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Chinese History - The Sixteen Kingdoms 五胡十六國 (300~430)

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The Sixteen Kingdoms
Later Zhao 後趙, Ran-Wei 冉魏

period before (Jin Dynasty)
-- Southern Dynasties
-- Northern Wei
next period (Sui)

Southern and Northern Dynasties overview


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.

Rulers of Later Zhao (Houzhao) 後趙 (319-351)

Capitals: Xiangguo 襄國 (modern Xingtai 邢台/Hebei), Ye 鄴 (near modern Anyang 安陽/Hebei)

Ethnicity: Jie 羯, said to be a subtribe of the Xiongnu

dynastic title
-----reign mottos (begin)

temple name

personal name

time

Houzhao Mingdi 後趙明帝
-----Taihe 太和 319/328
-----Jianping 建平 330
Houzhao Gaozu 後趙高祖

Heavenly King of Great Zhao 大趙天王, Emperor.

Shi Le 石勒319-333
The Prince of Haiyang 海陽王
-----Yanxi 延熙 334
Shi Hong 石宏333-334
Houzhao Wudi 後趙武帝
-----Jianwu 建武 335
-----Taining 太寧 (泰寧) 349
Houzhao Taizu 後趙太祖

Emperor in 349.

Shi Hu 石虎335-349
The Prince of Qiao 譙王The Duke of Qi 齊公Shi Shi 石世349
The Prince of Pengcheng 彭城王Shi Zun 石遵349
The Prince of Yiyang 義陽王
-----Qinglong 青龍 350
Shi Jian 石鑑349-350
The Prince of Xinxing 新興王
-----Yongning 永寧 350
Shi Zhi 石祗350-351
Shi Xun 石尋

The Ruler of Ran-Wei 冉魏 (350-353)

-----Yongxing 永興 350

conquered by Former Yan

Ran Min 冉閔 (Shi Min 石閔), adoptive grandson of Shi Hu350-352

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