Jin Dynasty (265–420)

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The Jìn Dynasty (265–420), one of the Six Dynasties, followed the Three Kingdoms period and preceded the Southern and Northern Dynasties in China. The dynasty was founded by the Sima family (司馬 pinyin: Sīmǎ). Note that there are four periods of Chinese history using the name "Jin" (see clarification here). At its height the Jin Dynasty had a population of about 20 million people.

History

The first of the two periods, the Western Jìn Dynasty (ch: 西晉, 265–316), was founded by Emperor Wu, better known as Sima Yan. Although providing a brief period of unity after conquering the state of Eastern Wu in 280, the Jìn could not contain the invasion and uprising of nomadic peoples after the devastating War of the Eight Princes. The capital was Luoyang until 311 when Emperor Huai was captured by the forces of Han Zhao. Successive reign of Emperor Min lasted four years in Chang'an until its conquest by Han Zhao in 316.

Meanwhile remnants of the Jìn court fled from the north to the south and reestablished the Jìn court at Jiankang, south-east of Luoyang and Chang'an and near modern-day Nanjing, under Prince of Longya. Prominent local families of Zhu, Gan, Lu, Gu and Zhou supported the proclamation of Prince of Langye as Emperor Yuan of the Eastern Jìn Dynasty (ch: 東晉 317–420) when the news of the fall of Chang'an reached the south. (Because the emperors of the Eastern Jìn Dynasty came from the Langye line, the rival Wu Hu states which did not recognize its legitimacy would at times refer to Jìn as "Langye.")

Militaristic authorities and crises plagued the Eastern Jìn court throughout its 104 years of existence. It survived the rebellions of Wang Dun and Su Jun. Huan Wen died in 373 before he could usurp the throne (which he had intended to do). Battle of Fei turned out to be a victory of Jìn under a short-lived cooperation of Huan Chong, brother of Huan Wen and the Prime Minister (or Imperial Secretariat) Xie An. Huan Xuan, son of Huan Wen, usurped and changed the name of the dynasty to Chu. He was toppled by Liu Yu, who ordered the strangulation of the reinstated but retarded Emperor An. The last emperor and brother of Emperor An, Emperor Gong, was installed in 419. Abdication of Emperor Gong in 420 in favor of Liu Yu, then Emperor Wu, ushered in the Liu Song Dynasty and the Southern Dynasties.

Meanwhile North China was ruled by the Sixteen Kingdoms, many of which were founded by the Wu Hu, the non-Han Chinese ethnicities. The conquest of the Northern Liang by the Northern Wei Dynasty in 439 ushered in the Northern Dynasties.

Figure

Sovereigns of Jìn Dynasty

Posthumous names	Family name and given names	Durations of reigns	Era names and their according range of years
Chinese convention: "Jìn" + posthumous name + "di"
Western Jìn Dynasty 265–316
Wu Di	Sima Yan	265–290	Taishi 265–274 Xianning 275–280 Taikang 280–289 Taixi January 28, 290 – May 17, 290
Hui Di	Sima Zhong	290–307	Yongxi May 17, 290 – February 15, 291 Yongping February 16 – April 23, 291 Yuankang April 24, 291 – February 6, 300 Yongkang February 7, 300 – February 3, 301 Yongning June 1, 301 – January 4 303 Taian January 5, 303 – February 21, 304 Yongan February 22 – August 15, 304; December 25, 304 – February 3, 305 Jianwu August 16 – December 24, 304 Yongxing February 4, 305 – July 12, 306 Guangxi July 13, 306 – February 19, 307
none	Sima Lun	301	Jianshi February 3 – June 1, 301
Huai Di	Sima Chi	307 – 311	Yongjia 307 – 313
Min Di	Sima Ye	313–316	Jianxing 313–317
Eastern Jìn Dynasty 317–420
Yuan Di	Sima Rui	317–323	Jianwu 317–318 Taixing 318–322 Yongchang 322–323
Ming Di	Sima Shao	323–325	Taining 323–326
Cheng Di	Sima Yan	325–342	Xianhe 326–335 Xiankang 335–342
Kang Di	Sima Yue	342–344	Jianyuan 343–344
Mu Di	Sima Dan	344–361	Yonghe 345–357 Shengping 357–361
Ai Di	Sima Pi	361–365	Longhe 362–363 Xingning 363–365
Fei Di	Sima Yi	365–372	*Taihe 365–372
Jianwen Di	Sima Yu	372	Xianan 372–373
Xiaowu Di	Sima Yao	372–396	Ningkang 373–375 Taiyuan 376–396
An Di	Sima Dezong	396–419	Longan 397–402 Yuanxing 402–405 Yixi 405–419
Gong Di	Sima Dewen	419–420	Yuanxi 419–420

Major events

External links