Three Kingdoms

The end of the Han dynasty was marked by the separation of the large families of that dynasty. The families took advantage of the weakened state of the government and started to establish their own private armies. Many dynasties were established during this time.

• Wei Dynasty (220 AD - 265 AD)
• Shu Dynasty (221 AD - 263 AD)
• Wu Dynasty (222 AD - 280 AD)

The Han Dyansty had fought non-Chinese tribes to the north to standstill. This warring brought the invasion of these northern tribes when the Later Han Dynasty collapsed. The non-Chinese invasions began in 304, and, by 317, the tribes had taken the control of the Tsin Dynasty. But, even though the Northern Tribes had wrested control of one dynasty, they could never take all of China. The non-Chinese rule lasted for about three centuries. This was the first time the non-Chinese controlled China. Their rule lasted until the Northern Wei Dynasty (386 AD - 534 AD) reclaimed China in 420 AD.

During the second half of the 5th century, the Northern Wei adopted a policy of Sinification. The agricultural part of Northern China was administered bureaucratically as it was in earlier chinese dynasties. Even though the Chinese were conquered by foreign tribes, they still had influence on their new rulers. Chinese clothing, customs, and language were adopted by the foreign invaders. After tribal cheiftains had been overexerted by the official policies of SInification, they rebelled and in 534 the dynasty fell. For the next 50 years, Northern China was ruled by non-Chinese.