Emperor Wen of Sui

Emperor Wen of Sui (21 July 541 – 13 August 604) — personal name Yang Jian (楊堅), Xianbei name Puliuru Jian (普六茹堅), nickname Naluoyan (那羅延) — was the founder and first emperor of China's Sui Dynasty (581–618 AD). He was a hard-working administrator and a micromanager. As a Buddhist, he encouraged the spread of Buddhism through the state. He is regarded as one of the most important emperors in Chinese history, reunifying China in 589 after centuries of division since the fall of Western Jin Dynasty in 316. During his reign began the construction of the Grand Canal.

As a Northern Zhou official, Yang Jian served with apparent distinction during the reigns of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou and Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou. When the erratic Emperor Xuan died in 580, Yang, as his father-in-law, seized power as regent. After defeating the general Yuchi Jiong, who resisted him, he seized the throne for himself, establishing the new Sui Dynasty (as its Emperor Wen). He was the first Chinese to rule North China after the Xianbei invasion which conquered that area from the Liu Song dynasty (not counting the brief reconquest of that region by Emperor Wu of Liang).

Generally speaking, Emperor Wen's reign was a great period of prosperity not seen since the Han Dynasty. Economically, the dynasty prospered. It was said that there was enough food stored for 50 years. The military was also powerful. At the beginning of his reign, Sui faced the threat of Tujue to the north, and neighbored Tibetan tribes to the west, Goguryeo in the northeast, and the kingdom known as Champa threatening the south. By the end of Emperor Wen's reign, Tujue had split into an eastern and a western kaganate, the eastern one being nominally submissive to Sui, as was Goguryeo. Linyi was defeated and, while not conquered, did not remain a threat.

Emperor Wen is also famous for having the fewest number of concubines for an adult Chinese emperor. (The Ming Dynasty Hongzhi Emperor was the only perpetually monogamous Chinese emperor.) Emperor Wen was known for having only two concubines (although he might have had additional concubines not documented by traditional historians), with whom he might not have had sexual relations until after the death in 602 of his wife Empress Dugu Qieluo, whom he loved and respected deeply. Emperor Taizong of Tang, by comparison, is said to have had over 3000 concubines in his palaces.