and a new system of standard measurement of weights was introduced [following the basic standards of the old system].

Arts
Calligraphy, a form of traditional art was slightly unique in the different parts of Sui. The South followed the style of Wang Xizchi and Wand Xianzhi in their cursive manner while the North followed their old tradition of the strict chancery script of the Han and Cao-Wei Periods.
Architecture too, became a form of expressing beautiful buildings and structures. One of the few remaining Sui Period Buildings is the cubic pagoda of Exuding Monastery near Anyang. Pagoda’s with the rich traditional art is still preserved in the Shentong Monastery near Licheng and the Qixia Monastery near Nanjing.
Painting became a tradition pursued during the Sui Period. Some of the best painting and Bodhisattva statues are reserved dating to the Sui Period. Chinese landscape paintings begin in this dynasty with mountains, rivers, and majestic views of the beauty of nature.
Clay Figurines from the Sui Dynasty Period of warriors show the influence of Northern Dynasties with detail. Pottery vessels are covered with translucent of light green glazing unlike the three colored glazing of the Tan Period. The shape of the vessels consists of attached eyes for hanging up vessels and dragon painted handles and decorations.

The Fall of the Dynasty
Like every dynasty in the centuries of rich Chinese History, the Dynastic Cycle had repeated itself time and time again. The start of the fall began with the tragic overspending characteristics of the second Emperor, Yangdi. He earned a bad reputation because of his high standards of living, in the lap of luxury, and being corrupt whilst the poor suffered tremendously. In comparison to other dynasties, the Sui Period was not too successful, being on of the shortest dynasties recorded. It was only a matter of time before rebellions sparked and the country divided once more. After the murder of Emperor Yang, he like the Sui Dynasty was strangled once and forever. It crashed, and never rose.

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