Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms: The Divided and Chaotic Era in Chinese History The imperial era in Chinese history lasted 2134 years, with a total of 11 dynasties from the Qin to the Qing dynasty. However, the real division and chaos of this are only more than six hundred years. Great unification has always been the mainstream of China, but after the decline of the two great empires of the Han and Tang dynasties, the successors did not have the ability to reunify the old rivers and mountains, resulting in a situation in which the world fell into a situation of chasing the deer. This led to the struggle of the Three Kingdoms for hegemony, the Five Hu and Sixteen Kingdoms, and the disputes between the North and the South, which lasted for more than three hundred years. Subsequently, Yang Jian stood up to reunify, bringing about a situation of great unification again. After the death of the Tang Dynasty, it experienced the chaotic era of five generations and ten countries. In these more than six hundred years, the most neglected are the five generations and ten countries. Why are the Five Generations and Ten Nations so neglected?
Because of the lack of a grand masterpiece depicting this era, this Asura field that has swallowed countless lives is depicted as a magnificent heroic hymn. However, the Five Generations and Ten Kingdoms are actually very interesting, and you just need to be good at discovering thought-provoking or interesting people and events. To understand what happened to the Five Generations and Ten Kingdoms, we must first understand how the Five Generations and Ten Kingdoms came about. The Tang Dynasty can be divided into two periods: the Tang Dynasty and the Declining Tang Dynasty. The heyday of the Tang Dynasty was the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, full of magnificent scenes of abundant martial virtue and exalted power. However, during the first year of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, the military system collapsed, and Li Longji could only rely on the conscription system to maintain the army. Compared with the provincial military system, the conscription system has the problems of high cost of raising troops and unstable troop strength. In addition, the training and fighting of government soldiers are not intertwined, and generals cannot directly command government soldiers in wartime.
In order to solve this problem, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang sent all his troops to the border areas and set up envoys to manage them. In this way, it was possible to defend the frontier and transfer the financial burden of raising troops to the localities. However, this also sowed the bane of the Anshi Rebellion. Although the Anshi Rebellion was put down, the system of festivals was preserved and began to be widely established throughout the country. Jiedu made the army under his control a domain. The town played an important role in the Middle and Late Tang dynasties. Although the clan was often criticized in later generations, it was in fact a military and political system adapted to the national conditions of the time. The Tang court relied on the feudal towns to maintain border security, and the feudal towns became the main force in suppressing various civil unrests. The existence of the clan town is not only a defensive line to block the Khitan people from going south, but also a sharp sword to control other clan towns.
However, due to the financial difficulties of the Tang court, the imperial court continued to disarm, which led to the weakening and turmoil of the domain. Coupled with the Huangchao Uprising, many clans and towns took the opportunity to expand their power, entered a state of separation, and attacked each other. In the end, the Great Tang court was unable to prevent the division of domains and towns, which led to the emergence of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. The beginning of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms was not Zhu Wen usurping the Tang Dynasty, but Li Keyong's former Jin Dynasty. Before Li Keyong, Hedong Jiedu made Li Keyong already divide one side and build the capital Taiyuan, forming the Former Jin Dynasty. Immediately afterwards, Wang Zhicun's Beiping State, Li Maozhen's Qi State, and Yang Xingmi's Southern Wu State were also divided one after another. This means that before Zhu Wen usurped the Tang Dynasty, the Great Tang court was already divided. And Zhu Wen is only the beginning of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, not the end.
The Ten Kingdoms in the south and the Northern Han Dynasty in the north still existed, and it took Zhao Kuangyin 20 years of southern conquests and northern wars to eliminate them one by one. Traditionally, when we refer to the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, we mean Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han and Later Zhou, as well as Former Shu, Southern Wu Tang, Wu Yue, Min State, Southern Chu Hanping, and Northern Han. However, in fact, there were not only nineteen states in the five dynasties and ten kingdoms, but also the states of Zhao, Jin, Yan, Yin and Beiping. In addition, there were three jiedu envoys who did not officially call themselves emperors, namely Dingyan, Wuping, and Qingyuan Junjiedu. Among them, the Dingyan army Jiedu later became Western Xia and resisted the Northern Song Dynasty. All in all, the traditional Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms lasted a total of 73 years, from Zhu Wen's usurpation of the Tang Dynasty to the Northern Song dynasty's destruction of the Northern Han Dynasty. However, if you count from Li Keyong Lijin, the period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms is as long as 97 years.
