"Emperor of Great Causes: The Biography of Emperor Yang Guang of Sui Dynasty" uses a historical pen like a raft to brush away the dirt and repaint the true appearance of this emperor who has been soaked in ink for thousands of years.
He is not a simple tyrant symbol in the history books, but a tragic hero forged by the times and ambition. The thousands of miles of blue waves of the canal are the arteries of his empire that connect the north and the south; the leap of carp in the poor family in the imperial examination is his soaring sword that shatters the family; and the coming of all the countries from the Western Regions is his majestic courage to explore the four seas. His vision transcended an era, but after all, it was faster than the pace of history.
However, the tragedy lies in the fact that one person's efforts attempt to carry on the legacy of a hundred generations. The reforms that were eager for quick success and instant benefits touched the foundation of Guanlong; the ambitious conquests overdrawn the people's power all over the world. In the end, Jiangdu Palace changed into a bloody setting sun, reflecting the lonely figure who was backlashed by the old order.
This work is to present a desolate and fair elegy to this complex emperor whose "merits lie in the ages, but whose sins lie in the present" - although history is written by the victors, time will eventually vindicate those misunderstood ambitions.
