Yang Jian

Also known as Xiao Zi Na Luo Yan

Yang Jian, childhood name Naluoyan, was the son of the Northern Zhou general Yang Zhong; he inherited the title Duke of Sui, and his eldest daughter became empress to Emperor Xuan of Zhou. When Emperor Xuan died in 580 he took control as chancellor and crushed the rising of Yuchi Jiong. In 581 he accepted the abdication of the child emperor Jing, named his dynasty Sui and adopted the reign title Kaihuang. He issued the Kaihuang Code, built the new capital of Daxing, abolished the commanderies in 583 so that counties answered directly to prefectures, and organized the central government into Three Departments and Six Ministries. In 589 his armies took Jiankang and captured the last Chen ruler, reuniting north and south. He died at the Renshou Palace in 604, with the temple name Gaozu. The historians of the Book of Sui (Suishu) judged that, though he fell short of perfect rule, he was a good sovereign by the standards of recent times.