Sui and Tang Capital Cities Examination

Author: Yang Hongnian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: Regarding the individuals in charge of establishing the project, both Cifu Yuangui (Volume 13) and Taiping Yulun (Volumes 156, 158) as well as Professor Su Bai's writings have mentioned them. Except for the three individuals—Yang Su as the Minister of State Affairs, Yang Da as the Censor-in-Chief, and Yuwen Kai as the Chief Architect—recorded in Zizhi Tongjian, the rest omitted Yang Da, only listing the other two. This may be because Su primarily drafted the overall plan, Kai led the technical aspects, and Da was mediocre. The Book of Sui·Biography of Yang Su states that Su's title was [Supervisor of the Eastern Capital Construction], a position of great prestige, which is evident. According to historical records, Emperor Wen of Sui moved the capital to Chang'an with Su Wei as the main proponent, and when Emperor Yang moved the capital to Luoyang, Su Wei again advocated for it. Su Wei was clearly very enthusiastic about the relocation of the two capitals. Regarding Yang Su's official title, Taiping Yulun (Volume 158, Western Capital, Henan Prefecture) refers to it as [Vice Minister of the Ministry of State Affairs], which contradicts the above, likely being a mistake. However, whether it was called [Special Commissioner] or [Vice Minister], both were high-ranking positions at the time. The title of [Special Commissioner] was even higher than that of [Vice Minister], and he was also the Prime Minister. Additionally, it is worth mentioning The Book of Sui·Biography of Pei Ju: [When Emperor Yang ascended the throne and began constructing the Eastern Capital, Pei Ju was responsible for overseeing the construction of government offices, which was completed in ninety days.] Based on this, Pei Ju was also involved in the project. Chang'an and Luoyang were the east and west capitals during the Sui and Tang dynasties, renowned for their well-planned layouts and magnificent architecture, celebrated worldwide. They have even been praised by Japanese scholars as one of the greatest miracles in human history. This book is divided into five parts, providing an in-depth and comprehensive exploration of the regulations of Chang'an and Luoyang during the Sui and Tang dynasties from the perspectives of cities, streets, districts, and government offices, making it a highly valuable academic work and a recommended reading for studying and researching the Sui and Tang dynasties. The author, Professor Yang Hongnian, has dedicated decades of his life to the study of Sui and Tang history, possessing a solid and profound academic foundation and being an expert and authority in the field.