Historically, why did the Northern Wei Dynasty finally put an end to the turmoil of the Sixteen Kingdoms? It was a turbulent time, the smoke never dissipated, and the flames of war burned all the time. In this divided era, heroes from all walks of life have risen one after another, wielding swords and dreaming of unifying the territory. However, in the end, it was only the emerging Xianbei tribe of the Northern Wei Dynasty that was able to reunite the land. What was the reason that made the Northern Wei Dynasty stand out from the many separatist forces? With what extraordinary wisdom and courage did they rely on to put an end to the turmoil that swept China? Let's find out and unravel this historical mystery.
The external environment of the troubled times of the Sixteen Kingdoms
In 376 AD, the army of Former Qin Fujian swept away the northern states and unified the northern land of China. The war lasted for more than half a century, bringing a brief reunification to the war-torn land. Although the former Qin army was brutal, it also made this long-chaotic region initially return to peace.
However, in the same year that the former Qin was unified, its founder, Fu Jian, encountered a rebellion, and all the sixteen states of Yanyun left. Only seven years later, the former Qin was overthrown in the Battle of Weishui, and once again fell into a scene of wolf smoke. However, this short period of unification laid the foundation for the end of the turmoil in the Sixteen Kingdoms.
First of all, the unification of the northern territories of the former Qin weakened the power of other powerful factions except for the Northern Wei. In the early days of the Sixteen Kingdoms, powerful regimes such as Later Zhao and Former Yan rose up repeatedly, leaving the north without sovereignty to follow. In the pre-Qin period, none of these once powerful separatist forces were spared, and they were wiped out under the iron armor of the former Qin. Although the Former Qin soon collapsed on its own, it also cleared the way for the rise of the Northern Wei Dynasty later.
Second, the unification of the northern land of the former Qin accelerated the process of ethnic integration in northern China. After the Wuhu Rebellion, the contradictions between the Han and Hu ethnic groups have not been completely eliminated. After the unification of the former Qin and decades of baptism of war, these contradictions began to gradually weaken, creating conditions for the future integration of the north and the south.
Finally, the Former Qin provided the Northern Wei with a rehearsal opportunity to unify the north. In the spiral development of history, there are very few examples of moving directly from chaos to long-term peace and stability. The unification of the northern territory of the former Qin Dynasty provided a useful way for the subsequent expansion of the Northern Wei Dynasty, allowing the Northern Wei Dynasty to learn from the lessons of the previous era.
In short, the rise and fall of the former Qin created a favorable external environment for the later rise of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Although the Former Qin itself quickly collapsed after the unification of the northern territory, it created an opportunity for the Northern Wei to finally clear the obstacles, eliminate the contradictions, and explore the way. The Northern Wei Dynasty was able to finally dominate the world, which was inseparable from the changes in the external situation during this turbulent period.
The internal cause of the rise of the Northern Wei Dynasty: Tuoba's foresight
Although the external environment created favorable conditions for the rise of the Northern Wei Dynasty, to truly unify the northern soil, a wise and courageous leader was needed. This leader was Tuoba Jue, the founder of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Born into a Xianbei aristocracy, he was captured by the Former Qin at a young age, and then returned to his homeland and succeeded to the throne as acting king in 386.
At the beginning of his succession, he encountered a rebellion from his cronies. In order to cope with the crisis, he took the initiative to ask for help from Houyan, the strongest force in the north at that time, and thus survived the difficulties. After that, Tuoba adhered to the strategy of long-distance friendship and close attack, not only forming alliances with neighbors, but also eliminating dissidents internally, and gradually expanding the territory of the Northern Wei Dynasty.
In the war, Tuoba showed great military command skills. He was good at mobilizing cavalry and winning by surprise; It can also use simple and effective tactics to defeat strong enemies. For example, in the decisive battle with Northern Yan, he set up an ambush cavalry raid and captured the main general of Northern Yan, Helian Bobo, thus turning the tide of the battle.
