|
Political History
After the Eastern Jin Dynasty, there concurred many rivaling regimes over the country. China was torn apart into the confronting north and south. It was the time that saw the highest frequency of the ups and downs of the different dynasties.
www.1155815.cn
In the south, there were four consecutive dynasties, the Song, the Qi, the Liang and the Chen, with 160 years. Since all the southern regimes established their capital in present Nanjing City, they got a general term the Southern Dynasties. During this time, hereditary big families underwent their downfall after long-time social prominence ever since the Western Jin Dynasty (265 - 316). Although they still held the noble status, they could no longer meddle in the state affairs. Meanwhile the normal scholars enjoyed the most favorable opportunity and were trusted important assignments by the ruling class. The emperors retrieved the real power over the country. 1155815.com
At the end of the chaotic period of the Sixteen States, a nomadic tribe, Xianbei, which was little civilized, gradually became powerful. In 386, the chief of the Xianbei set up their regime of the Beiwei (the Northern Wei). In 439, the Beiwei Empire unified the region north of the Yellow River and settled the capital in present Datong, Shanxi Province, marking the beginning of the Northern Dynasties.
wish.1155815.com
In 471, the Emperor Xiaowen of the Wei relocated his capital in Luoyang and vigorously promoted the learning of the Han culture. He ordered his men to dress up like the Han people, speak their language and adopt the surname of Han's. He also encouraged the intermarriage between the Xianbei people and the Han and employed many Han officials in the court. Moreover, in economy, Emperor Xiaowen promulgated a decree to implement the land equalization system. All this contributed to the development of the society and the amalgamation of the Chinese nationalities. 1155815.com
However, the reform encountered strong objection from the conservative force among the Xianbei aristocrats. After the Emperor Xiaowen died, his reform was revoked, which intensified the conflicts inside the ruling class between the Xianbei and the Han aristocrats. Before long, the Wei Empire was broken up into the Dongwei (the Eastern Wei) and the Xiwei (the Western Wei), which later were supplanted respectively by the Beiqi (the Northern Qi) (550-557) and the Beizhou (the Northern Zhou) (557-581). Historically, the Northern Dynasties referred to the regimes of the Beiwei, the Dongwei, the Xiwei, the Beizhou and the Beiqi.
1155815.cn
Although the confrontation during this time held back the development of the social productivity, the amalgamation of different ethnic groups reached its unprecedented stage. And thanks to the southern regimes, though short-lived, otherwise Chinese civilization would be vandalized if the whole country were under the control of the ethnic group. 1155815.com
|
