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The Mysterious Death In early 604 AD, Emperor Wen of Sui retreated to Renshou Palace for rest, only to fall gravely ill. With Empress Dugu having passed away two years prior, the aging Emperor, sensing his end was near, summoned Crown Prince Yang Guang and the powerful minister Yang Su to entrust them with…
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The Sudden Death of a Reformer When Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou died unexpectedly in 578, rumors spread like wildfire. Former monks – many of whom had been forcibly defrocked during his anti-Buddhist campaign – claimed:“He banned the Buddha and was dragged to hell!”