A universal guide for China studiesChinese History - The Sixteen Kingdoms 五胡十六國 (300~430) |
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The Sixteen Kingdoms | period before (Jin Dynasty) -- Southern Dynasties -- Northern Wei next period (Sui) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Xiongnu 匈奴 Shi Le 石勒 hold an eminent position in the military system of the Jin Dynasty 晉. Together with Liu Yuan 劉淵, he sacked the city of Luoyang 洛陽. Shi Le was able to control the whole area north of the Yellow River. When Liu Yuan proclaimed himself emperor of Former Zhao (Qianzhao 前趙), Shi Le called himself Great Chieftain (Dashanyu 大單于) and King of Zhao 趙王. He was able to destroy the rule of Former Zhao in 329, calling himself emperor the next year on. The last years of Later Zhao are characterized by internal power struggles. The Chinese Ran Min 冉閔 (also called Wei Min 魏閔), an adoptive son of the Shi ruler, finished the power of the Shi clan. Later historians blame Ran Min for his brutal regime. He introduced the Chinese rank system to win the support of the local Chinese gentry. His rule is often counted as a separate dynasty called Wei-Ran 魏冉 or better Ran-Wei 冉魏 (as contrary to Cao-Wei 曹魏 and the later Northern Wei/Beiwei 北魏). After the initial years that was characterized by sacking and plundering, Shi Le started to establish a civil government with a functioning tax system. The people was strictly divided into Non-Chinese and Chinese. To control the population and to ensure the supply of the capitals, large groups of people were resettled in the areas of Xiangguo 襄國 and Ye 鄴. The aristocracy had the special right to enter the ranks of officialdom that was divided into nine ranks (jiupin 九品) since the Cao-Wei Dynasty. Officials were trained in a state academy (taixue 太學). The Zhao empire is named after the old feudal state of Zhao 趙 during the Zhou Dynasty 周. See also titles of rulers. Note: The rulers of the sideline dynasties are usually not called with their posthumous dynastic titles but with their personal names as they are not accepted as righteous rulers by official historiographies.
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