Jin dynasty (266–420)
In 249, Sima Yi staged a coup d'état known as the Incident at the Gaoping Tombs. This event marked the beginning of the Sima clan's ascent within the kingdom of Cao Wei. The coup allowed the family to surpass the power of the ruling Cao clan. After Sima Yi died in 251, his eldest son Sima Shi took over as regent. He maintained tight control over the political scene for four years until his death in 255. Sima Zhao then became regent and suppressed rebellions to secure their position. In 263, he directed forces to conquer Shu Han and capture Liu Shan. This victory earned him the title King of Jin. His ancestral home was located in Wen County on the territory of the Zhou-era state of Jin. Sima Zhao died in 265 before attempting to usurp the throne himself. His ambitious son Sima Yan inherited the opportunity.
Sima Yan declared himself emperor of the Jin dynasty in February 266. He forced the final Wei ruler Cao Huan to abdicate. Emperor Wu permitted Cao Huan to live with honor as the Prince of Chenliu. Under his rule, the Jin dynasty conquered Eastern Wu in 280. This action reunited China proper for the first time since the end of the Han dynasty. Following unification, China entered a decade of peace and economic prosperity. Accounts detail the extravagant lifestyles of the aristocracy during this period. Emperor Wu upheld primogeniture by decreeing that his eldest son Sima Zhong would succeed him. Sima Zhong is posthumously known as Emperor Hui despite his apparent developmental disability. To protect his heir, Emperor Wu empowered princes and dukes with important military positions. Emperor Wu died in 290, ending the initial phase of stability. The War of the Eight Princes began immediately after his death. In 291, Empress Jia seized power and ruled behind her husband's throne. Her family was overthrown in a coup in 300, but civil wars broke out between Sima princes. These conflicts devastated most of northern China and the imperial military.
Sima Rui was enthroned as Jin emperor in 318 after the fall of Chang'an. He reestablished the government at Jiankang, which became the new capital. This marked the beginning of the Eastern Jin period. Since one of Sima Rui's titles was prince of Langya, northern states sometimes referred to his empire as Langya. The period saw the peak of menfa politics where gentry clans controlled national affairs. Powerful immigrant elite clans like the Wang clan of Langya and Taiyuan dominated the court. The Xie clan of Chenliu also held significant influence. A common remark stated that Wang Dao and Sima Rui dominated the nation together. When Emperor Yuan held court, he invited Wang Dao to sit by his side to jointly accept congratulations from ministers. Wang Dao declined the offer. The authority of emperors remained limited while these aristocratic families managed state affairs. Internal military crises plagued the dynasty throughout its existence. Rebellions by generals such as Wang Dun and Su Jun caused constant disruption to the throne.
In 383, a heavily outnumbered Eastern Jin force inflicted a devastating defeat on the state of Former Qin. The battle took place at the Fei River against Di-ruled forces. Former Qin had recently unified northern China before this engagement. After the battle, the Former Qin state began to collapse. Jin armies recaptured lands south of the Yellow River in the aftermath. Some territories were later lost but regained when Liu Yu defeated northern states during expeditions between 409 and 416. Despite successes like the Battle of Fei River, paranoia within the royal family often caused loss of support for northern campaigns. Lack of support by the Jin court was a major cause of Huan Wen's failure to recover the north in his earlier expeditions. The internal political instability frequently undermined military efforts to reclaim lost territory. The victory at Fei River remains one of the most notable achievements of the Eastern Jin era.
The uprising of the Five Barbarians led to one in eight northerners migrating to the south. These immigrants were called qiaoren or lodged people. They accounted for one-sixth of the population of the south at that time. Special commanderies of immigrants and white registers were created for these massive numbers of refugees. Those whose registers were bound in white paper were called baiji while others with yellow paper were huangji. When the crisis subsided, preferential treatment became a heavy burden on native populations. Tensions increased between local aristocrat clans of the south and immigrants from the north. Two prominent local clans, the Zhou clan of Yixing and the Shen clan of Wuxing, suffered bitter blows from which they never recovered. Southern China overtook the north in population due to depopulation of the north and migration of northern Chinese. Different waves of migration resulted in distinct groups of aristocratic lineages. The southern Chinese aristocracy was formed from the offspring of these migrants. In the Jiangnan region, Celestial Masters and nobility of northern China subdued the nobility of southern China.
Taoism was polarized during the Jin dynasty as emperors repressed Taoists harshly yet tried to exploit it. Amidst political turmoil, many successful merchants and small landowners found solace in Taoist teachings. Ge Hong emphasized loyalty to the emperor as a Taoist virtue. He taught that rebels could never be Taoist immortals, making the faith more palatable to imperial hierarchy. Popular Taoist religions were considered heterodoxy while official court schools received support. Buddhism gained traction among people of Eastern Jin during the chaos of the Sixteen Kingdoms. Non-Chinese found solace in this foreign teaching and its focus on addressing suffering. Even before Kumārajīva's 5th-century translations, there was early translation of the Lotus Sutra by monk Dharmarakshā in 286. It is said that there were 1,768 Buddhist temples in the Eastern Jin. While Taoism advanced chemistry and medicine in China, Mahayana contributions concentrated on philosophy and literature. The spread of Buddhism marked a critical era for the Mahayana school in China.
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Common questions
When did Sima Yan declare himself emperor of the Jin dynasty?
Sima Yan declared himself emperor of the Jin dynasty in February 266. He forced the final Wei ruler Cao Huan to abdicate and established the new imperial rule.
What event marked the beginning of the Sima clan's ascent within the kingdom of Cao Wei?
The Incident at the Gaoping Tombs staged by Sima Yi in 249 marked the beginning of the Sima clan's ascent within the kingdom of Cao Wei. This coup allowed the family to surpass the power of the ruling Cao clan.
Where was the capital of the Eastern Jin period located after the fall of Chang'an?
Sima Rui reestablished the government at Jiankang which became the new capital of the Eastern Jin period in 318. Northern states sometimes referred to his empire as Langya due to one of Sima Rui's titles being prince of Langya.
Which battle saw a heavily outnumbered Eastern Jin force inflict a devastating defeat on Former Qin?
The Battle of Fei River took place in 383 when an Eastern Jin force inflicted a devastating defeat on Di-ruled forces of Former Qin. Following this engagement, the Former Qin state began to collapse while Jin armies recaptured lands south of the Yellow River.
How many Buddhist temples existed in the Eastern Jin according to historical accounts?
There were 1,768 Buddhist temples in the Eastern Jin during the chaos of the Sixteen Kingdoms. Buddhism gained traction among people of that era and marked a critical time for the Mahayana school in China.