Upheaval of the Five Barbarians

Upheaval of the Five Barbarians

The Upheaval of the Five Barbarians was a time of trouble in China between the years 304 and 316. It happened when the old Western Jin dynasty was ending. Many groups of people who were not part of the main Han Chinese, like the Xiongnu, Jie, Qiang, Di, and Xianbei, lived inside China. Some of them had moved there many years before.

Because the government was weak and there were many wars, many people became unhappy. This led to big rebellions. One leader named Li Te started a rebellion in the year 301, and later his son Li Xiong captured the city of Chengdu in 304.

In the north, a man named Liu Yuan led a group called the Han-Zhao and declared independence from Jin in 304. Another leader, Shi Le, also rose to power and controlled eastern areas. These events marked the start of a long period called the Sixteen Kingdoms, where China was split into many smaller states.

Background

Demobilization and War of the Eight Princes

See also: War of the Eight Princes

In the early days of the Western Jin, the Sima family gave their princes the role of military leaders, which was not allowed before. After China was united again in 280, the emperor ordered that soldiers be sent home and reduced the power of local leaders. Only a few soldiers stayed in big areas, and smaller areas had even fewer.

This plan was meant to protect the government. But it helped cause a big fight called the War of the Eight Princes from 291 to 306. After the emperor died, his son took over, but he needed help to rule. The princes then fought each other for control.

As the Jin army became weaker, many areas were left without protection. During this time, groups known as the Five Barbarians, including the Xiongnu, Jie, Xianbei, Di, and Qiang, grew more powerful in northern and western China.

The Five Divisions and hu of Bing province

People from far away had been moving into China for a long time. In 50 CE, after a big split, some Xiongnu people became friends with the Han dynasty and lived near the Great Wall. But life was hard, and they often rebelled.

In 216, a leader named Cao Cao reorganized these people into five groups in central Shanxi. Over time, these groups mixed with others and faced many changes. Some leaders had to send their children to live in the Chinese capital as a sign of peace. Though they were allowed to hold positions in the government, they still felt unhappy.

Ethnic tensions in Guanzhong

The term "Qiang" described groups of people who lived by raising animals in western areas. They often worked as farmers but were sometimes treated unfairly. This led to many rebellions.

Other groups, like the Di, also lived in these areas. After the Han dynasty fell, many people moved into these lands, causing more conflicts. Tribes often fought with the government or each other for control.

Xianbei migration and alliances with Jin

The Xianbei people became strong after the Xiongnu and moved south looking for better land. Some groups made agreements with the Jin dynasty and helped them in battles. Their skills as horse riders made them valuable allies.

Climate Change

Historians think that changes in the weather helped cause people to move into China. Colder and drier conditions made it hard to farm in the north. This led many to seek warmer places or move into China. Natural disasters and famines became more common during this time, adding to the problems faced by the people and the government.

Rise of Cheng-Han

Many people had to leave their homes because of a rebellion led by Qi Wannian. These people moved south to places like Hanzhong and later to the Ba-Shu region. One leader among them was Li Te. In 300, he and his brothers joined a rebellion but later took control of Chengdu, the main city in the area.

In 301, the government asked these people to return north, but they refused because they were afraid. When the government tried to make them leave, Li Te led a rebellion against them. He won many battles against government forces. In 303, his forces reached Chengdu, and he began to act like a ruler. However, he died suddenly, and his family continued to lead. By 304, Li Te's son, Li Xiong, had taken control and created a new state called Cheng, later known as Han.

Rise of Han-Zhao

Founding of Han-Zhao

In 304, during a difficult time in China, Liu Yuan led a group called the Five Divisions to stand up against their rulers. Liu Yuan was in a city called Ye when he heard that another leader, Wang Jun, was attacking. Liu Yuan asked to gather his people to defend against Wang Jun. When Liu Yuan reached Lishi, he instead declared himself a leader and gathered around 50,000 soldiers.

Later that year, Liu Yuan called himself the King of Han, saying he wanted to bring back the old Han dynasty. Official records say that Liu Yuan came from an important family and used this to claim he should be the ruler. He later called himself the Emperor of Han in 308. (The name later changed to Zhao, so he is called Han-Zhao.)

Rebellions in Hebei, Henan and Shandong

At the same time, the Western Jin faced many uprisings in northeastern China. In 305, Gongshi Fan rose up in Hebei and in 306, Liu Bogen did the same in Shandong. These uprisings were stopped by the end of 306, but some of the rebels escaped and grew stronger. One of these leaders was Shi Le, a chieftain from the Jie people who had been sold into slavery during a famine.

After Gongshi Fan was defeated, his followers Ji Sang and Shi Le fled to Shandong where they gathered more people and attacked nearby areas. In 307, they attacked and burned the city of Ye for ten days. Later, they tried to attack another area but were defeated. Ji Sang was killed, but Shi Le survived and joined Liu Yuan's group.

Another rebel leader, Wang Mi, also escaped and gathered a large group of followers. In 307, he attacked several areas and killed many local leaders. In 308, his group tried to attack the capital city, Luoyang, but failed. After this, Wang Mi and his group joined Liu Yuan.

