The Later Qin Dynasty of Xi’an

The Later Qin Dynasty (384 – 417 AD) was a regime established by Yao Chang of the Qiang ethnic group during the period of the Sixteen Kingdoms. At that time, the Xi’an region, as an important area of the Later Qin Dynasty, had a rich and significant history. The following is an explanation from multiple aspects:

Establishing the Capital in Chang’an: Yao Chang, the founding emperor of the Later Qin Dynasty, proclaimed himself emperor in 386 AD and established the capital in Chang’an (now Xi’an, Shaanxi Province). Chang’an became the political center of the Later Qin Dynasty. Rulers like Yao Chang and his successors governed regions such as Guanzhong from this base. They actively consolidated their power, established various political institutions, and improved the bureaucratic system, gradually leading the Later Qin Dynasty towards political stability.

Political System: The Later Qin Dynasty made significant achievements in its political system. To some extent, it inherited and developed the political systems of previous regimes like the Former Qin Dynasty. At the central level, official positions such as prime ministers and grand marshals were set up to manage national affairs in different divisions. At the local level, the system of prefectures and counties was implemented, strengthening the control over local areas. During the reign of Yao Xing, Confucianism was vigorously promoted, and talents were widely recruited, further promoting the development of the political culture of the Later Qin Dynasty.

Agricultural Production: The Xi’an area is blessed with fertile land and abundant water resources. The rulers of the Later Qin Dynasty attached great importance to agricultural production and adopted a series of measures to encourage farming. They recruited displaced people, enabling them to return to the land, reclaim wasteland, and built and maintained water conservancy projects. As a result, agricultural production gradually recovered and developed. For example, the repair and maintenance of water conservancy facilities such as the Zhengguo Canal ensured the irrigation of farmland, increased grain yields, and provided a material foundation for the stability and development of the country.

Commercial Trade: As the capital city, Chang’an was an important commercial center at that time. The Later Qin Dynasty had extensive trade exchanges with neighboring regimes and regions. Although the Silk Road was somewhat affected during this period, some trade still continued. Markets were set up in Chang’an, where merchants from all over gathered to trade various goods, including silk, tea, spices, jewels, etc. The prosperity of commerce promoted economic development and also strengthened cultural exchanges between the Later Qin Dynasty and other regions.

Spread of Buddhism: During the Later Qin Dynasty, Buddhism was widely spread and developed in the Xi’an area. Yao Xing strongly supported Buddhism and invited Kumarajiva, a senior monk from the Western Regions, to Chang’an to translate Buddhist scriptures. Kumarajiva organized large – scale scripture – translation activities in places like Xiaoyao Garden in Chang’an. He translated many important Buddhist scriptures such as The Lotus Sutra and The Diamond Sutra, which had a profound impact on the spread and development of Buddhism in China. Chang’an thus became one of the important centers of Buddhism in China at that time, attracting numerous monks to come for study and exchanges.

Literature and Art: The cultural atmosphere of the Later Qin Dynasty was relatively strong, attracting a group of literati. In terms of literature, there emerged some poems and essays themed on praising the Later Qin regime and depicting social life. In the field of art, Buddhist art thrived. With the prosperity of Buddhism, many Buddhist temples and grottoes were built in the Xi’an area. Artworks such as Buddha statues and murals in these buildings and grottoes integrated Chinese and Western artistic styles, had high artistic value, and added new elements to the development of ancient Chinese art.

Consolidating the Rule: In the early days of the establishment of the Later Qin Dynasty, Yao Chang and his army fought several battles against the remaining forces of the Former Qin Dynasty, gradually consolidating their rule in the Guanzhong region. After Yao Xing ascended the throne, he continued to expand externally, successively defeating regimes such as the Western Qin and the Later Liang, further expanding the territory of the Later Qin Dynasty. Its sphere of influence included parts of present – day Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, as well as parts of Shanxi and Henan.

Confronting the Eastern Jin Dynasty: There were also frequent wars between the Later Qin Dynasty and the Eastern Jin Dynasty. The Eastern Jin Dynasty launched several northern expeditions, vying with the Later Qin Dynasty for control of the Central Plains region. For example, in 416 AD, Liu Yu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty launched a northern expedition, and the armies of the Later Qin Dynasty and the Eastern Jin Dynasty engaged in fierce battles in places such as Tongguan and Luoyang. Eventually, the Later Qin Dynasty perished under the attack of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. However, the military resistance of the Later Qin Dynasty delayed the northern expedition process of the Eastern Jin Dynasty to a certain extent, demonstrating its military strength and strategic layout.