GENERAL TRENDS

Strong Central Court

Rule by Empire

Many Separate Kingdoms seeking Reunification

Cao Cao (155-220): a cruel, ambitious leader for Wei Kingdom (220-265) (also known as a great poet!).

Zhu Geliang (181-234): famous minister and tactician for Shu Han Kingdom (221-263).

Xian Bei: tribal group (devout Buddhists) that ruled the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-535).

Six Dynasties (317-589): wealthy families fled to the South to set up new bases of power.

Court-based Statecraft Confucianism

Rise of "Localized" Confucianism

Promotion by Merit

Promotion by Social Standing

Nine Ranks System: method first employed during the Three Kingdoms period of recruiting and evaluating good officials through the recommendations of a "worthy" Senior Rectifier.

North as Political Center

Political Competition Between North and South

Court & Imperial Family as Dominant Social Force

Local Aristocracy as Dominant Social Force

“Guests” and “Fighting men” (Buchu): men who were armed and retained by large land-owning families, not entirely free to go.

Court-centered Culture

Aristocratic Culture Dominant