What were the lasting accomplishments of the Sui and Tang Dynasties?

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Urban PlanningChang’an in Tang times attracted merchants, pilgrims, and students from all over East Asia. The city was laid out on a square grid (left) and divided into walled wards, the gates to which were closed at night. Temples were found throughout the city, but trade was limited to two government-supervised markets. In the eighth and ninth centuries the Japanese copied the general plan of Chang’an in designing their capitals — first at Nara, then at Heian, shown on the right. (Cradles of Civilization/Visual Connection Archive)

PPolitical division was finally overcome when the Sui Dynasty conquered its rivals to reunify China in 581. Although the dynasty lasted only thirty-seven years, it left a lasting legacy in the form of political reform, the construction of roads and canals, and the institution of written merit-based exams for the appointment of officials. The Tang Dynasty that followed would build upon the Sui’s accomplishments to create an era of impressive cultural creativity and political power.