WHI-Chap15-Sui Yangdi

Sui Yangdi was the second emperor of the Sui Dynasty, and reigned from 604-618 CE. His major accomplishment as emperor was completing the Grand Canal. "Sui Yangdi's investment in the Grand Canal paid dividends for more than a thousand years. It integrated the economies of northern and southern China (Traditions and Encounters, 377). Because Sui Yangdi's construction projects demanded high taxes and forced labor on the Sui people, they were discontent with his rule. When Korean troops started to push back the Sui army, the discontent people revolted angainst Sui Yangdi. In 618 a "disgruntled" official assassinated the emperor and the Sui dynasty fell. Sui Yangdi was important because he was the last emperor of the Sui dynasty and completed construction on the Grand Canal.

How did the Sui dynasty reunify China? Why was the dynasty so short lived?
     See this question for more information on the Sui Dynasty.

--Brett Gutstein 13:13, 8 May 2010 (CDT)Return to WHI-Second Semester

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