The Northern Dynasties (317-589) and the Impact of Inner Asia

Unintended Consequences of China-Inner Asia Interaction

Increased interaction in borderlands

Han Wudi’s settlers in North and NW

Han Dynasty-Xiongnu Tributary relations, 54 BCE-155 CE

Southern Xiongnu in Han armies as cavalry

Shanyu Bi's move closer to Han, 47 CE

40-50,000 warriors and families

Political Chaos in China and Inner Asia

Xiongnu collapsed in 155

Han civil war from 189 onward

*Three Kingdoms Period (220-80)

Wei (220-65)

Cao Cao (ca. 155-220)

Eastern Han “regent“ 192-220 Cao Pi (187-226)

(Shu) Han (221-63)

Wu (222-80)

*Jin Dynasty (265-317-420)

Sima Family of Wei

Sima Yi (179-251) “Regent,” 249

Sons inherit his position

Capital Luoyang

Conquest of Shu-Han, 263

Western Jin 265-317

Sima Yuan (Emperor Wudi, r. 265-89)

Grandson of Sima Yi

"Standard" model of usurpation

How did Cao Pi usurp rule from the Han Dynasty to found the Wei Dynasty?

Conquest of Wu, 280

China unified 280-311

Official Seals of Tribal Leaders

Sheep

"Marquis of the Loyal Qiang of the Jin" Dynasty [265-317]

Camel

"King of the Loyal Di of the Jin"

Fall of W. Jin Western Jin 265-317

War of 8 Princes, 301-7

Sack of Luoyang, 311

“Huns”

Shi Le

Eastern Jin Dynasty 317-420

Capital Jiankang (Nanjing)

16 Kingdoms in north 317-386

"China" Divided

Southern "Legitimate" Dynasties

Eastern Jin, 317-420

Former (or Liu) Song, 420-479

Southern Qi, 479-502

Southern Liang, 502-557

Southern Chen, 557-589

Northern Dynasties

*16 Kingdoms     311-386

*Northern Wei    386-534

*Xianbei (Särbi)
Tuoba (Tabgach) Ruling Clan

Northeastern Xianbei (Särbi) dynasties

Eastern Wei     534-550
Northern Qi    550-577

Northwestern Xianbei (Särbi) dynasties

Western Wei    535-556
*Northern Zhou    557-587

China Divided: Major Trends

Cultural creativity

a) Buddhism

b) Philosophy, literature and the arts flowered

Division between northern and southern China

Economic development of south

Immigration

Cultural divergence

Why?

Political instability

Legalistic controls over government administration decline

Personalistic politics flourishes

*16 Kingdoms (311-386) and Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534)

Chinese traditions of governmental organization

Controls agricultural populace

Inner Asian martial traditions

Mounted archers

Cultural Convergence

Evidence of Painted Tomb Bricks, Jiayuguan, Gansu province, 3rd century

Images from Gansu Provincial Museum (descriptions in Chinese)

Northern Wei Coffin, Ningxia, ca. 475

Confucian Sage-King Shun's filial piety in Xianbei (Särbi) garb

Daoist deity King Father of East presides over the realm of immortals wearing a Xianbei (Särbi) hat

Deceased banqueting in Inner Asian pose

*Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534)

*Xianbei (Särbi)

Tuoba (Tabgach) Ruling Clan

Capital at Pingcheng (modern Datong)

Established in 398 CE

Taiwudi “Great Martial Emperor” (r. 424-52)

Conquered N. Liang in Gansu in 439

Emperor Wencheng (r. 452-465)

Empress Dowager Chang (dowager, 453-460, nursemaid of Wencheng)

Pearce, "A King’s Two Bodies: The Northern Wei Emperor Wencheng and Representations of the Power of His Monarchy"

1. The first part of the article, “The Life and Times of Wenchengdi” (pp. 91-95), Pearce describes how Wencheng unexpectedly became emperor of the Wei Dynasty at age 12.

• What was the course of events?
• What does this tell you about the nature of power at the Wei court?

2. On the second paragraph of the first page of the article, Pearce writes, “one way to examine rulership…is to focus on how rulers portray themselves …through the use of various symbols and rituals.” What does Pearce mean?

• How does Pearce argue that Wencheng, or those around him, portrayed himself to different constituencies within the Wei empire?
  • How was he portrayed to the soldiers in his army? (pp. 95-97)
    • How do the Wei dynasty’s official history and the stone “Stele of the Southern Progress” differ in their depiction of archery contest in spring of 461 when Wencheng and his soldiers were on a progress in Shanxi?
    • What would explain the differences between the stele erected on the site and the Wei history that was passed down through time?
  • On the same trip, how did Wencheng interact with farmers? (pp. 97-99)
    • How was he expressing deference to Chinese traditions such as filial piety?
  • How was the construction of the caves at Yungang connected to his portrayal to all of his subjects?

3. Critical thinking, how much power did Wencheng actually wield by the time he passed away at a relatively young age?