The Former Qin (Chinese character: 前秦, Hanyu pinyin Qiánqín) (351-394) was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Founded by the Fu family of the Di ethnicity, it completed the unification of North China in 376. Its capital had been Xi'an up to the death of the ruler Fu Jian . Please note that, despite its name, the Former Qin was much later and less powerful than the Qin Dynasty which ruled all of China during the 3rd century BCE.
The defeat of the Former Qin in the Battle of Fei and the subsequent uprisings split the court into two after the death of Fu Jian: one located at present day Taiyuan, Shanxi and was soon overwhelmed in 386 by the Xianbei under the Later Yan and the Dingling . The other struggled in its greatly reduced territories around the border of present day Shaanxi and Gansu until disintegration in 394 under the years of invasions by the Western Qin and the Later Qin.
All rulers of the Former Qin proclaimed themselves "Emperor".
Rulers of the Former Qin
| Temple names |
Posthumous names |
Family names and given name |
Durations of reigns |
Era names and their according durations |
| Chinese convention: use family and given names |
| Gaozu (高祖 Gāozǔ) |
Jingming (景明 Jǐngmíng) |
Fu Jian (苻健 Fú Jiàn) |
351-355 |
Huangshi (皇始 Huángshǐ) 351-355
|
| Did not exist |
King Li (厲王 Lìwáng) ¹ |
Fu Sheng (苻生 Fú Shēng) |
355-357 |
Shouguang (壽光 Shòuguāng) 355-357
|
| Shizu (世祖 Shìzǔ) |
Xuanzhao (宣昭 Xuānzhāo) |
Fu Jian (苻堅 Fú Jiān) |
357-385 |
Yongxing (永興 Yǒngxīng) 357-359
Ganlu (甘露 Gānlù) 359-364
Jianyuan (建元 Jiànyuán) 365-385
|
| Did not exist |
Aiping (哀平 āipíng) |
Fu Pi (苻丕 Fú Pī) |
385-386 |
Taian (太安 Tàiān) 385-386
|
| Taizong (太宗 Tàizōng) |
Gao (高 Gāo) |
Fu Deng (苻登 Fú Dēng) |
386-394 |
Taichu (太初 Tàichū) 385-394
|
| Did not exist |
Houzhu (後主 Hòuzhǔ) |
Fu Chong (苻崇 Fú Chóng) |
several months in 394 |
Yanchu (延初 Yán Chū) 394
|
¹ Fu Sheng was posthumously given the title "wang" even though he had reigned as emperor.
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Last updated: 10-11-2005 17:25:35