Tuoba is not only good at conquest, but also pays attention to the construction of productive forces. He ordered hundreds of thousands of immigrants to settle into the territory of the Northern Wei Dynasty and promoted agricultural and pastoral production, so that it could get rid of the backward state of pure nomadism. At the same time, he also placed Han gentry to unite Han talents and jointly govern the country.
In order to consolidate the foundation of the dynasty, Tuoba Jue did not hesitate to kill himself. He executed two eldest sons in succession to maintain the throne. Later, he killed the favorite concubine who had a personal friendship with him to prevent future troubles. These cruel practices were outrageous, but they did lay a solid foundation for the long-term peace and stability of the Northern Wei Dynasty.
In short, Tuoba has outstanding achievements in many fields such as military, economic, and political fields. He commanded armies and expanded his territory; Encourage production and attract talents; Stabilize the dynasty and do all kinds of evil. It was this far-sighted leader who made the Northern Wei Dynasty stand out from the many secessionist regimes and become the leader of the unified Central Plains.
The opportunity of the era of the rise of the Xianbei tribe
As an emerging Xianbei tribe, the Northern Wei Dynasty was able to finally unify the Central Plains, which was inseparable from the environment of the times at that time. During this period, it was a critical stage of the Xianbei people's high degree of civilization, and their social system and lifestyle underwent profound changes, laying a solid foundation for their rise.
The Xianbei people were originally a nomadic people living in the grasslands of northern China. However, since the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, they gradually migrated to the Central Plains civilization area, and at the same time began to transform into an agrarian society. By the time of the Sixteen Kingdom, the Xianbei people had taken root in the depths of northern China, and their way of life had changed dramatically.
The most obvious change is that the Xianbei people began to accept and integrate into the Han culture. As a result of their long-term contact with the Chinese, they gradually changed their original barbarian customs, began to wear Hanfu, learn Chinese, and believe in Buddhism. Especially after the Eastern Jin Dynasty crossed to the south, a large number of Han people moved north, which accelerated the civilization transformation of the Xianbei people. The Xianbei people not only learned the advanced culture of the Han people, but also hired a large number of Han officials to govern the country together.
At the same time, the social system within the Xianbei people also underwent changes. They evolved from chieftaincy tribes to highly centralized monarchies. For example, Qin Fujian promoted himself from chief to emperor, and his descendants also inherited the land, laying the foundation of the dynasty. The Tuoba clan, the rulers of the Northern Wei Dynasty, also became a solid centralized power within the Xianbei clan.
This series of changes made the Xianbei people gain unprecedented development opportunities during the Sixteen Kingdom period. They got rid of the backward nomadic way of life, and at the same time borrowed from the advanced Central Plains civilization. And the centralized monarchy brought a high degree of unity and continuity to their regime. It is precisely these favorable factors that have enabled the Xianbei people to stand out among many ethnic groups and become the main force in the unification of China.
The role of stepping stones in the Former Zhao and Former Qin Empires
In the process of the Northern Wei Dynasty's unification of the land of China, the two empires of Former Zhao and Former Qin, which had once unified the north, cleared many obstacles for the Northern Wei Dynasty, which can be said to be indispensable. They were like two stepping stones, creating favorable conditions for the Northern Wei Dynasty to eventually become the terminator.
The first to rise was Qianzhao. In 319 AD, the former Zhao built the capital in Pingyang, Hebei, and the founding monarch was the famous general Shi Le. Skilled in military affairs and enterprising, Shile soon expanded his territory to a vast area north of the Yellow River. During the heyday of the former Zhao Dynasty, the territory was vast, and the territory reached Yinshan and Shangdang.
In the face of the powerful Former Zhao, it was difficult for other separatist regimes at that time to confront it. For example, although Qianyan was also a warlord, its national strength was far less than that of Qianzhao. In 323, Qianyan was captured by Qianzhao and had to surrender to the throne. Qianliang, Xiliang and other small countries also attached to Qianzhao.
