Why did the Roman Empire split?
From Crisis to Permanent Division
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Transition from Sui to Tang
Following the disastrous campaigns against Goguryeo and massive public works projects, the Sui dynasty collapsed amidst widespread rebellions. Li Yuan and his son Li Shimin emerged victorious from the ensuing civil war, establishing the Tang dynasty, which went on to consolidate power over China and defeat the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.
SuiโGoguryeo War
A series of massive invasions launched by the Sui dynasty against the powerful Korean kingdom of Goguryeo. Despite mobilizing over a million soldiers, the Sui suffered catastrophic defeats, most notably at the Battle of Salsu. The failure of these campaigns drained the imperial treasury and fueled widespread rebellions, directly leading to the rapid collapse of the Sui dynasty.
Northern & Southern Dynasties and the Sui Reunification
After the tumultuous Sixteen Kingdoms period, China entered an era of prolonged division known as the Northern and Southern Dynasties. While the Southern dynasties (Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen) frequently changed hands, the North underwent massive shifts, eventually split between rival factions. Ultimately, the Northern Zhou emerged victorious in the North before being usurped by Yang Jian, who founded the Sui Dynasty. In 589, the Sui conquered the final Southern state, Chen, bringing an end to nearly three centuries of fragmentation and reunifying China.
Wars of the Sixteen Kingdoms and the Battle of Fei River
Following the collapse of the Western Jin, Northern China was divided among various ethnic groups in the Sixteen Kingdoms period. This era saw the temporary unification of the north by the Former Qin dynasty under Fu Jian, whose ambition to conquer the south was ultimately shattered at the Battle of Fei River, leading to further fragmentation until Northern Wei's unification.