Sui Dynasty
Years of Rule: 581-618 CE (37 years)
The Sui Dynasty was shorter than most Chinese dynasties, as it only lasted for 37 years. The Sui Dynasty was founded when the last emperor of the Zhou dynasty died unexpectedly and Yang Jian (who would soon become Emperor Wendi) seized the throne and assumed the title of emperor. Although the Sui Dynasty only ruled for 37 years, more was accomplished in those years then was in other dynasties. Alas, the Sui Dynasty ended after an uprising that resulted in the Sui Court being captured and Emperor Yang being strangled.
The Grand Canal: One of the major accomplishments of the Sui Dynasty was constructing the Grand Canal. The Grand Canal is a manmade waterway that connects major rivers in China to make transportation easier. Emperor Yandi of the Sui Dynasty ordered for it to be built so that goods could be transported to the capital of Luoyang and to feed the armies of the Sui Dynasty. Many of the hard manual laborers died while building the canal and this fact eventually contributed to the fall of the Sui Dynasty. |
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