Sui Dynasty

Name: Sui Dynasty
ISBN: 9787520522588

Li NanChina Culture and History Press · ChinaSep 2024

3.1

Word count: 219K words
Chapters: 19
ISBN: 9787520522588

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Summary

This book tells the history of China from 581, when Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, founded the Sui dynasty, to 618, when Li Yuan founded the Tang. The Sui dynasty ended the long period of war and division since Wei, Jin, and the Northern and Southern Dynasties and established a unified China. But Yang Jian was a suspicious and cruel ruler who killed meritorious officials, sowing the seeds of great chaos; after Yang Guang killed his father and succeeded to the throne, he sought quick success and was arrogant and extravagant, leading to the dynasty's fall after only two generations.

The Sui dynasty's civil service examination system and the Three Departments and Six Ministries system had a profound influence on later ages; the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, which connected north-south water transport, is one of the three great engineering projects of ancient China and remains in use today.

Editor's review

This book restores the Sui dynasty to its rightful historical place: not a prelude to the Tang, but a short-lived yet far-reaching unified dynasty. The author focuses on the characters and decisions of the two rulers, Emperor Wen Yang Jian and Emperor Yang Yang Guang, presenting the internal logic of a dynasty's decline from prosperity—Yang Jian's suspicion and killings planted hidden dangers, while Yang Guang's pursuit of quick success and extravagance accelerated collapse. The book's treatment of institutions and projects such as the civil service examination system, the Three Departments and Six Ministries system, and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal helps readers understand why the Sui fell after two generations yet long "lived on" institutionally in subsequent dynasties. The narrative balances the political main line with institutional threads, is moderate in length, and is suitable as an introduction to the Sui dynasty and for building a basic framework of the Sui before reading Sui-Tang history as a whole. While reading, note the author's judgments on character and institutional gains and losses; reading with the question "why was unification so brief?" will yield more focused results.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Beginning history readers who want a quick understanding of the rise and fall of the Sui dynasty.
Students interested in the origins of institutions such as the civil service examination system and the Three Departments and Six Ministries system.
Readers preparing to read Sui-Tang history as a whole who need to first build a framework of the Sui.
Ordinary readers who enjoy analyzing dynastic rise and fall through character and decision-making.

Not a good fit for

Professional researchers hoping for extensive textual criticism of primary sources.
Readers who prefer a light, playful style and do not want to read about political institutions.
Readers seeking a comprehensive Sui-Tang history covering both dynasties in one book.

Reading tips

Read the sections on Emperor Wen and Emperor Yang first, grasping the differences in the two rulers' decisions.
When reading about the civil service examination system and the Three Departments and Six Ministries system, note their influence on later ages.
After finishing, use one page to map out the causal chain of "why the Sui fell after two generations."
Can be read alongside biographies of figures from the Sui-Tang transition or general history chapters.

About the publisher

China Culture and History Press China · Founded in 1980

China Culture and History Press has long devoted itself to modern and contemporary literature and culture-and-history reading matter, with publishing directions centered on classic works, social novels, prose and miscellaneous writings, and Eastern philosophy, alongside culture-and-history periodicals such as Zongheng. Among the more than 1,500 titles in the collection, representative books include Zhang Henshui's Ti Xiao Yin Yuan, Lu Xun's Complete Classic Works (10 volumes) and Wild Grass, and Lao She's Four Generations Under One Roof series and the boxed set of Lao She's Classic Works (10 volumes), while its author resources are concentrated on figures such as Zhang Henshui, Lu Xun, Lao She and Sima Qian. Its publishing character lies in solid editorial work on culture-and-history source texts and in issuing famous authors' works in sets, balancing the readability of individual texts with the systematic presentation of complete collections for focused reading and collecting. Beyond these directions, public information on the press's contemporary original publishing is limited, so it is not elaborated here.

版权信息
前言
第一编隋室风云
第一章天下一统
第二章文帝杨坚
第三章炀帝杨广
第四章末世三帝
第五章后宫秘闻
第二编风云人物
第一章功臣名将
第二章当世名臣
第三章乱世枭雄
第四章科技精英
第五章文化名人
第六章民族首领
第三编隋朝史话
第一章社会发展
第二章民族外交
第三章两都风流

FAQ

Is this book suitable for someone who has never read Sui history?

Yes. This book follows the main line from the founding to the fall of the Sui, unfolding by time and figures, and does not require specialized background. As long as you have a basic interest in the key figures and events of the Sui, you can follow the narrative to build an overall impression. If you want to delve into institutional details, you can consult relevant specialized materials afterward.

Is the book's evaluation of Emperor Yang of Sui purely negative?

Judging from the materials, this book emphasizes that Yang Guang's pursuit of quick success and extravagance led to the fall after two generations, while also noting the far-reaching influence of the civil service examination system, the Three Departments and Six Ministries system, and the Grand Canal on later ages. Readers can note how the author, while criticizing his misrule, presents the long-term value of Sui institutions and projects, forming a more three-dimensional judgment.

Do I need to understand the Northern and Southern Dynasties before reading this book?

You do not need to have systematically read the Northern and Southern Dynasties first, but knowing that the Sui ended long division and reunified China will make it easier to understand the historical significance of the book's opening. If you are unfamiliar with the Northern and Southern Dynasties background, you can briefly learn about the divided landscape of Wei, Jin, and the Northern and Southern Dynasties before entering the main line of Sui unification and institutional construction.

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About the author

Li Nan Author · Chinese

Li Nan graduated from the Department of Chinese at Anhui Normal University in 1998 and has long worked in book editing, planning, and writing. He has taken part in compiling large reference series such as the Encyclopedia of Chinese History, the Encyclopedia of World History, and the Encyclopedia of Chinese Calligraphy, and is the author of popular works including A Complete Guide to the Poetry of Dream of the Red Chamber, A Complete Guide to the Classic of Filial Piety, and the "Dynastic Storms" series, amounting to over a hundred titles spanning history, literature, economics, management, and social sciences. The library holds 78 of his works, covering categories from history and culture to military affairs, finance, politics, and medicine. These range from traditional文史 compilations such as Pre-Qin History (classical-modern bilingual edition) and Zengguang Xianwen to discussions of contemporary issues like The Global Layout of Made in China, as well as specialized works such as War Stories 032 and Research and Application of Aconite. His writing emphasizes clear organization of knowledge and readability for general readers; the breadth and volume of his output make his books accessible introductions to their respective fields. Due to limited public information, details such as his birth and death years remain unknown.