The Northern Dynasties (A.D. 386 - A.D. 518)
The Northern Dynasties is general names of the north each dynasty that is the same times with the Southern Dynasties in China history, include the north Wei Dynasty, the north Qi, the north Zhou, etc. several dynasty. But the Northern Dynasties are different from the Southern dynasties. All country of the northern Dynasties was set up by the north ethnic minority, but not the Han nationality.
During the period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, because of the ruler regards Buddhism as state religion, has built a lot of temples and rock cave sculptures, among them, a thousand Buddha cave, Yungang rock Grotto, Loong door Grotto, Maiji Mountain rock cave become to the rarity in the artistic treasure-house of the China sculpture. In addition, in the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, the literature and art is developed, Daoyuan Li’s book “River Geography Explain in Detail”, Sixie Jia’s book “Skill that People Should Know “, etc. works all become to classical works.
Since the Eastern Jin Dynasty become extinct, the Northern and Southern Dynasties become to one period of the north and south split in China history, though its forming makes economic development stay, but has formed the nationalities of the Yellow River Basin later merge greatly, in China’s history, this is unprecedented. Just under this kind of condition, the various nationalities in the North of China are assimilated by the Han nationality gradually, become the same nationality finally. And this kind of function, having created well the foundation for China became to the unified country in future. Thus the division of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, play an extremely important role in side of accelerating the Chinese nationality unification, it is an indispensable important link in Chinese nation’s evolution.
