kingdom · China, Tibet and Mongolia

Northern Wei

386 CE – 535 CE · capital Shengle, Pingcheng, Luoyang

The Tuoba Xianbei dynasty that reunified northern China in 439, carved the Yungang and Longmen grottoes and introduced the equal-field system.

Origins

Tuoba Gui restored the Tuoba state of Dai in 386 and soon renamed it Wei. After defeating Later Yan at Canhe Slope in 395, he took the North China Plain and in 398 made Pingcheng (Datong) his capital. Emperor Taiwu completed the conquest of the north by taking Northern Liang in 439.

Rule and society

The Northern Wei ruled a mostly Chinese population through a Xianbei military aristocracy and Chinese officials. Empress Dowager Feng introduced the equal-field system of land allotment in 485. Emperor Xiaowen moved the capital to Luoyang in 494, banned Xianbei dress and language at court and adopted the surname Yuan. Despite Taiwu's persecution of 446, Buddhism flourished, producing the Yungang and Longmen grottoes.

Decline and legacy

The Six Garrisons rebellion of 523 by neglected frontier troops shattered the state, and the general Erzhu Rong massacred the court in 528. In 534 to 535 the dynasty split into Eastern Wei and Western Wei, controlled by Gao Huan and Yuwen Tai.

Lineage

Dai (Sixteen Kingdoms) 310 CE – 376 CENorthern Wei

Connections (8)

Tuyuhun paid tribute to Northern Wei431 CE – 534 CE
Northern Yan was conquered by Northern Wei436 CE
Northern Liang was conquered by Northern Wei439 CE
Chouchi was a vassal of Northern Wei442 CE – 506 CE
Kroraina was conquered by Northern Wei445 CE
Chouchi was conquered by Northern Wei506 CE
Eastern Wei split from Northern Wei534 CE
Western Wei split from Northern Wei535 CE

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Cite this page

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Northern Wei. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/northern-wei
MLA: “Northern Wei.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/northern-wei. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Northern Wei.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/northern-wei.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Northern Wei’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/northern-wei (Accessed: ).

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