Former Liang
Encyclopedia
The Former Liang was a state
of the Sixteen Kingdoms
during the Jin dynasty (265–420)
in China
. It was founded by the Zhang
family of the Han Chinese
. Its territories included present-day Gansu
and parts of Ningxia
, Shaanxi
, Qinghai
and Xinjiang
.
All rulers of the Former Liang remained largely titularly under the court of the Jin dynasty as the Duke of Xiping except Zhang Zuo who proclaimed himself "wang" (prince/king). However, at times the other Former Liang rulers also used the wang title when imposed on them when they were forced to submit to Han Zhao
, Later Zhao
, or Former Qin
.
In 327, the Gaochang
commandery was created by the Former Liang under the Han chinese ruler Zhang Gui
. After this, significant Han chinese
settlement occurred in Gaochang, a major, large part of the population becoming Chinese. In 383 The General Lu Guang of the Former Qin
seized control of the region.
Sovereign state
A sovereign state, or simply, state, is a state with a defined territory on which it exercises internal and external sovereignty, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states. It is also normally understood to be a state which is neither...
of the Sixteen Kingdoms
Sixteen Kingdoms
The Sixteen Kingdoms, or less commonly the Sixteen States, were a collection of numerous short-lived sovereign states in China proper and its neighboring areas from 304 to 439 AD after the retreat of the Jin Dynasty to South China and before the establishment of the Northern Dynasties...
during the Jin dynasty (265–420)
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. It was founded by the Zhang
Zhang
Zhang may refer to:* Zhang , common Chinese surname* Zhang County , of Dingxi, Gansu* Zhang River , a river flowing mainly in Henan* Zhang, Beijing , town in Shunyi District, Beijing...
family of the Han Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
. Its territories included present-day Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
and parts of Ningxia
Ningxia
Ningxia, formerly transliterated as Ningsia, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Located in Northwest China, on the Loess Plateau, the Yellow River flows through this vast area of land. The Great Wall of China runs along its northeastern boundary...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
, Qinghai
Qinghai
Qinghai ; Oirat Mongolian: ; ; Salar:) is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake...
and Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
.
All rulers of the Former Liang remained largely titularly under the court of the Jin dynasty as the Duke of Xiping except Zhang Zuo who proclaimed himself "wang" (prince/king). However, at times the other Former Liang rulers also used the wang title when imposed on them when they were forced to submit to Han Zhao
Han Zhao
The Han Zhao , or Former Zhao, or Northern Han , was a Southern Xiongnu state during Sixteen Kingdoms period coeval with the Chinese Jin Dynasty...
, Later Zhao
Later Zhao
The Later Zhao was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. It was founded by the Shi family of the Jie ethnicity...
, or Former Qin
Former Qin
The Former Qin was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Founded by the Fu family of the Di ethnicity, it completed the unification of North China in 376. Its capital had been Xi'an up to the death of the ruler Fu Jiān. Despite its name, the Former Qin was much later and less powerful than...
.
In 327, the Gaochang
Gaochang
Gaochang is the site of an ancient oasis city built on the northern rim of the inhospitable Taklamakan Desert in Xinjiang, China. A busy trading center, it was a stopping point for merchant traders traveling on the Silk Road...
commandery was created by the Former Liang under the Han chinese ruler Zhang Gui
Zhang Gui
Zhang Gui was the governor of Liang province and first Duke of Xiping under Western Jin. He was the seventeenth generation descendant of King of Changshan Zhang Erh from the Chu–Han Contention era. In 301, appointed as governor of the Liang province. In 313, granted the title Duke of Xiping...
. After this, significant Han chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
settlement occurred in Gaochang, a major, large part of the population becoming Chinese. In 383 The General Lu Guang of the Former Qin
Former Qin
The Former Qin was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Founded by the Fu family of the Di ethnicity, it completed the unification of North China in 376. Its capital had been Xi'an up to the death of the ruler Fu Jiān. Despite its name, the Former Qin was much later and less powerful than...
seized control of the region.
