Yang Jian

Yang Jian, as regent of Northern Zhou, led a campaign to conquer the rival Northern Qi state. He defeated the Northern Qi army and annexed its territory, unifying northern China under Northern Zhou rule.

Yang Jian forced Emperor Jing of Northern Zhou to abdicate and proclaimed himself emperor, founding the Sui Dynasty. This ended the Northern Zhou and began the Sui Dynasty, which would later reunify all of China.

Yang Jian implemented the equal-field system (juntian) across the Sui Empire, redistributing land to peasants and reducing the power of aristocratic families. This reform increased agricultural productivity and tax revenue, strengthening the central government.

Yang Jian launched a massive invasion of the Chen Dynasty in southern China. His forces captured the Chen capital Jiankang (Nanjing), ending the Chen Dynasty and reunifying China after nearly 300 years of division since the fall of the Han.