Southern and Northern Dynasties

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History of China series.

Shang Dynasty

Zhou Dynasty

Qin Dynasty

Han Dynasty

Three Kingdoms

Jin Dynasty

S. and N. Dynasties

Sui Dynasty

Tang Dynasty

5 Dynasties & 10 Kingdoms

Song Dynasty

Yuan Dynasty

Ming Dynasty

Qing Dynasty

Republic of China

PRC (1949-1976)

PRC (1976-present)

Timeline of Chinese history

This article the top of the Southern
and Northern Dynasties series.

Southern Dynasties

Song Dynasty (420-479)

Qi Dynasty

Liang Dynasty

Chen Dynasty

Sixteen Kingdoms

Northern Dynasties

Northern Wei Dynasty

Eastern Wei Dynasty

Western Wei Dynasty

Northern Qi Dynasty

Northern Zhou Dynasty

Southern and Northern Dynasties (南北朝, pinyin Nánběicháo) (420-589) followed Jin Dynasty and preceded Sui Dynasty in China and was an age of civil wars and disunity.

During this period the process of sinicization accelerated among the non-Chinese arrivals in the north and among the aboriginal tribesmen in the south. This process was also accompanied by the increasing popularity of Buddhism (introduced into China in the first century A.D.) in both north and south China.

Despite the political disunity of the times, there were notable technological advances. The invention of gunpowder (at that time for use only in fireworks) and the wheelbarrow is believed to date from the sixth or seventh century. Advances in medicine, astronomy, and cartography are also noted by historians.

Southern and Northern Dynasties

See also