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Rise of the Northern Wei and the Sage Minister In the turbulent years following the collapse of the Eastern Jin, northern China witnessed a new power rising from the steppe. In 386 CE, Tuoba Gui – a descendant of the Xianbei chieftain Yilu – founded the state of Wei, later known as the Northern…
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The Spark of Rebellion: Sun En’s Uprising In 399 CE, the Eastern Jin dynasty faced its gravest crisis yet – not from northern invaders, but from within. A massive popular revolt erupted across eight commanderies in eastern Zhejiang, led by Sun En, a charismatic leader of the Five Pecks of Rice Daoist sect. The…
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The Fateful Decision to Invade Jin In 382 CE, Fu Jian, Heavenly King of Former Qin, stunned his court by declaring his intent to launch a full-scale invasion of the Eastern Jin dynasty. “For over twenty years I’ve pacified the four directions – only the southeast remains. I cannot eat or sleep thinking of…