Sui Wendi (Yang Jian)

Emperor of China (r.AD 589-618) and founder of the Sui dynasty. A soldier, he married a princess of the Northern Zhou, which he overthrew in 581. He campaigned against the Chen in the south, unifying the countr ¯y for the first time in 350 years. He also campaigned in Turkestan and Mongolia, and attempted to extend the power of China to the south. From 601 he became increasingly absorbed in public observances of Buddhism, following the model of Ashoka.