In the hands of Shile, Former Zhao had initially unified the north. However, the good times did not last long, and after Shi Le's death, his son Shi Hu was mediocre and incompetent, and soon let the scattered situation of Qianzhao re-unfold. In 350, Qianyan took the opportunity to counterattack and captured the capital of Pingyang, and Qianzhao has been in a slump since then.
Although the Former Zhao eventually fell, it briefly unified the north, clearing the way for those who came after it. More crucially, the centralized rule model of the former Zhao Dynasty set a model for later generations, and the Northern Wei Dynasty largely emulated this model.
Following the rise of the former Zhao was the mysterious former Qin. In 386, Fu Jian, the former Qin chieftain, was proclaimed emperor by his subordinates, and the country name was Qin. For more than ten years, the former Qin Dynasty annexed almost all the secessionist regimes in the north at that time with its thunderous momentum, just as Qin Shi Huang unified the six countries in that year.
In 394, the former Qin completely destroyed the predecessor of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Daidi was rich and was once the center of the northern secession, but under Fu Jian's command, this center eventually ceased to exist. After the establishment of the Northern Wei Dynasty, it naturally inherited this fertile land.
It was the expansion of the territory of the former Zhao and the former Qin that cleared many obstacles for the later expansion of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Although they all quickly perished themselves, they made a key contribution to the unification of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Without these two stepping stones, it would have been extremely difficult for the Northern Wei Dynasty to dominate the world.
In the final analysis, the road to reunification is a long and arduous task
Although the Northern Wei Dynasty eventually unified China, it was by no means an overnight achievement. After more than 100 years of difficult expeditions, the Northern Wei Dynasty was able to finally defeat the Southern Song Dynasty and completely complete the great cause of unification. This long and tortuous journey condensed the blood and sweat of countless Northern Wei Dynasty soldiers.
The Northern Wei Dynasty started in Pingcheng, north of the Yellow River, and was originally only a force among the Xianbei tribes. In 386 AD, after Tuoba Jue succeeded to the throne, the Northern Wei Dynasty began the road of expansion. After decades of war, by 441, the Northern Wei Dynasty had initially unified the vast area north of the Yellow River.
However, in order to completely unify China, it is not enough to occupy the north alone. At that time, the Song Dynasty in the south was still dominant in the Central Plains, and the situation of separating the clan from the gate lord clan had not been eradicated. In 439, the Northern Wei sent troops south, and the first large-scale conflict with the Song army broke out at the Battle of the Yellow River, which opened the prelude to the Northern Expedition to the Song Dynasty.
After more than ten years of hard fighting, the Northern Wei Dynasty finally conquered Nanjing, the capital of the Song Dynasty, in 452 and took control of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The Song Dynasty was defeated from then on, and could only retreat to the south of the Yangtze River. However, the Northern Wei Dynasty did not completely defeat it, but gave the Southern Dynasty a chance to breathe. The two sides continued to fight in the Jiangnan region for nearly 40 years.
By 486, the Southern Song Dynasty had been defeated and retreated, leaving only a corner of the southeast coast. Emperor Xiaowen, the new monarch of the Northern Wei Dynasty, took advantage of the victory to pursue and launched a general attack on the Jiangnan region. After a tenacious battle, the Northern Wei army finally fully occupied the last stronghold of the Southern Dynasty in 491. At this point, the more than 100-year war between the North and the South came to an end, and China was reunified.
This protracted war has left heavy scars on both sides. Although the Northern Wei Dynasty eventually won the victory, it also paid an extremely heavy price. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers of the Northern Wei Dynasty died on the battlefield, and the entire social productive forces suffered heavy losses. Later emperors of the Northern Wei Dynasty had to carry out drastic reforms to barely maintain the unified country.
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It can be said that although the Northern Wei Dynasty finally succeeded in unifying China, this road was too arduous and long. They have experienced a hundred years of fighting alone, and after several missteps, they are almost exhausted. In the end, reunification was achieved because of the strong cohesion and tenacity of the Xianbei nation, as well as the unique historical opportunity of the society at that time.