The history of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period is chaotic, but also interesting. Although it lacks a masterpiece that is heard in the city, there are still many thought-provoking or interesting characters and events. This history deserves our attention and study in order to better understand the development and changes of Chinese history. Summary: Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms is a divided and chaotic era in Chinese history, which lasted for nearly 100 years. Its formation stemmed from the decline of the Tang court and the division of domains and towns. Despite the chaos of the history of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, there are still many thought-provoking or interesting characters and events in it. We should value this history to better understand the evolution of Chinese history. Today, we can also learn from this and continuously improve our institutions and governance capabilities to ensure the long-term stability of the country.
What do you think about the history of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period? What do you think we can learn from this? Please share your thoughts in the comments. (The above content is edited and sorted out for reference) During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the Southern Ten Kingdoms were relatively peaceful, and the Southern Tang Dynasty had an unprecedented and stable record of annihilation. On the contrary, the five generations of countries in the north changed frequently, and there were constant wars. What is the reason for all this? In this article, we will explore the different fates of the ten countries of the South and the five generations of the North, and explore the reasons behind them. The relative peace of the ten southern countries contrasts sharply with the frequent wars of the northern five generations of countries. The ten southern countries are located in the economic center, with frequent commercial and trade exchanges, and the people live and work in peace and contentment. At the same time, the southern princes loved peace and were reluctant to get involved in endless wars.
They pay more attention to economic development and social stability, so they are able to lead a relatively stable life. In the north, however, five generations of states changed frequently, and various rulers had ambitions and desire for expansion, constantly waging wars for power and territory. This has left the situation in the north volatile and the people living in the shadow of constant war. The short-lived phenomenon of the five generations of the northern country reflects the warlike nature and violent mood of the northern fangxiong. These rulers were keen on conquest, and they believed that "those who are strong should be worthy of it." If they can't destroy a country in a few years, they will even feel humiliated. However, belligerent people tend to attract more enemies and setbacks, and they are more likely to suffer defeat. On the contrary, the southern princes were more calm and restrained, and they did not pursue war and conquest, but focused on internal political construction and economic development.
It was in this gentle way that they established stable regimes and made the South a new economic center. However, although the ten countries of the South are relatively peaceful, their presence is not strong. When we mention the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, people pay more attention to the story of the five northern dynasties. This is because the rulers of the five generations of northern countries have shown greater ambition and strategic skill. For example, after Zhu Wen usurped the Tang Dynasty, the southern princes submitted to the Tang dynasty, but Yang Xingmi of the Southern Tang refused to recognize Zhu Wen's rule. In the Later Tang Dynasty, Li Cunxuan successfully destroyed Houliang and other northern countries, and almost achieved the unification of the north and south. The actions of these northern heroes have left a strong mark on their history. In contrast, the rulers of the ten southern countries were relatively mediocre, lacking in initiative and content with a quiet corner.
Therefore, their presence in history is low. Among these five generations of countries, Li Keyong is a particularly striking figure. He is a Shatuo ethnic group with excellent military skills and leadership skills. He had been confronting Juwen and suffered repeated losses in war. Although he had no ambitions to usurp the Tang Dynasty, he remained loyal to the Tang Dynasty and worked hard to defend its dignity. His feud with Zhu Wen lasted throughout the Five Dynasties period, and their conflict lasted for more than 20 years. However, Zhu Wen eventually usurped the throne of the Tang Dynasty, and Li Keyong was only able to establish a small state in Hedong. Despite this, he continued to confront Juwen and maintained his loyalty. His son Li Cunxuan inherited his ambitions and destroyed Later Liang, but still adopted the national name "Tang". They are considered heroes in history to defend the Tang Dynasty.
However, in fact, their bloodline has nothing to do with the real Tang royal family, they are more of a promiscuous thief. Although the Later Tang only existed for 14 years, it was an important dynasty during the Five Dynasties period. This is because the Later Tang Dynasty inherited the past and the future in the five dynasties, which had a profound impact on Chinese history. The Shatuo and Hedong lineages are two important features of the Later Tang Dynasty. The Shatuo people played an important role in the Five Dynasties period, not only for the Tang Dynasty, but also played a key role in the establishment and development of the Later Tang Dynasty. Their identification with and acceptance of Han culture earned them high praise during the reign of the Later Tang Dynasty. At the same time, the rulers of the Hedong system were also an important pillar of the Later Tang Dynasty. Whether it was the emperor of the Later Tang Dynasty or other important generals, almost all came from Li Keyong's Hedong Domain.
