The mere mention of the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties often evokes a single thought: chaos.
The era was marked by relentless strife: the War of the Eight Princes, the Disaster of Yongjia, the Five Barbarian Invasions, the Six Garrison Rebellions, the Rebellion of Hou Jing… It's a time so plagued by wars that it's hard to keep track. People lived in constant turmoil, exacerbated by the barbaric and fierce invaders. Traditionally, this period is viewed as one of the darkest in Chinese history.
To truly grasp the tumultuous history of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, one must understand the six legendary families that shaped this era.
The Most Prestigious Clan: The Wang Family of Langya
When the Western Jin Dynasty fell, the Sima family barely escaped with their lives, famously crossing the Yangtze River with just five horses. Sima Rui, with the backing of the powerful Wang family of Langya, established the Eastern Jin Dynasty in Jiankang (modern-day Nanjing), becoming Emperor Yuan of Jin.
Sima Rui's ascent to power was inseparable from the support of the Wang family. As recorded in “Shishuo Xinyu,” upon his enthronement, Emperor Yuan insisted that Prime Minister Wang Dao share the imperial bed with him to receive homage from the officials—an extraordinary honor befitting the foremost family in the land. Hence, the saying, “The Wang and Sima families share the realm.”
The Restoration Enthusiasts: The Murong Family
The Murong clan seemed to have a family tradition of restoration. After the first Murong kingdom of Former Yan fell, they tirelessly pursued restoration through Later Yan, Western Yan, and Southern Yan.
This spirit is vividly depicted in Jin Yong's novel “Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils,” where Murong Fu and his father Murong Bo are depicted as relentless in their quest to restore their kingdom, embodying a poignant, albeit futile, determination.
The Hanization Fanatics: The Tuoba Family
In the early Western Jin period, a Tuoba chieftain visited Luoyang and learned the simple trick of using a slingshot to hunt birds. Upon returning, his tribesmen were so astonished that they deemed the skill sorcery, illustrating the Tuoba's primitive cultural level at the time.
Yet, among the northern regimes established by non-Han peoples during the Sixteen Kingdoms period, the Northern Wei of the Tuoba clan became the most thoroughly Sinicized. They moved the capital, adopted Han dress, changed surnames, and encouraged intermarriage, transforming themselves through fire and blood.
However, their Sinicization policies led to severe repercussions, such as the Six Garrison Rebellions, ultimately resulting in the Northern Wei's downfall.
The Self-Destructive Liu Yu Family
Liu Yu started as a penniless commoner, much like Liu Bei, the founding emperor of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period. He farmed, chopped wood, fished, and even sold straw sandals, experiencing every hardship life had to offer.
In 420 AD, after amassing immense prestige over many years, Liu Yu deposed the last Eastern Jin emperor, Sima Dewen, and established the Liu Song Dynasty. However, his descendants proved to be incapable and self-destructive. Liu Yu's seven sons, over forty grandsons, and more than seventy great-grandsons were consumed by internecine strife, eventually leading to their mutual destruction. The Liu Song Dynasty lasted only sixty years.
The Madmen of Northern Qi: The Gao Family
The Gao family of Northern Qi was outwardly charismatic and brilliant but inwardly depraved and brutal. High in appearance and intellect, they were also notorious for their alcoholism, incest, and bloodthirstiness.
Only the founder, Gao Huan, was relatively normal, and it was his legacy that allowed Northern Qi to endure for 28 years despite the madness. Had the Northern Zhou not risen swiftly to extinguish Northern Qi, the Gao family's madness might have continued unabated. This echoes the saying, “Corruption precedes infestation.”
The Rising Power: The Yuwen Family
The rise of Northern Zhou to northern hegemony is attributed to three capable men from the Yuwen family: the founder Yuwen Tai, the protector Yuwen Hu, and Yuwen Yong, who led the dynasty to its peak.
Originally the weakest of the three competing states (Eastern Wei, Western Wei, and Southern Liang), Northern Zhou leveraged Yuwen Tai's meticulous efforts and Yuwen Yong's strategic patience over twelve years. Ultimately, they turned the tide and obliterated their arch-rival, Northern Qi, dominating the north.