Sixteen Kingdoms
The Sixteen Kingdoms (), less commonly the Sixteen States, was a chaotic period in Chinese history from AD 304 to 439 when northern China fragmented into a series of short-lived dynastic states. The majority of these states were founded by ...
in Chinese historiography. Ruled by the Di people, its territory was based in what is modern-day Sichuan Province, China.
Cheng and Han
It represented two states, the Cheng state (成 Chéng) and the Han state (漢 Hàn). Cheng was proclaimed in 304 by
Li Xiong
Li Xiong (李雄) (274–334), courtesy name Zhongjuan (仲雋), formally Emperor Wu of Cheng (Han) (成(漢)武帝), was the first emperor of the Di-led Chinese Cheng Han dynasty and commonly regarded as its founder (although some historians ...
, while Han was proclaimed in 338 by Li Shou. Since they were both ruled by the Li family of the Ba ethnicity, scholars often combine them into a single Cheng Han state in historiography. The Li family has also been described as being of Ba- Di ethnicity, they were originally Ba from modern Sichuan who had settled among the Di in modern Gansu.Holcombe, Charles (2001). The Genesis of East Asia, 221 B.C.-A.D. 907. University of Hawaii Press. p. 24. . Western texts frequently referred to the two states separately. Whether the treatment is correct is debatable.
When Li Shou claimed the throne in 338, he did not acknowledge his throne as having been inherited from Li Xiong's line. While he continued to worship Li Xiong, it was done in a separate temple. However, Li Shou's son Li Shi, acknowledged the prior emperors including Li Xiong as his predecessors. Cheng Han's was the earliest establishment of the Sixteen Kingdoms.
All rulers of the Cheng Han declared themselves "
emperors
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother (em ...
".
The commonly accepted founding year of Cheng has been 304. Nevertheless, Li Te declared a new era name in 303. Some scholars consider this self-declaration of era name to be a symbol of a new government. However, at that time, Li Te claimed no imperial or other special titles for himself.
The Cheng Han was eventually conquered by the Jin when Huan Wen attacked Chengdu.
Sixteen Kingdoms
The Sixteen Kingdoms (), less commonly the Sixteen States, was a chaotic period in Chinese history from AD 304 to 439 when northern China fragmented into a series of short-lived dynastic states. The majority of these states were founded by ...
Sichuan
Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of th ...
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Eight Immortals from Sichuan
Eight Immortals from Sichuan ({{zh, c=蜀中八仙, p=Shǔ zhōng bāxiān) are eight Sichuanese who supposedly became '' xian'' ("immortals; transcendents; fairies"). The term is first used by Qiao Xiu (譙秀 qiáo xiù) in ''Record of Shu' ...