ABSTRACT
Wen-ti (Wendi), born Yang Chien, came of age during a time of great instability and disunity in China but overcame the divisions to reunite China for the first time in 800 years. A Buddhist nun raised Wen-ti until he was 14, and he remained deeply religious throughout his life. Because of his natural abilities, Wen-ti rose rapidly in the ranks of the Northern Chou dynasty. In 577, he was made a field commander in the armies of Emperor Wu, the leader of the Northern Chou who, between 557 and 577, gained control of all of northern China. During his reign, Wen-ti tried to undo the divisions of the previous 800 years. He clarified astrological charts, issued a new law code, and employed censors to ensure that it was obeyed. Wen-ti made maintaining a unified China the basis for subsequent dynasties and Chinese international politics.
