Former Qin
Qin, known as the Former Qin and Fu Qin (苻秦) in historiography, was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Fu (Pu) clan of Di ethnicity during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. Founded by Fu Jian (Emperor Jingming) who originally served under the Later Zhao dynasty, it completed the unification of northern China in 376. Its capital was Xi'an up to the death of the Emperor Xuanzhao in 385. Despite its name, the Former Qin was much later and less powerful than the Qin dynasty which had ruled all of China proper during the 3rd century BC. The adjectival prefix "former" is used to distinguish it from the "Later Qin dynasty" (384-417).
Qin 秦 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 351–394 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Former Qin 376 CE | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Capital | Chang'an (351–385) Jinyang (385–386) Nan'an (386–394) Huangzhong (394) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Emperor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 351–355 | Fu Jian (317–355) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 355–357 | Fu Sheng | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 357–385 | Fu Jian (337–385) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 385–386 | Fu Pi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 386–394 | Fu Deng | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 394 | Fu Chong | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Fu Jian (317–355)'s entry into Chang'an | 350 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Established | 4 March 351 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Fu Jian (317–355)'s claim of imperial title | 352 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 370 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 383 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Fu Jian (337–385)'s death | 16 October 385 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Disestablished | 394 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Fu Hong's death | 405 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Today part of | China Vietnam Laos Mongolia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former Qin | |||||||
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| Chinese | 前秦 | ||||||
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In 383, the severe defeat of the Former Qin by the Jin dynasty at the Battle of Fei River encouraged uprisings, splitting Former Qin territory into two noncontiguous pieces after the death of the Emperor Xuanzhao. One remnant, at present-day Taiyuan, Shanxi was soon overwhelmed in 386 by the Xianbei under the Later Yan and the Dingling. The other struggled in greatly reduced territories around the border of present-day Shaanxi and Gansu until its final disintegration in 394 following years of invasions by Western Qin and Later Qin.
In 327, the Gaochang commandery was created by the Former Liang dynasty under Zhang Gui. After this, significant ethnic Han settlement occurred, meaning that a major part of the population became Han. In 383, the General Lu Guang of Former Qin seized control of the region.
All rulers of Former Qin proclaimed themselves "Emperor", except for Fu Jian (苻堅) (357–385) who instead claimed the title "Heavenly King" (Tian Wang). He was nonetheless posthumously considered an emperor by the Former Qin imperial court.