Why did the Sui Dynasty rule only last for 38 years? In fact, Yang Guang is not to blame, but the root cause lies in Yang Jian, who usurped the throne.
The Sui Dynasty was a short but glorious dynasty in Chinese history. Its founding emperor, Yang Jian, ruled for only thirty-eight years, however, in this short period of time, the Sui Dynasty left a profound impact. Why, then, was the Sui Dynasty's reign so short-lived? Was it because Yang Guang was inadequate, or was there some other deep-seated reason?
First of all, we need to review the process of the establishment of the Sui Dynasty. Yang Jian, the founding emperor of the Sui Dynasty, was originally the prime minister of the Northern Zhou Dynasty. During the reign of Emperor Xiaomin of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Yang Jian gained trust with his shrewd and capable talents and political skills, and later when Emperor Xiaomin died, Yang Jian took the opportunity to usurp the throne and establish the Sui Dynasty. However, this way of usurping the throne led to the unstable foundation of the Sui Dynasty's rule, and there were always hidden dangers within the regime.
Secondly, the establishment of the Sui Dynasty was completed on the basis of the Northern Zhou, and the rule of the Northern Zhou Dynasty was already facing the dilemma of internal and external troubles. Although the Northern Zhou Dynasty was founded by the Yuwen clan, after the Yu culture and later, the Northern Zhou gradually declined, with political corruption, financial difficulties, and poor livelihood. This internal contradiction and external pressure provided an opportunity for the establishment of the Sui Dynasty, but it also brought many challenges to the rule of the Sui Dynasty.
In addition, after the death of Yang Jian, the Sui Dynasty was succeeded to the throne by his son Yang Guang. However, Yang Guang did not inherit his father's political wisdom and talents, and the policies of his reign led to social instability and hardship in people's livelihood. In particular, the high levies and taxes he imposed exacerbated social contradictions and led to a situation in which the people were unable to make a living. These policies not only weakened the ruling base of the Sui Dynasty, but also hastened its demise.
Finally, the fall of the Sui Dynasty also had a certain relationship with external pressures. The last emperor of the Sui Dynasty, Yang Yu, eventually led to the collapse of the regime due to internal and external troubles. In particular, the war between the Sui Dynasty and the Turks consumed a lot of manpower and material resources, which accelerated the demise of the Sui Dynasty. And the fall of the Sui Dynasty also created the conditions for the establishment of the Tang Dynasty.
To sum up, the reason why the reign of the Sui Dynasty was short was rooted in the usurper Yang Jian. His usurpation led to the instability of the regime, coupled with internal and external troubles, and eventually led to the demise of the Sui Dynasty. The history of the Sui Dynasty has left us with a profound lesson, and history tells us that the stability and long-term stability of the regime require a legitimate ruling foundation and good political policies.