Sui Dynasty (original) (raw)

This article is part of the History of China series.
Shang Dynasty
Zhou Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
Han Dynasty
Three Kingdoms
Jin Dynasty
Southern and Northern Dynasties
Sui Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
Song Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
History of the Republic of China
History of the PRC (1949-1976)
History of the PRC (1976-present)
Timeline of Chinese History

The Sui Dynasty (隋朝 581-618) followed the Southern and Northern Dynasties and preceded the Tang Dynasty in China. It ended nearly four centuries of rule by warlords.

The Sui Dynasty has often been compared to the earlier Qin Dynasty in tenure and the ruthlessness of its accomplishments. The Sui dynasty's early demise was attributed to the government's tyrannical demands on the people, who bore the crushing burden of taxes and compulsory labor. These resources were overstrained in the completion of the Grand Canal--a monumental engineering feat-- and in the undertaking of other construction projects, including the reconstruction of the Great Wall. Weakened by costly and disastrous military campaigns against Korea in the early seventh century, the dynasty disintegrated through a combination of popular revolts, disloyalty, and assassination.

Rulers of Sui Dynasty

Posthumous Names ( Shi Hao 諡號 ) Born Names Period of Reigns Era Names (Nian Hao 年號) and their according range of years
Convention: "Sui" + posthumous name
Wen Di (文帝 wen2 di4) Yang Jian (楊堅 yang2 jian1) 581-604 Kaihuang (開皇 kai1 huang2) 581-600 Renshou (仁壽 ren2 shou4) 601-604
Yang Di (煬帝 yang2 di4) Yang Guang (楊廣 yang2 guang3) 605-617 Daye (大業 da4 ye4) 605-617
Gong Di (恭帝 gong1 di4) Yang You (楊侑 yang2 you4) 617-618 Yining (義寧 yi4 ning2) 617-618