A Straightforward History of the Sui and Tang Dynasties

The Real History of Sui and Tang: From the Rise of Guanzhong to the Fall of a Golden Age

Emperor Yang of Sui built the Grand Canal and launched campaigns against Goguryeo. His achievements and failures are hard to judge, but he shook the world to its foundations. Li Yuan and his sons rose in Taiyuan, crushed their rivals with an iron hand, and laid the foundations for three centuries of Tang rule!

The blades flashing during the Xuanwu Gate Incident bore witness to the determined efforts behind the Reign of Zhenguan. Li Shimin welcomed advice from all sides, while Wei Zheng fearlessly spoke his mind, and together they helped him become the “Heavenly Khan,” whose name commanded respect far and wide. Wu Zetian deposed the Tang and founded the Zhou, ascending the throne as a woman. The power struggles at court were fraught with danger.

From the resplendent robes and tributes from every land of the Kaiyuan Golden Age to the flames of the An Lushan Rebellion and the collapse of an age of prosperity; from the heroes of Wagang Fortress pursuing vengeance with abandon to the aging but still vigorous Guo Ziyi putting down rebellions, every page of the Sui and Tang eras is filled with passion and legend.

The Grand Canal’s bustling grain traffic, the rise of humble families through the imperial examinations, the immortal verses of Tang poetry, the camel bells along Dunhuang’s Silk Road: here are emperors locked in contests of intrigue, soldiers shedding blood on the battlefield, and ordinary people experiencing joy and sorrow in times of both peace and chaos.

No tall tales, no alternate history! With official histories as our foundation, we retrace the full course of the Sui and Tang, from the unification of the realm to the decline of their golden age. Come immerse yourself in the most turbulent and heroic golden age in history!