Thursday, January 30, 2020
The Relationship Between the Barbarian Nations and China Essay Example for Free
The Relationship Between the Barbarian Nations and China Essay Introduction            One of the more notable periods in Chinese history was the establishment of the so-called â€Å"Barbarian nations†that happened between 309 to 439 B.C. These ‘Barbarian nations were also known as the â€Å"Sixteen States†or â€Å"Sixteen Kingdoms†though these were never part of nor considered to be dynasties among themselves. The Barbarian nations mainly comprised of: the  Han Zhao and Latter Zhao (Houzhao), Cheng Han, Former Liang (Qianliang), Latter Liang (Houliang), Northern Liang(Beiliang), Western (Xiliang) and Southern Liang (Nanliang), Former Yian (Qianyan), Latter Yan (Houyan) , Northern Yan (Beiyan) and Southern Yan (Nanyan), Former Qin (Qianqin), Latter Qin (Houqin) and Western Qin (Xiqin) and finally the Xia nations(â€Å"Sixteen Kingdoms†, 2006). The sixteen barbarians nations are considered as such because most of the people who belong in these states are not Chinese, though some were assimilated and integrated into Chinese culture later on. These ethnic groups include Turks, Mongolians and Tibetans characterized by their nomadic in nature and small populations (â€Å"History of China†, 2006). Also, although the leaders of the barbarian nations adapted Chinese customs and governance, most of them are not of Chinese descent. The barbarian leaders were largely considered as unscrupulous warmongers whose only ambition is to conquer China for themselves. All their political and military strategies were geared towards the short-run, and this proved to be the downfall of their small empires (Theobald, 2000). China’s relationship with the Barbarian Nations            The occupation of the various ethnic groups making up the Sixteen Barbarian nations were practically due to the various military uprisings that happened within the Jin Dynasty such as the so-called â€Å"Rebellion of the Eight Princes†(Theobald, 2000). The leaders of the sixteen barbarian states then saw this as an opportunity to seize control of China. In actuality, the Jin dynasty only managed to control the southern part of the Yangtze River, leaving the rest of China vulnerable to occupation. This weakness lead to the occupation of Northern China by ethnic groups and by the turn of the fifth century almost all of the ethnic groups that managed to control certain territories have already established their own states. Collectively, the fifteen major states that were established in Northern China along with the Kingdom of Chenghan located in the Southwest eventually became the sixteen barbarian nations. These sixteen states were autonomous from each other and conflict never seems to cease in between them and of course with the Jin dynasty. These conflicts lead not only to numerous deaths but also to the deterioration of the economy in Northern China as well as inter-racial mixing due to prolonged contact between the ethnic groups. Having been driven out from their territory, the Jin dynasty leaders never ceased their plans to reoccupy Northern China. Among these warriors sent by the Jin dynasty was Zudi, a gentry-official who regained the entire Yellow River Valley even though it was for a brief period of time. The noble of the Jin dynasty were able to conduct more attacks against the barbarian nations, but like Zudi’s campaign, they all failed because of the fierce counter-attacks made by the ethnic groups (â€Å"The History of China-The Sixteen States-Political History†, 2006).            Due to the conflicts that raged on the Northern China, the nobles of what remains of the Jin Dynasty decided to let the ethnic groups do as they please as they established a new economic order in the South of the Yangtze. This economic boom was made possible through the migration of peasants from the North who were seeking refuge from the conflict between the Jin Dynasty and the barbarian nations, effectively boosting not only manpower but also the technology base for both agriculture and handicrafts at that time (Theobald, 2000). Due to these developments in agriculture and handicrafts, commerce in the southern part of the Yangtze flourished. Later on, the city of Jianking was made by the Eastern Jin as their new capital city with the economic center moving from the Yangtze River Valley into the Yellow River Valley (â€Å"The History of China-The Sixteen States-Political History†, 2006). Conclusion    The establishment of the barbarian nations was considered by many as a foolish attempt to revitalize China. What the barbarian leaders might not have realized is that their plans and schemes were for short-term conquest rather than long-term governance which is necessary for the establishment of a strong nation. As with all violent uprising, the events that lead to the conflict between the Jin dynasty and the barbarian nations only lead to numerous deaths. But despite being laden with blood and violence, the relationship between the barbarian nations and China during the Jin dynasty yielded some advantages. For one, the Jianking flourished as one of China’s center for commerce at that time. Another unforeseen benefit was that it facilitated the transfer of agricultural and other form of livelihood technologies from the Northern part of China into the Southern part of Yangtze which eventually lead to the stability of the Jin Dynasty economy at that time. Also the dynasty was able to realize that the area they have evacuated into have high potentials for agriculture as the Yangtze river provided more than enough water for irrigation. Without this seemingly serendipitous migration of farmers, the Jin dynasty could never have established their strong economic hold upon the Southern part of the Yangtze which could have spelled their immediate downfall. This proves that the common folk are the backbone of any great empire and that noble and even barbarians should never ignore their importance. REFERENCES   â€Å"History of China†. (2006). Wikipedia. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://www-chaos.umd.edu/history/imperial.html#han. â€Å"Sixteen Kingdoms†. (2006). Wikipedia. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixteen_Kingdoms â€Å"The History of China-The Sixteen State’s Political History†(2006). TravelChinaGuide.com. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/jin/eastern.htm Theobald, Ulrich (2000). Chinese History.-Three Kingdoms. CHINAKNOWLEDGE a universal guide for China studies. