Sui unification (581 to 618)
Yang Jian, a general of Northern Zhou, took the throne in 581 and called his dynasty Sui (Emperor Wen). In 589 his army beat the last southern dynasty, Chen. North and south were one again after about 270 years.
- He set up a simple government and fair taxes, and began choosing officers by test (see the next lesson).
- His son Emperor Yang built the Grand Canal (605 to 610), joining the Yellow and Yangtze river lands. Rice from the south could now be shipped north.
- But he also built palaces, rebuilt the capital and sent huge armies against Goguryeo (a kingdom in the north-east, in modern Korea). Millions were forced to work or fight.
Farmers rebelled, officers turned against him, and in 618 he was killed. Sui lasted only 37 years, but it created the ground for Tang.
Tang prosperity (618 to 755)
Li Yuan (Emperor Gaozu) founded Tang in 618. His son Taizong (626 to 649) is remembered as a wise ruler: he listened to advice, lowered taxes and kept peace in the "Zhenguan" years.
- Wu Zetian (ruled 690 to 705) is the only woman who ruled China as emperor. She expanded the exams so that talented men from simple families could be officers.
- Xuanzong (712 to 756): the "Kaiyuan" era was the peak. Farms, trade, art and poetry flourished.
Chang’an was a planned grid city of about a million people, with markets, temples, and traders from Central Asia, Persia and India. The Silk Road was busy again. Buddhism was strong; monks such as Xuanzang travelled to India for books. Poets Li Bai and Du Fu wrote poems still read today. Porcelain, silk, and printing began to improve.
Tang lands stretched far into Central Asia, and Korea, Japan and others copied Tang law, writing and city plans.
Decline and the Five Dynasties (755 to 960)
An Lushan, a border general, rose against the court in 755. The war lasted until 763 and killed or displaced millions. Tang survived, but:
- The court gave military governors (jiedushi) wide power to defend regions. Many collected their own taxes and passed power to their sons.
- Less tax reached the capital, so the army and court grew weak (the two-tax reform of 780 helped for a while).
- Palace officials and quarrels at court made things worse.
- The Huang Chao revolt (875 to 884) swept across the land. In 907 a general ended Tang.
Then came the Five Dynasties (907 to 960): five short dynasties in the north, each started by a general, and Ten Kingdoms in the south and west. In 960 Zhao Kuangyin, a general, started the Song dynasty and slowly joined the land again.
Key formulas and definitions
- Sui: 581 to 618 (37 years). Tang: 618 to 907 (289 years)
- 589: Sui joins north and south; 605 to 610: Grand Canal
- Taizong 626 to 649; Wu Zetian 690 to 705; Xuanzong 712 to 756
- 755 to 763: An Lushan revolt; 875 to 884: Huang Chao revolt
- 907 to 960: Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (53 years)
- 960: Song founded by Zhao Kuangyin
Worked examples
1. How many years did Sui and Tang last? (Sui 581 to 618, Tang 618 to 907)
Sui: 618 − 581 = 37 years. Tang: 907 − 618 = 289 years. Tang lasted about 8 times longer.
2. Why was the Grand Canal useful?
The south grew most of the rice but the capital and armies were in the north. Boats on the canal moved grain cheaply, so the north was fed and the empire stayed joined.
3. Why did military governors become so strong after 755?
The court gave them armies and power over regions to fight rebels. They kept local tax and soldiers, and passed posts to sons. The court could not remove them, so they acted like local kings.
4. Compare the reasons why Sui and Tang each ended.
Sui fell fast because heavy work and wars drove farmers to revolt. Tang fell slowly because military governors weakened the court and later revolts finished it off. Both ended with a general taking power.
Common mistakes
- Mixing Sui (581 to 618) with Song (960). Sui is before Tang; Song comes after Tang.
- Thinking Tang fell only because of one revolt. It was many causes over 150 years.
- Thinking Five Dynasties means five rulers. It means five short dynasties, each with several rulers.
- Thinking Wu Zetian was the only woman in power. She is the only woman to rule as emperor in her own name; others ruled as regents.