Sui Dynasty Post Roads and Relay Station System

Timeline

1. 581–585Guanzhong and Central Plains trunk roads · ChinaAfter founding the Sui, Emperor Wen integrated relay functions within the framework of the Six Ministries of the Department of State Affairs, restored the post road system dating from the Han dynasty, and rebuilt trunk roads centered on the capital to ensure the reach of government orders and military dispatch.
2. 589Post roads south of Jiang-Huai · JiangsuAfter Sui destroyed the Southern Dynasties' Chen, Jiangnan's existing roads were incorporated into the national relay system; the unified relay system was extended to newly unified territories, with stations handling document delivery, official reception, and military reports among multiple functions.
3. 598–600Post road from Luoyang to Jiangdu · ChinaBy the late Kaihuang era, the imperial post road network covered the trunk lines of Guanzhong, the Central Plains, and Jiangnan, with stations handling documents, military reports, and official reception, providing the institutional and road network foundation for Emperor Yang's addition of imperial roads and relay stations along the canal.