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Sui

581–618
Sui dynasty c.609
Sui dynasty c.609
Administrative division of the Sui dynasty circa 610 AD
Administrative division of the Sui dynasty circa 610 AD
Capital Daxing (581–605), Luoyang (605–618)
Common languages Middle Chinese
Religion
Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Chinese folk religion, Zoroastrianism
Government Monarchy
Emperor  
• 581–604
Emperor Wen
• 604–617
Emperor Yang
Historical era Postclassical Era
• Ascension of Yang Jian
4 March 581
• Abolished by Li Yuan
23 May 618
Area
589 est. 3,000,000 km2 (1,200,000 sq mi)
Population
• 609
est. 46,019,956
Currency Chinese coin, Chinese cash
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Northern Zhou dynasty
Chen dynasty
Tang dynasty
Today part of China
Vietnam
Sui dynasty
Sui dynasty (Chinese characters).svg
"Sui dynasty" in Chinese characters
Chinese 隋朝
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin Suí cháo
Gwoyeu Romatzyh Swei chaur
Wade–Giles Sui2 ch'ao2
Wu
Romanization Zoe zau
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization Chèuih chìuh
Jyutping Ceoi4 ciu4
Southern Min
Tâi-lô Suî-tiâo
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese ziuᴇ ʈˠiᴇu
History of China
History of China
ANCIENT
Neolithic c. 8500 – c. 2070 BC
Xia dynasty c. 2070 – c. 1600 BC
Shang dynasty c. 1600 – c. 1046 BC
Zhou dynasty c. 1046 – 256 BC
 Western Zhou
 Eastern Zhou
   Spring and Autumn
   Warring States
IMPERIAL
Qin dynasty 221–206 BC
Han dynasty 206 BC – 220 AD
  Western Han
  Xin dynasty
  Eastern Han
Three Kingdoms 220–280
  Wei, Shu and Wu
Jin dynasty 265–420
  Western Jin
  Eastern Jin Sixteen Kingdoms
Southern and Northern Dynasties
420–589
Sui dynasty 581–618
Tang dynasty 618–907
  (Wu Zhou interregnum 690–705)
Five Dynasties and
Ten Kingdoms

907–960
Liao dynasty
907–1125
Song dynasty
960–1279
  Northern Song W. Xia
  Southern Song Jin
Yuan dynasty 1271–1368
Ming dynasty 1368–1644
Qing dynasty 1644–1911
MODERN
Republic of China 1912–1949
People's Republic
of China

1949–present
Republic of
China on Taiwan

1949–present
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The Sui dynasty (Chinese: 隋朝; pinyin: Suí cháo) was a short but very important imperial dynasty in Chinese history. It lasted from 581 to 618 AD. This dynasty brought China back together after a long time of being split into many smaller kingdoms. It also helped bring back Chinese culture and rule to the whole country. The Sui dynasty set the stage for the famous Tang dynasty that came after it.

Founding the Sui Dynasty

The Sui dynasty was started by Emperor Wen of Sui, whose real name was Yang Jian. He became emperor in 581 AD. The first capital city was Chang'an, which was renamed Daxing. Later, the capital moved to Luoyang in 605 AD.

Important Leaders and Their Changes

Two main emperors ruled during the Sui dynasty: Emperor Wen and Emperor Yang. They made many big changes to how China was run.

  • Fair Land System: They introduced the equal-field system. This system aimed to give land to farmers more fairly. It helped reduce differences in wealth and made farming better.
  • New Government System: They set up the Three Departments and Six Ministries system. This was a new way to organize the government. It made the government more efficient and powerful.
  • Standard Money: They made sure that all the money used across the empire was the same. This helped with trade and made the economy stronger.
  • Buddhism: The emperors also encouraged Buddhism to spread throughout the empire.

By the middle of the Sui dynasty, China was doing very well. There was plenty of food, and the population grew quickly.

Amazing Building Projects

The Sui dynasty is famous for its huge building projects. These projects changed China forever.

The Grand Canal

One of the most important projects was the Grand Canal. This massive waterway connected different parts of China.

  • Connecting Cities: It linked the capital cities of Chang'an and Luoyang to important farming areas in the east. It also reached the northern border near modern Beijing.
  • Reasons for Building: The canal was first built to move food to the capital. It also helped transport soldiers and military supplies.
  • Long-Term Benefits: Over time, the Grand Canal made it easier to trade goods within China. It also helped people travel and share ideas for hundreds of years.

Other Big Projects

Besides the Grand Canal, the Sui emperors also extended the Great Wall. They also built the new eastern capital city of Luoyang. These huge projects needed millions of workers. Many people were forced to work on them, and it was very hard labor.

Why the Sui Dynasty Ended

The Sui dynasty lasted only 37 years. It ended because of several big problems.

Costly Wars

Emperor Yang started many expensive and unsuccessful wars. The most damaging were the wars against Goguryeo, a kingdom in Korea. These wars were very costly and ended in defeat by 614 AD.

Heavy Taxes and Revolts

The huge building projects and wars cost a lot of money. The emperors made people pay very high taxes and forced them to work on these projects. This made many people angry. Widespread revolts started across the empire.

The End of the Dynasty

Finally, in 618 AD, Emperor Yang was killed by his own ministers. After his death, there was a short civil war. This led to the end of the Sui dynasty and the start of the Tang dynasty.

Sui Dynasty's Lasting Impact

Even though it was short, the Sui dynasty was very important. It is often compared to the earlier Qin dynasty. Both dynasties unified China after long periods of division. The Sui dynasty's reforms and building projects had a lasting impact. They helped create a strong foundation for the powerful Tang dynasty that followed.

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Dinastía Sui para niños

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