The Sui Dynasty, founded by Emperor Wen, or Yang Jian, held its capital at Chang'an (present-day Xi'an), also known during Sui as Daxing ( 大興 ). It was marked by the reunification of Southern and Northern China and the construction of the Grand Canal, though it was a relatively short Chinese dynasty. It saw various reforms by Emperors Wen and Yang: the Equal-field system, initiated to reduce the rich-poor social gap, resulted in enhanced agricultural productivity; governmental power was centralized and the Three Departments and Six Ministries system officially instituted; coinage was standardized and re-unified; defense was improved, and The Great Wall was expanded. Buddhism was also spread and encouraged throughout the empire, uniting the varied people and cultures of China.

This dynasty has often been compared to the earlier Qin Dynasty in tenure and the ruthlessness of its accomplishments. The Sui dynasty's early demise was attributed to the government's tyrannical demands on the people, who bore the crushing burden of taxes and compulsory labor. These resources were overstrained in the completion of the Grand Canal—a monumental engineering feat—and in the undertaking of other construction projects, including the reconstruction of the Great Wall. Weakened by costly and disastrous military campaigns against Goguryeo which ended with defeat of Sui in the early seventh century, the dynasty disintegrated through a combination of popular revolts, disloyalty, and assassination.

The Sui Dynasty (581-618 CE) followed by the Tang Dynasty and preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties in China; it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes.

The Tang Dynasty, with its capital at Chang'an–the most populous city in the world at the time, is regarded by historians as a high point in Chinese civilization—equal to or surpassing that of the earlier Han Dynasty. Its territory, acquired through the military campaigns of its early rulers, was greater than that of the Han period, and rivaled that of the later dynasties. The enormous Grand Canal of China, built during the previous Sui Dynasty, facilitated the rise of new urban settlements along its route as well as increased trade between mainland Chinese markets. The canal is to this day the longest in the world.

With its large population base, the dynasty was able to raise professional armies of hundreds of thousands of troops. Various kingdoms and states paid tribute to the Tang court, while the Tang also conquered or subdued several regions.

In Chinese history, the Tang Dynasty was largely a period of progress and stability. Like the previous Sui Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty maintained a civil service system by drafting officials through standardized exams. There were many notable innovations during the Tang, including the development of the early compass, woodblock printing, improvements in cotton and silk textile production. The central government largely withdrew from managing the economy, but the country's mercantile affairs stayed intact and commercial trade continued to thrive regardless. But eventually social unrest lead to a violent up rise that in essence ushered in the end of the Tang’s dynastic rule.

The Tang Dynasty (618–907 C.E.) was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty; it was founded by the Li (李 ) family, who seized power after the collapse of the Sui Empire.

During the Northern Song the Song capital was in the northern city of Bianjing and the dynasty controlled most of inner China. The Southern Song refers to the period after the Song lost control of northern China to the Jins. During this time, the Song court retreated south and established a new capital. Although the Song Dynasty had weakened, the Song economy was not in ruins, becoming the first government in history to issue banknotes or paper money.

It was also the first Chinese government to establish a permanent standing navy. To repel the Jin, and later the Mongols, the Song also developed revolutionary new military technology augmented by the use of gunpowder.

Social life during the Song was vibrant. Neo-Confucianism became once again a guiding force in their society and government. This new version of Confucianism incorporated old ideas with Buddhist influences. Women’s rights remained low and practices like foot binding began.

The spread of literature and knowledge was enhanced by the earlier invention of woodblock printing and the 11th-century invention of movable type printing. Pre-modern technology, science, mathematics, engineering, and other intellectual pursuits flourished over the course of the Song. One key development that centered around their understanding of astrological activity and magnetic energy lead to improvements to the compass. This gave rise to better boats, called Junks.

The Song Dynasty (960-1279 succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty; it was divided into two periods—a northern and southern one.