| − | The '''Sui dynasty''' established central rule in [[China]] in A.D. 589 for the first time since the [[Han dynasty]] in A.D. 220. But the Sui dynasty ruled for only a very brief period of 29 years, until A.D. 618. Yet during this time, it accomplished something magnificent: it built the [[Grand Canal]] to connect northern and southern China. This tremendous engineering achievement consisted of a canal nearly 1240 miles long, with a road running alongside it on each side. It enabled the transportation of agricultural products such as rice from the fertile [[Yangtze River]] valley to northern China. Other construction also occurred, such as repairing walls that defend China. (The current “[[Great Wall of China]]” was based on walls built as early as 210 B.C., but its present form was not completed until the [[Ming dynasty]] (A.D. 1368-1544)). These enormous construction efforts are likely a contributing factor to the fall of Sui due to the crippling financial burden. The Sui dynasty ended in a revolution against high taxes in northern China and the assassination in 618 of the emperor [[Sui Yangdi]].<ref>http://www.conservapedia.com/World_History_Lecture_Seven</ref> The [[Tang Dynasty|Tang dynasty]] followed, a period considered one of the golden ages of China. | + | The '''Sui dynasty''' ([[Chinese]]: 髓朝; [[Hanyu pinyin]]: Suĭ cháo) established central rule in [[China]] in A.D. 589 for the first time since the [[Han dynasty]] in A.D. 220. But the Sui dynasty ruled for only a very brief period of 29 years, until A.D. 618. Yet during this time, it accomplished something magnificent: it built the [[Grand Canal]] to connect northern and southern China. This tremendous engineering achievement consisted of a canal nearly 1240 miles long, with a road running alongside it on each side. It enabled the transportation of agricultural products such as rice from the fertile [[Yangtze River]] valley to northern China. Other construction also occurred, such as repairing walls that defend China. (The current “[[Great Wall of China]]” was based on walls built as early as 210 B.C., but its present form was not completed until the [[Ming dynasty]] (A.D. 1368-1544)). These enormous construction efforts are likely a contributing factor to the fall of Sui due to the crippling financial burden. The Sui dynasty ended in a revolution against high taxes in northern China and the assassination in 618 of the emperor [[Sui Yangdi]].<ref>http://www.conservapedia.com/World_History_Lecture_Seven</ref> The [[Tang Dynasty|Tang dynasty]] followed, a period considered one of the golden ages of China. |