2. Introduction
The Era of Disunity, also known as the Imperial
Era, occurred between 220AD to 589AD. It
followed the fall of the Han Dynasty in 220AD. It
is named this because in this time China was no
longer ruled over completely by one
dynasty, but was split into several different
kingdoms. (although it was reunited by Wei for a
short period). Even though it was a period of
civil war civil war, arts, culture and technology
flourished.
3. 220-265
The country split into a series of smaller
kingdoms, the three main ones being that of
Wei (220–265), Wu (222–280), and Shu Han
(220–265), all of whom were constantly
competing for power. This period was known as
The Three Kingdoms Period.
4. 265-317
• Wei reunited China for a short while under the
Western Jin dynasty (265–317), but the Xiongnu
people managed to take over some of Northern
China, including the old areas of Chang'an and
Luoyang. The Western Jin was forced to move
their capital from Luoyang to Jiankang in the
south, becoming known as the Eastern Jin (317–
420) and leading to the start of a new era known
as the Northern and Southern Dynasties (317–
589).
5. 317-589
• The Eastern Jin and it’s successor dynasties
become known as the Southern Dynasties.
Meanwhile the North is dominated by sixteen
kingdoms, ruled by five non-Chinese peoples,
one of which is called the Xianbei. They unify the
North in 386 (the Northern Wei Dynasty) and this
dynasty and the five that follow it are called the
Northern Dynasties. Fights along the borders in
534 broke it up into the Eastern Wei, the Western
Wei, the Northern Qi and the Northern Zhou.
6. The End Of the Period of Disunity
• The Period of Disunity came to an end in 589,
when Yang Jian, from the Northern Zhou,
reunified China and set up The Sui Dynasty,
which lasted until 618.
