Jin Dynasty (265-420)

The Jin Dynasty (晉 pinyin jìn, 265-420) followed the Three Kingdoms and preceded the Southern and Northern Dynasties in China. The dynasty was founded by the Sima family, 司馬 pinyin Sīmǎ.

The first of the two periods, the Western Jin Dynasty (ch. 西晉, 265-316), was founded by Emperor Wu. Although providing a brief period of unity after conquering the Kingdom of Wu in AD 280, the Jin 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 Former Zhao in 316.

Meanwhile remnants of the Jin court fled from the north to the south and reestablished the Jin court at Jiankang, whch was located south-eastward 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 Longya as Emperor Yuan of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (ch. 东晉 317-420) when the news of the fall of Chang'an reached the south.

Militaristic authorities and crises plagued the Eastern Jin court throughout its 104 years of existence. It survived the rebellions of Wang Dun and Su Jun. Huan Wen died in 373 before proclaiming himself emperor. Battle of Fei turned out to be a victory of Jin 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 hanging 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, urshered in the 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

• Sima's family tree of the Western Jin dynasty

Sovereigns of Jin Dynasty

Posthumous names	Family name and given names	Durations of reigns	Era names and their according range of years
Chinese convention: "Jin" + posthumous name + "di"
Western Jin Dynasty 265-316
Wu	Sima Yan	265-290	Taishi 265-274 Xianning 275-280 Taikang 280-289 Taixi January 28,290-May 17,290
Hui	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 4303 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
unknown	Sima Lun	301	Jianshi February 3-June 1,301
Huai	Sima Chi	307-311	Yongjia 307-313
Min	Sima Ye	313-316	Jianxing 313-317
Eastern Jin Dynasty 317-420
Yuan	Sima Rui	317-323	Jianwu 317-318 Daxing 318-322 Yongchang 322-323
Ming	Sima Shao	323-325	Taining 323-326
Cheng	Sima Yan	325-342	Xianhe 326-335 Xiankang 335-342
Kang	Sima Yue	342-344	Jianyuan 343-344
Mu	Sima Dan	344-361	Yonghe 345-357 Shengping 357-361
Ai	Sima Pi	361-365	Longhe 362-363 Xingning 363-365
Fei	Sima Yi	365-372	Taihe 365-372
Jianwen	Sima Yu	372	Xianan 372-373
Xiaowu	Sima Yao	372-396	Ningkang 373-375 Taiyuan 376-396
An	Sima Dezong	396-419	Longan 397-402 Yuanxing 402-405 Yixi 405-419
Gong	Sima Dewen	419-420	Yuanxi 419-420

Major events

• War of the Eight Princes
• Wu Hu ravaging
• Battle of Fei

Related Articles

• Sixteen Kingdoms
• Chinese sovereign
• Northern Headquarters Troops
• Song Dynasty
• Southern Dynasties
• Northern Wei Dynasty
• Northern Dynasties

Referenced By