ABSTRACT
This period was a time of transition from the medieval to the modern world, particularly in East Asia. The empires of the Sui (AD 581-617) and the Tang (AD 618-907) were based on the strongly sinicized empires of the Western Wei (AD 535-557) and Northern Chou (AD 557-581), and were regarded as generally Chinese, as opposed to the barbaric kingdoms and empires which ruled during the fourth to sixth centuries. The reunion of Yangtse China with North China gave the new empires an opening to the sea, a tropical zone and territories in South East Asia. During the Tang dynasty, major administrative reformation was carried out, and the Empire was divided into ten regions under the control of ministers of administration, finance and justice. Academies and higher education institutions were set up in the two capitals, Chiang-an and Loyang, and schools were established in the prefectures and sub-prefectures. Major public works were carried out, including canals and granaries, and the two capital cities were rebuilt on a grandiose scale circa AD 600.
