Dynasties | Sui Dynasty 581-618

Although the northerners ruled their country with increasingly Han style of government, the dynasties of the North are not recognised until they conquered the South and reunified the Empire after 350 years of division. The capital moved from Nanjing to Changan.

Only after the unification of the Sui did China once more achieve true national status again.

The new strong ruler Wendi repaired the Great Wall and re-invigorated the administration with measures to reduce the corrosive effects of nepotism and fiefdoms.

The most notable achievement was the building of the Grand Canal using a workforce of 5.5 million people. It is still the world's oldest and longest canal and was a major strategic link between the North (Beijing) to South (Hangzhou) and was an important step to keep the country united.

Once again the momentum of the dynastic founder was not sustained and although not as disastrous as other dynasties things began to fall apart again.