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Song/song.html A comparison between life in China during the period of the Three Kingdoms and the Sung Dynasty Introduction            China is a well-know all over the world as a country with a very fascinating history filled with bloodshed and discovery. China’s timeline is riddled with civil wars and conquests and it has been known that the country has undergone a multitude of political and regional divisions. Among the two famous periods in Chinese history are the period of the Three Kingdoms and the Sung Dynasty. Although separated almost 700 years apart, there have been a number of striking similarities and differences between the two periods. The period of the Three Kingdoms is actually a part of the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.) in which various scientific and cultural advances were made (â€Å"History of China†, 2006). It is also at this period of political turmoil that three states (later known as â€Å"kingdoms†) tried to gain prominence and glory as China’s seat of power. This power struggle between the Three Kingdoms ignited a whole new series of wars, thus the period earned the distinction of being the â€Å"bloodiest†period in China. Though it has been known as such, the Three Kingdoms is immortalized today in many forms o media such as television programs, books and even video games (â€Å"Three Kingdoms†, 2006). On the other hand, the Sung Dynasty (960 B.C., also known as Song Dynasty) is known as period of unification for China despite being besieged by barbarian raiders from all directions. The Sung Dynasty is further divided into two different periods namely the Northern Sung Period and the Southern Sung Period. The Northern Sung (960-1127 B.C.) refers to the time when the dynasty was based in Kaifeng where it controlled most of mainland China. The Southern Sung (1127-1129 B.C.) On the other hand refers to the period when members of the Sung court sought refuge in Hangzhou city located south of the Yangtze River (â€Å"Song Dynasty†, 2006). Life in the Period of the Three Kingdoms            The period of the Three Kingdoms was characterized as period of great political turmoil in Chinese history. After the death of the great Chinese warlord Cao Cao (220 B.C.), his son Cao Pi established the first â€Å"kingdom†among the Three Kingdoms, known as â€Å"Wei†thus ending the Han dynasty. Soon after, the warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan established the â€Å"Shu†and â€Å"Wu†kingdoms respectively. Each of these warlords tried to control China through bloodshed and conquest but none of them ever prevailed (Theobald, 2000).            It is widely believed that much Chinese technological and cultural advancement were created at this time despite heavy political turmoil that characterizes the period. Some of the more notable inventions during the time of the Three Kingdoms were gunpowder and wheelbarrow (Poon, n.d.). On an economic standpoint, the period of the Three Kingdoms was among the wealthiest periods in Chinese history. The prosperity of the Han dynasty was also carried over unto this period as leaps and bounds in trade and commerce as well as transportation were evident (â€Å"Three Kingdoms†, 2006).            On a socio-cultural standpoint, the period of the Three Kingdoms saw the assimilation of the so-called â€Å"barbarians†in mainstream Chinese culture. This was also the time when Buddhism was spreading across China. This form of Buddhism was a cross of Indian Buddhism and Taoism (Frankenstein, n.d.) Life during the Sung Dynasty            The Sung Dynasty (960-1127 B.C.) emerged almost 700 years after the affairs of the Three Kingdoms and is widely revered as the â€Å"Chinese Renaissance†. Much of this period is characterized by political stability and prosperity just like in the period of the Three Kingdoms. This was the time of what is known as â€Å"civilian rule†, which favors the appointment of commoners (such as civilian scholar-officials) into government office. This centralized the current Emperor’s dominion over China. In terms of economy, the Sung period is known for the emergence of a new caste of wealthy commoners called the mercantile class. It can be said that in this period, Chinese trade and commerce were at its peak. This was also the time when printing made publications more available to the common folk, leading to the improvement of the education status of commoners all around China (Poon, n.d.)            The socio-cultural impacts of this period is shown by the adaptation of a new form of Confucianism called â€Å"Neo-Confucianism†which took on a more metaphysical view of Confucian teachings, taking Confucianism into greater heights that were never perceived off in the past. Also, at this time, Buddhism continued to flourish into what is known as the â€Å"Tang age of Buddhism†(Theobald, 2000). Conclusion            Both the Sung dynasty and the period of the Three Kingdoms showed economic growth and prosperity during their existence. This growth in the economy greatly favored merchants and commoners alike, especially in the Sung Dynasty when â€Å"civilian rule†was in effect. Though prosperity was also evident in the time of the Three Kingdoms, civilians were the one’s who were near the losing end because of the constant turmoil and death that surrounds them. The time of the Three Kingdoms on the other hand favored men of science and warmongers, as it is to be considered as a time of breakthroughs and innovations particularly in the field of warfare. For those who are involved in social and political matters, it can be said that the Sung Dynasty was the more favorable among the two time periods as there was at least some political stability at that time. For Buddhists, both periods are to be considered favorable as Buddhism continued to grow in spite of all the conflict and confusion that surrounded both time periods. REFERENCES Frakenstein, Pual. (n.d.). Song Dynasty. Condensed China. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://condensedchina.com/china2.html#3Kings â€Å"History of China†. (2006). Wikipedia. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://www- chaos.umd.edu/history/imperial.html#han. Poon, Leon (n.d.) The Imperial Area. History of China Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://www-chaos.umd.edu/history/imperial.html#han. â€Å"Song Dynasty†. (2006). Wikipedia. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_Dynasty Theobald, Ulrich (2000). Chinese History.-Three Kingdoms. CHINAKNOWLEDGE a universal guide for China studies. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Song/song.html â€Å"The Three Kingdoms†. (2006). Wikipedia. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Kingdoms#Three_emperors
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