They have shown outstanding leadership and strategic vision in five generations of war. It was precisely because of the dual influence of the Shatuo and Hedong lineages that the Later Tang became an important dynasty during the Five Dynasties period. However, why did the Hou Tang die so quickly? In addition to the death of the emperor of the Li family himself, there is another important reason, that is, it is not strong enough. During the reign of the Later Tang Dynasty, the lack of troops became a key problem. For example, in the fourth year of Tongguang, Huangfuhui launched a rebellion in Yecheng, and Li Conghou decided to send Li Siyuan to suppress the rebellion. However, Li Siyuan did not carry enough troops, and as a result, his army was defeated and Li Conghou was killed. Subsequently, Li Siyuan ascended the throne and became emperor, but did not notice his godson Li Congke by his side. Li Congke was a man of outstanding military ability, and he enjoyed a high reputation in the army.
However, shortly after Li Conghou ascended the throne, Li Congke rebelled because of his dissatisfaction with Li Conghou. He soon gained the support of many soldiers, and even Luoyang was captured. Faced with this situation, Li Conghou chose to die by self-immolation. This series of events shows that the rulers of the Later Tang Dynasty did not take the right measures in the face of insufficient troops, which led to their demise. To sum up, the ten countries in the south and the five generations of the northern countries had completely different fates during the period of the five generations and ten countries. The ten southern countries are relatively peaceful and have stable economic development, while the five generations of northern countries have frequent wars and frequent regime changes. The reason for this difference is that the ten countries of the South focus on peace and development, while the five generations of the North are more belligerent and expansionist. In addition, the influence of the Shatuo and Hedong lineages also determined the pattern of the Five Dynasties period to a certain extent.
However, the decline of the Later Tang also exposed a problem, that is, it was not strong enough. This problem led to the short life of the Later Tang Dynasty and also became an important taboo during the Five Dynasties period. For us today, the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period was a period of war and turmoil. However, we can see some questions worth thinking about. For example, the importance of peace and development, and the need to be strong. The ten countries of the South have prospered through peace and development, while the five generations of the North have been decayed by war. Therefore, we should cherish peace and focus on development, rather than indulging in war and conquest. At the same time, the strength of a country needs to be supported by sufficient military strength, otherwise it will face the risk of being conquered by others.
Finally, let us consider the question: in today's world, are peace and development still key factors in achieving long-term stability in a country or region? Please share your thoughts in the comments. 【After reconstruction】Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms: During the chaotic era of the law of the jungle and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, China's regime changed frequently, internal and external troubles, and wars continued. Neither Shi Jingyu nor Liu Zhiyuan had the ability to unify the Central Plains, because in this era, only those who were strong in soldiers and horses could become emperors steadily. However, Guo Wei and Chai Rong in the later weeks were able to solve this problem. They used force to suppress the clans and warlords, rectify the central forbidden army, and improve their combat effectiveness. At the same time, it attaches importance to the role of civil officials, so that there are checks and balances between civil and military affairs. Under their governance, the Later Zhou state was greatly strengthened and the military strength was at its peak.
They not only defeated the Khitan and Northern Han, but also went south to attack the Southern Tang and seize large areas of territory. However, the hard work of Guo Wei and Chai Rong ultimately ended in failure, and their fortunes were usurped by the later Zhao Kuangyin. This era was destined to survive only the strong, and the ten countries in the south survived the civil war and eventually disappeared. After the rise of the Northern Song Dynasty, there was contempt and rejection of the southern scholars, and the officials in the south were mixed up in the officialdom. As a lonely regime in the north, although the Northern Han had the support of the Khitans, they stubbornly resisted until the last breath and did not surrender. The demise of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms marked the end of a chaotic era. 【Conclusion】The period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms was a chaotic era of the law of the jungle, with frequent regime changes and internal and external troubles. In this era, only those who are strong and strong can firmly become emperors.
However, Guo Wei and Chai Rong of Later Zhou were able to solve this problem by forcefully suppressing the clan and warlords, rectifying the central forbidden army, and improving its combat effectiveness. Their governance greatly boosted the national strength of Later Zhou and the military power flourished. However, they ultimately failed, and their fortunes were usurped by later Zhao Kuangyin. This era was destined to survive only the strong, and the ten southern countries survived the civil war and eventually disappeared. After the rise of the Northern Song Dynasty, there was contempt and rejection of the southern scholars, and the officials in the south were mixed up in the officialdom. As a lonely regime in the north, although the Northern Han had the support of the Khitans, they stubbornly resisted until the last breath and did not surrender. The demise of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms marked the end of a chaotic era. Do we still have similar problems in today's society? How can we avoid repeating the mistakes of five generations and ten countries?