Overview
The Western Jin (265–316; some sources date its founding to 266, but this site uses 265) reunified China in 280 yet was weakened by the War of the Eight Princes. Non-Han peoples founded a succession of northern states known as the Sixteen Kingdoms, and the Jin court fled south to Jiankang (modern Nanjing) as the Eastern Jin (317–420).
Key developments
From 420, the southern dynasties — Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen — faced the northern dynasties, the Northern Wei and its successors. Buddhism spread widely in both north and south, and Northern Wei rulers, notably Emperor Xiaowen, pushed sinicization.
End and transition
The Sui conquered Chen in 589, reuniting China after nearly three centuries of division.