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The Collapse of Later Zhao and the Rise of Chaos After Shi Le died in 333 CE, his son Shi Hong briefly succeeded him – but real power lay with his ruthless nephew, Shi Hu. A seasoned general with a loyal army, Shi Hu forced Shi Hong to abdicate within two years. Declaring himself…
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From Nameless Slave to Warlord At the end of the Western Jin dynasty, chaos engulfed China. Borderland peoples – Xiongnu, Xianbei, Jie, Di, and Qiang – rose in rebellion, carving out kingdoms across the north. This era, later called the Sixteen Kingdoms, saw over twenty states emerge, many founded not only by non-Han groups…
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The Fall of Chang’an and the End of Western Jin After the Jin court reestablished itself in Chang’an under the young Emperor Min (Sima Ye), Han Emperor Liu Cong repeatedly ordered his general Liu Yao to crush the last remnant of Jin rule. Initial assaults failed – but in autumn 316 CE, Liu Yao…