Emperor Wen of Sui (541 AD–604 AD)

Emperor Wen, also known as Yang Jian, was the first ruler of China's Sui dynasty, which reigned from AD 541 to AD 604. He is thought to have been the sole ruler to bring prosperity to China following the collapse of the Han dynasty.

Yang Jian served as a Northern Zhou official under the dynasties of Emperor Wu and Emperor Xuan. As Emperor Xuan's father-in-law, he assumed regency after the untimely death of Emperor Xuan in 580. He seized the throne for himself and started the new Sui dynasty after overthrowing the shogun Yuchi Jiong. After the Northwesterners seized control of the region from the Liu Song dynasty, Yang Jian was the first ethnic Han monarch to govern over all of Northern China (not counting the brief reconquest of the Liang Emperor).

Overall, the Wen dynasty was the most prosperous period since the Han Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Wen. He brought a nation in disarray following the fall of the Western Jin dynasty under control with his successful political and governance agenda. His rule was so illustrious that he left a thriving economy and adequate food supplies to survive for 50 years. Additionally strong and armed with cutting-edge technology was the imperial army. Early in its rule, the Sui was threatened by the Gokturks to the north, the nearby Tibetan tribes to the west, the Goguryeo to the northeast, and the dangerous Champa to the east. At the end of Emperor Wen's reign, the Gokturks were split into an eastern and western Kaganate, with the east in the name of submitting to the Sui. Goguryeo and Champa were also defeated and controlled by the Sui respectively.

The building of the Grand Canal was the most well-known endeavor carried out under his rule. It was the canal that joined the Yangtze River with the Yellow River, and it also unlocked a crucial commerce route that helped China's economy grow throughout its history.

Unlike kings of the Ming dynasty, who claimed to have more than 9,000 concubines, Emperor Wen is believed to be the first king in the history of Chinese civilization to have just two concubines.

In sum, Emperor Wen of Sui:

• reigned the Sui dynasty from 541 AD to 604 AD.
• seized the throne for himself and started the new Sui dynasty after overthrowing the shogun Yuchi Jiong.
• his dynasty was the most prosperous period with a powerful army and a prosperous economy with enough food reserves to last for 50 years.
• constructed the Grand Canal connecting the Yellow River and the Yangtze River.