mself
emperor. The country, weary of contention, was glad to acknowledge his
undivided authority; and during the sixteen years of his reign the
internal affairs of China were comparatively peaceably administered.
The emperor instituted an improved code of laws, and added 5000
volumes to the 10,000 which composed the imperial library. Abroad, his
policy was equally successful. He defeated the Tatars and chastised
the Koreans, who had for a long period recognized Chinese suzerainty,
but were torn by civil wars and were disposed to reject her authority.
After his death in 604 his second son forced the heir to the throne to
strangle himself, and then seized the throne. This usurper, Yang-ti,
sent expeditions against the Tatars, and himself headed an expedition
against the Uighurs, while one of his generals annexed the Lu-chu
Islands to the imperial crown. During his reign the volumes in the
imperial library were increased to 54,000, and he spent vast sums in
erecting a magnificent palace at Lo-yang, and in constructing
unprofitable canals. These and other extravagances laid so heavy a
burden on the country that discontent began again to prevail, and on
the emperor's return from a successful expedition against the Koreans,
he found the empire divided into rebellious factions. In the troubles
which followed General Li Yuen became prominent. On the death of the
emperor by assassination this man set Kung-ti, the rightful heir, on
the throne (617) until such time as he should have matured his
schemes.

Tang dynasty.

Kung-ti was poisoned in the following year and Li Yuen proclaimed
himself as Kao-tsu, the first emperor of the T'ang dynasty. At this time
the Turks were at the height of their power in Asia (see TURKS:
_History_), and Kao-tsu was glad to purchase their alliance with money.
But divisions weakened the power of the Turks, and T'ai-tsung (reigned
627-650), Kao-tsu's son and successor, regained much of the position in
Central Asia which had formerly been held by China. In 640 Hami, Turfan
and the rest of the Turkish territory were again included within the
Chinese empire, and four military governorships were appointed in
Central Asia, viz. at Kucha, Khotan, Kharastan and Kashgar. At the same
time the frontier was extended as far as eastern Persia and the Caspian
Sea. So great was now the fame of China, that ambassadors from Nepal,
Magadha, Persia and Constantinople (64