Home Region: North China (East Asia)

Western Jin

265 CE 317 CE

D G SC WF CC

EQ 2020 cn_western_jin_dyn / CnErJin

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

[continuity; Later Wei Dynasty] [continuity] Update here

Succeeding Entity:

No Polity found. Add one here.

Displayed:

Learn more about polity border choices. Map Modern Map only Opacity Year Play rate (y/s)
Hit enter after changing the year or setting the play rate.

General Description

The Western Jin dynasty (House of Sima, Jin dynasty) briefly reunified China after the Three Kingdoms period, but was marked by political turmoil and internal rebellion. Sima Yan overthrew Cao Wei emperor Cao Huan in 265 CE and declared himself the Western Jin emperor.^[1] In its 280 CE conquest of Eastern Wu, Western Jin dynasty ended the Three Kingdoms period and reunified China.^[1] However, the central government was in almost constant turmoil because of internal conflict and corruption.^[1] A series of rebellions of princes against imperial authority known as the Revolts of the Imperial Princes (291-306 CE) weakened the central government and led to the Disorder of the Five Tribes (304-316 CE), a large uprising of northern nomadic tribes.^[2] In 316 CE, an imperial Jin prince fled south when a Xiongnu chief attacked the Western Jin capital of Luoyang. The prince went on to found the Eastern Jin dynasty in present day Nanjing.^[3] ^[4]
The territory of the Western Jin empire was close to the size of the Han empire.^[5] We have estimated that Western Jin polity territory covered 4.5 million square kilometers in 300 CE.
Despite the political turmoil of the period, advancements made in agriculture, craftsmanship, architecture, medicine, astronomy, and mathematics.^[6] Buddhism continued to spread throughout China, and Daoism was revived and seen as a more well-defined religion.^[7] There were many writers, poets and artists from the time of the Jin and the period is often seen as the first period for traditional Chinese art.^[8]
Population and political organization
The Western Jin maintained many administrative structures of the Han. The empire was divided into provinces and semi-autonomous kingdoms.^[5] However the Western Jin operated as a neo-feudal society.^[9] Military rulers governed with the support of relatives, and Confucian values gradually disappeared from the central government and the education system.^[3] The weak central government struggled to control the non-Chinese tribes living in the empire.^[9]
The population of the Western Jin empire was recorded as 16.16 million in a 280 CE census.^[10] The population of Luoyang was 600,000 people in 300 CE.^[11]

[1]: (San 2014, 145) San, Tan Koon. 2014. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. Malaysia: The Other Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/TB95WB7F)

[2]: (San 2014, 146) San, Tan Koon. 2014. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. Malaysia: The Other Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/TB95WB7F)

[3]: (Theobald, 2000a) Theobald, U. 2000a. “Jin Dynasty (265-420).” Chinaknowledge.de http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Division/jin.html Accessed June 17, 2017. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/DTQ5UTD5

[4]: (San 2014, 146) San, Tan Koon. 2014. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. Malaysia: The Other Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/TB95WB7F)

[5]: (Theobald 2011a) Theobald, U. 2011a. “Chinese History- Jin Period Geography.” Chinaknowledge.de. http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Division/jin-map.html Accessed June 17, 2017. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/VJ4ZVERD

[6]: (Theobald 2011b) Theobald, U. 2011b. “Chinese History- Science, Technology, and Inventions of the Three Kingdoms, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties.” Chinaknowledge.de. http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Division/jin-tech.html Accessed June 17, 2017. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/T5FAI5I6

[7]: (Theobald, 2000a) Theobald, U. 2000a. “Jin Dynasty (265-420).” Chinaknowledge.dehttp://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Division/jin.html Accessed June 17, 2017. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/DTQ5UTD5

[8]: (Theobald, 2000a) Theobald, U. 2000a. “Jin Dynasty (265-420).” Chinaknowledge.de http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Division/jin.html Accessed June 17, 2017. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/DTQ5UTD5

[9]: (Theobald, 2000a) Theobald, U. 2000a. “Jin Dynasty (265-420).” Chinaknowledge.dehttp://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Division/jin.html Accessed June 17, 2017. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/DTQ5UTD5

