Emperor Yang of the Sui’s Northern Tour(出塞) and the Administration of Taiyuan(太原) in the 3rd Year of the Daye(大業) Era(607)

This study analyzes Emperor Yang of the Sui dynasty’s expeditions beyond the frontier and examines the process through which state power expanded north of Eastern Capital(東都). This paper first focuses on the political significance of Emperor Yang’s Northern Tour(出塞). The Sai(塞) and the Great Wall(長城) were perceived by contemporaries as markers of the boundary, and Emperor Yang’s tour beyond the Sai to the Türkic Azhang(牙帳) constituted a means by which the Sui dynasty outwardly displayed its state power.<br/> Secondly, an analysis of Emperor Yang’s route confirms the emergence of Taiyuan(太原) as a strategic center for interior control of the northern part of the country(塞內). After appearing before the Türkic Azhang, Emperor Yang returned to Taiyuan, where he constructed the Jinyang Palace(晉陽宮) and established a Zhi Dao(直道, direct road) connecting it to Luoyang(洛陽). This aimed to link Taiyuan with the imperial capital system and solidify central administrative power in the Hedong(河東) region. The subsequent establishment of Loufan region(樓煩郡) supported this governing strategy.<br/> In conclusion, Emperor Yang’s Northern Tour in 607 was not merely a ceremonial trip. It was a complex policy that simultaneously sought to deter the Tujue(突厥) from moving southward and to enforce central administrative power in the Hedong region north of Luoyang, using Taiyuan as a strategic hub. The tour reflected Emperor Yang’s multifaceted strategy to achieve both external manifestation of state power and internal consolidation of influence.