The Romance of the Western and Eastern Jin

This book surveys the history from Emperor Wu of Jin, Sima Yan, who deposed Wei and proclaimed himself emperor, to Liu Yu, who brought the Jin dynasty to an end. It recounts major events including the Western Jin unification, Jia Nanfeng’s seizure of power, the War of the Eight Princes, the Yongjia Upheaval, the southward migration of the great clans, Zu Ti’s northern expedition, and Huan Wen’s northern campaign. The author presents the 156 years of the Jin dynasties as a history of internal strife and foreign humiliation, offering it as a cautionary lesson for later generations.