[10]: (Graff 2002, 35)Graff, D A. 2002. Medieval Chinese Warfare, 300-900. Routledge. London. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/NUJQCRPA

[11]: (Graff 2002, 50 )Graff, D A. 2002. Medieval Chinese Warfare, 300-900. Routledge. London. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/NUJQCRPA

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

2 Capital

3 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Suprapolity Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

1 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

1 Religion Genus

1 Religion Family

1 Alternate Religion Genus

1 Alternate Religion Family

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

1 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

1 Knowledge Or Information Building

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Non Phonetic Writing

1 Mnemonic Device

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

2 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Donkey

1 Dog

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases

1 Crisis Consequence

Power Transitions

13 Power Transition

Instability Events

13 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn) was in:
(265 CE 317 CE)	Middle Yellow River Valley

Home NGA: Middle Yellow River Valley

General Variables

Identity and Location Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	50 S	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Original Name	Western Jin	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Capital	Luoyang	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Capital	Changan	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Tsin	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Alternative Name	House of Sima	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Jin dynasty	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Temporal Bounds Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	[280 CE ➜ 300 CE]
Loading...

Duration	[265 CE ➜ 317 CE]
Loading...

Political and Cultural Relations Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	none	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Supracultural Entity	Chinese	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Succeeding Entity	Northern Wei	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Scale of Supracultural Interaction	[3,000,000 to 4,000,000] km²	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Preceding Entity	continuity; Later Wei Dynasty [continuity] Update here
Loading...

Degree of Centralization	unitary state	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Language Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Sino-Tibetan	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Language	Chinese	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Religion Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Religion Genus	Chinese State Religion	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Religion Family	Imperial Confucian Traditions	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Alternate Religion Genus	Buddhism	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Alternate Religion Family	Chinese Buddhist Traditions	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	600,000 people	300 CE
Loading...

Polity Territory	4,500,000 km²	300 CE
Loading...

Polity Population	16,163,863 people	280 CE
Loading...

Hierarchical Complexity Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	6	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Religious Level	[1 to 2]	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Military Level	[6 to 7]	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Administrative Level	9	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Professions Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Professional Priesthood	Absent Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Professional Military Officer	Absent Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Bureaucracy Characteristics Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Merit Promotion	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Examination System	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Law Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Judge	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Formal Legal Code	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Court	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Specialized Buildings: polity owned Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Irrigation System	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Food Storage Site	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Drinking Water Supply System	Uncoded Undecided	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Knowledge Or Information Building	Uncoded Undecided	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Transport Infrastructure Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Port	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Canal	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Bridge	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Special-purpose Sites Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Information / Writing System Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Script	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Nonwritten Record	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Non Phonetic Writing	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Mnemonic Device	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Information / Kinds of Written Documents Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Sacred Text	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Religious Literature	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Practical Literature	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Philosophy	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Lists Tables and Classification	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

History	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Fiction	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Calendar	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Information / Money Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Uncoded Undecided	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Precious Metal	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Paper Currency	Absent Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Indigenous Coin	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Article	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Information / Postal System Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

General Postal Service	Uncoded Undecided	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Courier	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Information / Measurement System Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Stone Walls Non Mortared	Unknown Suspected	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Stone Walls Mortared	Unknown Suspected	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Modern Fortification	Absent	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Moat	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Fortified Camp	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Earth Rampart	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Ditch	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Complex Fortification	Unknown Suspected	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Military use of Metals Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Iron	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Copper	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Bronze	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Projectiles Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Sling Siege Engine	Present Disputed	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Sling Siege Engine	Absent Disputed	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Sling	Absent Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Self Bow	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Javelin	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Handheld Firearm	Absent	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Crossbow	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Composite Bow	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Atlatl	Absent Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Handheld weapons Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Sword	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Spear	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Polearm	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Dagger	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Battle Axe	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Animals used in warfare Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Donkey	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Dog	Absent	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Armor Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Shield	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Scaled Armor	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Plate Armor	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Limb Protection	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Leather Cloth	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Laminar Armor	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Helmet	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Chainmail	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Breastplate	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Naval technology Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Present Inferred	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Unknown Suspected	265 CE 317 CE
Loading...

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Human Sacrifice Western Jin (cn_western_jin_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More