Disaster of Yongjia

The civil wars in China ended by 307, but the new leader, Sima Yue, faced many problems. The army was tired, cities were weak, and there were famines and droughts. In 309, there were locust swarms that destroyed crops in many areas.

In 310, Liu Yuan died and was replaced by his son Liu He, who was soon overthrown by Liu Cong. Liu Cong tried to capture Luoyang but failed. In 311, after Sima Yue died, the Jin army was led by Wang Yan. Shi Le’s forces attacked and defeated them in a big battle.

The Han armies then captured Luoyang in July 311, causing many deaths and destroying the city. This event was called the Disaster of Yongjia, named after the time period of the Jin emperor. The emperor was captured, and many of his family members were killed.

Final defeat of the Western Jin

Restoration in Chang'an

Even after losing their emperor and capital, the Western Jin dynasty continued for five more years. In 312, some Jin generals recaptured Chang’an and made a young boy, Emperor Min of Jin, the new emperor in 313. Though just a child, he served mostly as a symbol while his generals guided him. After retaking Chang'an, these generals fought among themselves for power. Emperor Min was later captured by two generals, Suo Chen and Qu Yun, but their control was limited to Chang'an and nearby areas.

Jin leaders in other regions, like Sima Bao and Zhang Gui, helped support Emperor Min. Some local tribes, such as the Qiang and Di, chose either to support the Jin, the rival Han regime, or stay independent during this confusing time.

Shi Le's conquest

Shi Le, a leader who joined the Han, grew strong in the northeast. After a major event called the Disaster of Yongjia, he took over the army of another leader, Wang Mi. Shi Le’s forces grew, and he eventually built a base in Xiangguo after facing difficulties attacking other cities.

Two important Jin leaders in the northeast, Wang Jun and Liu Kun, tried to resist Shi Le with help from tribes like the Xianbei Duan and Tuoba. However, these tribes sometimes changed sides, and the Jin leaders struggled to keep people in their areas due to war and hunger. Over time, Shi Le took advantage of their weaknesses. He convinced the Duan tribe to stop supporting Wang Jun, and later captured and removed Wang Jun from power in 314. With the Tuoba tribe also facing internal problems, Liu Kun was defeated by Shi Le in 316.

Fall of Chang'an

Main article: Fall of Chang'an

Liu Yao, a Han leader, was tasked with taking back Chang’an after it was lost. Despite some early wins by Emperor Min’s generals, Han forces kept pushing forward. By late 316, Liu Yao surrounded Chang'an. Food ran out, and the city’s defenders could no longer hold on. Emperor Min finally surrendered to the Han on December 11, 316.

Aftermath

Main articles: Sixteen Kingdoms and Jin dynasty (266–420) § Eastern Jin (317–420)

Sixteen Kingdoms

After big fights, many new groups wanted to take control. Some groups fought each other, making things unstable. New leaders came to power and often had to fight. This time was called the Sixteen Kingdoms because many small states tried to rule different parts of China.

Eastern Jin dynasty

In the south, away from the fighting, leaders from the Jin family found a new place to govern. They set up their court in a city called Jiankang, now Nanjing. Many people who left the north because of the fighting moved there and helped the new leaders. This new part of the Jin dynasty is called the Eastern Jin dynasty.

Historical impact

The end of the Western Jin dynasty caused big changes in China. Just 24 years after the end of the Three Kingdoms, China split again. This led to many years of fighting and trouble in the north. The north was finally brought together again in 439 by the Northern Wei, starting the Northern and Southern dynasties period. But China would not be fully united again until the Sui dynasty in 589.

During this time, many new ideas and ways of living spread. Tribes brought new ways to govern and new beliefs like Buddhism. As people from the north fled south, they brought their culture to places like modern-day Fujian and Guangdong, helping these areas grow.

Han Chinese migrations

The problems in the north caused many Han Chinese people to move south to safer places. This big move is called yī guān nán dù. Many important families moved south, including the Xie and Wang clans. These families helped start the Eastern Jin dynasty in Jiankang. The Eastern Jin depended on these noble families to stay strong.

Eight noble families, known as the "Eight Great Surnames," moved to Fujian when the Eastern Jin began. These families helped the south grow and stay peaceful while the north faced lots of problems. The moves of people from the north helped the south develop in ways like farming and culture.

Analysis

A writer from the Ming dynasty, Zhu Guozhen, talked about how Chinese dynasties handled groups of people called barbarians who had surrendered. He said that during the Eastern Han and Western Jin dynasties, these groups were settled inside China. Over time, they learned more about China and eventually rebelled, leading to big problems.

Zhu Guozhen praised the Ming dynasty for handling these groups better. He explained that the Ming placed many of these people, including the Mongols, in different areas and gave them rewards and positions in the military. Because the Ming kept strong control, these groups did not rebel. Even during a time of unrest, there was no major revolt. By moving some groups to places like Guangdong and Guangxi for military service, the Ming dynasty kept peace for over 200 years. He believed the Ming’s careful policies were much better than those of earlier dynasties.