Preface
The Sui Dynasty, a short but glorious dynasty in history, although it only existed for a short period of 37 years, left behind four impressive buildings. What's even more surprising is that some of these buildings are still in use today, witnessing millennia of change.
These four buildings are not only glorious symbols of the Sui Dynasty, but also important legacies in the history of Chinese architecture. What is the historical background and cultural connotation of the Sui Dynasty, and what is the story behind these buildings?
Daxing City: The well-planned imperial capital
At the beginning of the Sui Dynasty, Emperor Wen of Sui Emperor Yang Jian temporarily set up the capital in the historic Chang'an City. However, due to years of war, Chang'an City has become unsustainable, with a mixed mix of government offices, residential buildings, chaotic management, and poor drinking water quality.
Yang Jian, who had a great vision, decided to find another way to replan and build the city on the southern slope of Longshouyuan. As a result, a new capital city came into being, and Yang Jian named it "Daxing City", implying that the Sui Dynasty would prosper in the world.
The construction of Daxing City, after the painstaking efforts of two generations of dynasties, was finally basically completed in 613 AD. This imperial capital was the largest city in the world at that time, with an area 2.4 times the size of Chang'an City in the Han Dynasty.
What is more unique is that the layout of Daxing City is balanced and symmetrical, and the three parts of the imperial palace, the imperial city and the residential buildings are relatively separated, and the boundaries are clear. The whole city is framed by square grid lines, which is not only easy to manage, but also gives the city a unique beauty.
When Emperor Wen of Sui Yang Jian chose the site to establish Daxing City, he showed foresight and extraordinary planning ability. He decisively abandoned the historic but dilapidated city of Chang'an, and instead chose to replan and build a new imperial capital on the southern slope of Longshouyuan.
Nowadays, Daxing City has become a tourist attraction for tourists to check in. Thousands of people come here to feel the city's history and discover the traces that have been carved by the years. This heritage of the Sui Dynasty not only witnessed the rise and fall of a dynasty, but also demonstrated the wisdom and ingenuity of the ancients.
Zhaozhou Bridge: The world's bridge architectural treasure
Zhaozhou Bridge is a stone arch bridge located on the south of Zhao County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, named after Zhao County's ancient name of Zhaozhou. The bridge was built in 605 AD during the Sui Dynasty and was carefully designed by Li Chun, a famous craftsman of the Sui Dynasty at that time.
Zhaozhou Bridge has won high praise from Chinese and foreign scholars both in terms of architecture and artistic creation. It is known as the "living fossil of China's historical bridges", and is the oldest, most complete and best-preserved long-span stone arch bridge in China and even in the world.
At the beginning of the 20th century, when Liang Sicheng, an outstanding mainland architect, saw the Zhaozhou Bridge for the first time, he was shocked by the ingenuity of the bridge. He praised the Zhaozhou Bridge as a priceless treasure in the history of China and the world, and the embodiment of aesthetics.
Since the day of its completion, the Zhaozhou Bridge has stood on the Huanhe River and witnessed the vicissitudes of history. It has survived the baptism of wind and rain, but still maintains a beautiful appearance and unique construction. This heritage of the Sui Dynasty not only witnessed the rise and fall of a dynasty, but also demonstrated the extraordinary wisdom and ingenuity of the ancients.
Its existence not only makes us feel the weight of history, but also makes us full of confidence in the continuation of Chinese civilization. Let us cherish the memory of our ancestors with a pious attitude, inherit and carry forward their spirit, and contribute our strength to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The Grand Canal: The economic lifeline of the north and the south
After Yang Guang, the Yang Emperor of the Sui Dynasty, faced a serious problem: the population of the capital had increased dramatically, and the frontier army also needed a large amount of grain and grass, and the barren land in the north could not meet such a huge demand. At that time, the transportation system relied entirely on oxen, horse and horse fleets and people's labor, which was inefficient and costly.
Yang Guang knew very well that if this urgent need was not resolved in time, the government would be in a predicament. He resolutely and resolutely ordered a large-scale renovation of the Grand Canal. This magnificent project is divided into four parts: Tongji Canal, Hangou, Yongji Canal and Jiangnan Canal.
The construction of the Grand Canal is like tearing the curtain between the north and the south and opening up the economic lifeline. The abundant grain in the south was continuously transported to the north by waterway, which not only solved the urgent needs of the imperial court, but also injected new vitality into the industrial and agricultural development of the areas along the route.
This water avenue that stretches for thousands of miles connects the five major water systems of the surrounding four provinces and has become a bridge for ethnic exchanges. To this day, the Grand Canal is still playing its role in carrying the important role of history, and after continuous dredging and transformation, its posture has become more and more majestic.
The determination and courage of the Sui Dynasty to build the Grand Canal are truly admirable. The rulers of the time saw the importance of water transport to the country's economic development and resolutely pushed forward with the project. Although the construction process was arduous and tortuous, it finally succeeded in opening up the economic lifeline of the north and the south, leaving a valuable legacy for future generations.
Back to Luocang: the royal "national granary"
The Huiluocang built by Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty in Luoyang can be described as the largest "national granary" at that time. According to archaeological finds, the warehouse is 1,000 meters long and 355 meters wide, which is the size of 50 standard football fields.
Inside, there are more than 700 warehouses with an inner diameter of 10 meters, and the volume of each warehouse can store about 500,000 catties of grain. This magnificent warehouse is staggering enough. It is rumored that back then, the grain piled up in Huiluocang was like a mountain, which was enough to support the Tang Dynasty for 50 years.
The rulers of the Sui Dynasty knew that if a natural or man-made disaster caused the people to starve, the safety of the dynasty would be endangered. It was with the lessons of history learned that they decided to build this magnificent warehouse to store enough food for future generations.
Until the 80s, the ruins of Huiluocang were re-excavated in Xiaoli Village, Luoyang. Today, what was once the "granary of the country" has been transformed into a treasure trove of Sui Dynasty culture, attracting visitors from all over the world to see it. This legacy of the Sui Dynasty not only witnessed the rise and fall of a dynasty, but also demonstrated the deep concern of the ancients for the well-being of the people.
epilogue
Although the Sui Dynasty only existed for a short period of 37 years, in this short time, it left behind many magnificent architectural heritages such as the Grand Canal, Daxing City, Zhaozhou Bridge, and Huiluocang. These legacies not only bear witness to the glory of the Sui Dynasty, but also demonstrate the wisdom and ingenuity of the ancients.
Throughout these projects, they all reflect the foresight of the rulers of the Sui Dynasty and their consideration for the well-being of the people. For the sake of the country's long-term peace and stability and economic development, they resolutely carried out a series of major projects, which still play an important role today.
Let us cherish the memory of our ancestors with a pious attitude, inherit and carry forward their spirit, and contribute our strength to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Only when we firmly grasp the pulse of history can we better move towards the future and continue to write a glorious chapter of Chinese civilization.