During the final years of the Sui Dynasty, Emperor Yang’s relentless ambition placed an enormous burden on the people. He ordered the construction of the Grand Canal and launched repeated military campaigns against Goguryeo (Korea), draining the empire’s manpower and resources. Countless young men were conscripted to dig canals and fight distant wars, leaving fields untended while taxes continued to rise. As famine, hardship, and resentment spread across the land, rebellions erupted one after another, pushing the empire toward collapse.
The man who foresaw the dynasty’s demise
Among those who recognized the gathering crisis was Li Jing, a government official serving in Mayi (present-day Shanxi Province). Seeing that the dynasty was heading toward disaster, he resolved to act before it was too late. Li Jing traveled to the capital in the hope of meeting Yang Su, the influential Duke of Yue, believing that decisive reforms might still restore stability to the empire and spare the people from further suffering. Unfortunately, Yang Su did not share Li Jing’s sense of urgency, and his appeal fell on deaf ears. Disappointed and seeing little hope of changing the course of events, Li Jing resigned from office and returned home. Rather than lamenting the empire’s decline, he devoted himself to the study of military strategy, convinced that if the opportunity ever arose, he would be ready to serve his country.
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