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TSIN DYNASTY (Also called Jin Dynasty)
China split into two regions: the North and South Kingdoms at the end of
the Wu Era (220-258), which was part of the Three Kingdoms. The split
better known as the Partition (that forged the Northern and Southern
Dynasties) and formed the Tsin Dynasty.
Sima Yan, who initially occupied the Wei throne in 265, established the
Tsin. Sima Yan declared that China was finally united, with the
subjugation of Wu in 280. As emperor, he was called Wu Ti, or Martial
Emperor. However, despite this success, the Tsin was not stable.
Moreover, after Wu Ti's death in 290, all of China quickly deteriorated
in another conflict that found the Western Tsin all but dissolved in 317.
First, an anarchy by rule presided in the north, known as the Sixteen
Kingdoms had occurred. The settlers were invaded by several tribes or
confederations from the west and the north. Eventually, Xiongnu, a
tribal faction with 19 different cultures supporting the conflict,
captured Luoyang, the Wesern Tsin's capital in 311, and resulted in the
the Western Jin's destruction, forming what was to be called the Earlier
Zhao Dynasty, but that failed in favor of a more nomadic entity forging
yet another era called Later Zhao dynasty. With no support from its
people and military, the dynasty collapsed and the throne was taken by a
leader of a Tibetan tribal leader that declared himself ruler of the
Earlier Qin Dynasty. This leader, Fu Jian succeeded in building a strong
military force, and managed to control much of North China.
Second, a dynasty called the Northern Wei (386-534), occupied mainly by
the Toba, a prosperous tribe of Turkish and Mongols succeeded in
becoming the most powerful force, with its success in commerce and
increased governing. The most noted ruler during part of this era was
the Empress Dowager Ling. Exercising monarchical customs, she promoted
several reforms through decree, including revenue through taxation, land
allocation among every free man and woman, morality, religion, among
other customs that were designed to forge a collective guarantee system
(in essence, assigning tax collectors in each region's populace.
Further, the empress decreed the revival of a policy that provided
protections of the free peasantry through curbing the abuses of powerful
landlords. After numerous conflicts, the Northern Wei had split into
Eastern Wei (534-550) and Western Wei (535-556), and the Northern Ch'i
(550-577) that eventually was conquered by the Northern
Zhou (550-577),
who had 7 rulers (unknown) during this era.
In the South under the Eastern Tsin, there were several conflicts that
seemed to cause much of the instability in the region, both economically
and politically, which resulted in the rise and fall of three other
dynasties during this period with the exception of the Liu Song Dynasty
under the rule of Liu Yu from the years of 420-479. The eras that fell
to political instability were the Qi (479-502), Liang (502-557), and the
Chen (549-589).
A new dynasty in south China emerged called the Eastern Tsin in 317 by a
former Western Tsin prince, given a self-proclaimed title of Emperor
Yuan Di, who ruled from 317-323.
The gentry in this era were most welcomed by the Huns and its leader,
Liu Yuan, a descendent of Maodun, and was attracted to educated Chinese,
declared that the Tsin were true heirs to the Han because of marriage in
the wealthy families of the Han. and sought to overtake the north.
However, they never succeeded, and by 420, Eastern Tsin's last ruler
King Ti abdicated and Liu Yu, established what was to become the
Song
Dynasty.
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