Rulers of the Former Liang
| Temple name Temple name Temple names are commonly used when naming most Chinese, Korean , and Vietnamese royalty. They should not be confused with era names. Compared to posthumous names, the use of temple names is more exclusive... s | Posthumous name Posthumous name A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life... s | Family names and given name Chinese name Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Most noticeably, a Chinese name is written with the family name first and the given name next, therefore "John-Paul Smith" as a Chinese name would be "Smith John-Paul"... | Durations of reigns | Era names and their according durations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese convention: use family and given names | ||||
| Did not exist | Ming (明 Míng) | Zhang Shi (張寔 Zhāng Shí) | 314-320 | Jianxing (建興 Jiànxīng) 314–320 |
| Did not exist | Cheng (成 Chéng) | Zhang Mao Zhang Mao Zhang Mao , courtesy name Chengxun , formally Prince Chenglie of Liang or Duke Cheng of Xiping was a ruler and the commonly accepted first ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang... (張茂 Zhāng Mào) | 320–324 | Jianxing (建興 Jiànxīng) 320–324 |
| Did not exist | Zhongcheng (忠成 Zhōngchéng) | Zhang Jun Zhang Jun (Former Liang) Zhang Jun , courtesy name Gongting , formally Duke Zhongcheng of Xiping or Duke Wen of Xiping was a ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang... (張駿 Zhāng Jùn) | 324 324 Year 324 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Crispus and Constantinus... -346 346 Year 346 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantius and Claudius... | Jianxing (建興 Jiànxīng) 324 324 Year 324 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Crispus and Constantinus... -346 346 Year 346 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantius and Claudius... |
| Did not exist | Huan (桓 Huán) | Zhang Chonghua Zhang Chonghua Zhang Chonghua , courtesy name Tailin , formally Duke Jinglie of Xiping or Duke Huan of Xiping was a ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang... (張重華 Zhāng Chónghuá) | 346 346 Year 346 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantius and Claudius... -353 353 Year 353 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Magnentius and Decentius... | Jianxing (建興 Jiànxīng) 346 346 Year 346 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantius and Claudius... -353 353 Year 353 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Magnentius and Decentius... |
| Did not exist | Ai (哀 āi) | Zhang Yaoling Zhang Yaoling Zhang Yaoling , courtesy name Yuanshu , formally Duke Ai of Xiping, was briefly the ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang in 353 and early 354.... (張曜靈 Zhāng Yàolíng) | 3 months (the ninth to the twelfth month) in 353 353 Year 353 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Magnentius and Decentius... | Jianxing (建興 Jiànxīng) 353 353 Year 353 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Magnentius and Decentius... |
| Did not exist | King Wei (威王 Wēi Wáng) | Zhang Zuo Zhang Zuo Zhang Zuo , courtesy name Taibo , formally Prince Wei of Liang was a ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang... (張祚 Zhāng Zuò) | 353 353 Year 353 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Magnentius and Decentius... -355 355 Year 355 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Arbitio and Maesius... | Jianxing (建興 Jiànxīng) 353 353 Year 353 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Magnentius and Decentius... -354 354 Year 354 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantius and Constantius... Heping (和平 Hépíng) 354 354 Year 354 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantius and Constantius... -355 355 Year 355 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Arbitio and Maesius... |
| Did not exist | Jingdao (敬悼 Jìngdào) or Chong (沖 Chōng) | Zhang Xuanjing Zhang Xuanjing Zhang Xuanjing , courtesy name Yuan'an , formally Duke Jingdao of Xiping or Duke Chong of Xiping was a ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang... (張玄靚 Zhāng Xuánjìng) | 355 355 Year 355 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Arbitio and Maesius... -363 363 Year 363 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Iulianus and Sallustius... | Jianxing (建興 Jiànxīng) 355 355 Year 355 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Arbitio and Maesius... -361 361 Year 361 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Taurus and Florentius... Shengping (升平 Shēngpíng) 361 361 Year 361 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Taurus and Florentius... -363 363 Year 363 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Iulianus and Sallustius... |
| Did not exist | Dao (悼 Dào) | Zhang Tianxi Zhang Tianxi Zhang Tianxi , original courtesy name Gongchungu , later Chungu , nickname Duhuo , formally Duke Dao of Xiping , was the last ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang. He was the youngest son of Zhang Jun , and he seized the throne from his nephew Zhang Xuanjing in 363... (張天錫 Zhāng Tiānxí) | 364 364 Year 364 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augustus and Varronianus... -376 376 Year 376 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valens and Augustus... | Shengping (升平 Shēngpíng) 364 364 Year 364 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augustus and Varronianus... -376 376 Year 376 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valens and Augustus... |
See also
- Han ChineseHan ChineseHan Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
- List of past Chinese ethnic groups
- Wu HuWu HuWu Hu was a Chinese term for the northern non-Chinese nomadic tribes which caused the Wu Hu uprising, and established the Sixteen Kingdoms from 304 to 439 AD.-Definition:...
- Sixteen KingdomsSixteen KingdomsThe Sixteen Kingdoms, or less commonly the Sixteen States, were a collection of numerous short-lived sovereign states in China proper and its neighboring areas from 304 to 439 AD after the retreat of the Jin Dynasty to South China and before the establishment of the Northern Dynasties...
- Buddhism in ChinaBuddhism in ChinaChinese Buddhism refers collectively to the various schools of Buddhism that have flourished in China since ancient times. Buddhism has played an enormous role in shaping the mindset of the Chinese people, affecting their aesthetics, politics, literature, philosophy and medicine.At the peak of the...
- GansuGansu' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
- DunhuangDunhuangDunhuang is a city in northwestern Gansu province, Western China. It was a major stop on the ancient Silk Road. It was also known at times as Shāzhōu , or 'City of Sands', a name still used today...
- Memoirs of Eminent MonksMemoirs of Eminent MonksThe Memoirs of Eminent Monks is a compilation of biographies of monks in China from the introduction of Buddhism to China up to the Liang Dynasty....