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The Sui Dynasty was able to unite China after a long period of division.
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From 581 to 604AD Emperor Wen ruled the Sui Dynasty.
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In 581 Emperor Wen (then only a member of the ruling Northern Zhou clan), had approximately 60 relatives killed, establishing him as the emperor. He expanded his army until he had the manpower to expand his control.
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Emperor Wen is believed to have sent half a million troops across the Yangtze River in 588, and he conquered the Chen Empire in 589.
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Emperor Wen believed in Buddhism and did his best to spread the philosophy throughout his kingdom during his reign.
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For several hundred years after Emperor Wen's rule Mahayana Buddhism was popular in many kingdoms.
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Emperor Wen oversaw two major construction projects including the Grand Canal and reinforcing and rebuilding the Great Wall.
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The conditions under which labourers had to work when building the Grand Canal are believed to have resulted in the deaths of half the workers.
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Emperor Wen sent his army to fight wars and create a larger empire but he lost a lot of his soldiers when they contracted tropical diseases in the south and died.
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Emperor Wen died in 604. Some believe that it was own son that killed him.
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Emperor Yang came into power in 604 following the death (or murder) of his father Emperor Wen.
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Emperor Yang continued much of what his father had started but he also like to spend on luxuries for himself.
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The Grand Canal was mostly completed under Emperor Yang, which made it easy for him to send large armies to Korea to invade Goguryeo.
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Emperor Yang's efforts to invade Goguryeo were in vain and they were defeated in all four major attempts. The cold winters also cost many of Emperor Yang's soldiers their lives.
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Emperor Yang's extravagant spending, forced labor, high taxes, and loss of life in the attempted invasions of other kingdoms led to a rebellion. Emperor Yang was also known to be a tyrant, practicing inhuman cruelty. This also led the people to rise up against him in revolts.
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In 618 Emperor Yang's own ministers assassinated him, marking the end of the Sui Dynasty.
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Following the Sui Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty came into power. It continued to follow many of the beliefs instilled during the Sui Dynasty's reign.
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