The Jin dynasty 266 to 420 Western Jin (266–316) Eastern Jin (317–420)

 

The Jin dynasty or Jin Empire, sometimes distinguished as the Sima Jin or the Two Jins, was an imperial dynasty in China that existed from 266 to 420. It was founded by Sima Yan, eldest son of Sima Zhao, who had previously been declared the King of Jin. 

Western Jin (266–316)

The Jin dynasty was founded by Sima Yan, who was known posthumously as Emperor Wu (the "Martial Emperor of Jin"). After succeeding his father as the King of Jin and regent of Cao Wei in 265, Sima Yan declared himself emperor of the Jin dynasty in February 266 and forced the final Wei ruler Cao Huan to abdicate.

From 291 to 306, a series of civil wars known as the War of the Eight Princes were fought over control of the Jin state which weakened it considerably. In 304, the dynasty experienced a wave of rebellions by non-Han ethnicities termed by exonym as "Five Barbarians". The "barbarians" went on to establish nonpermanent dynastic states in northern China. This helped to usher in the Sixteen Kingdoms era of Chinese history, in which states in the north rose and fell in rapid succession, constantly fighting both one another and the Jin. Han-Zhao, one of the northern states established during the disorder, sacked Luoyang in 311, captured Chang'an in 316, and executed Emperor Min of Jin in 318, ending the Western Jin era. Sima Rui, who succeeded Emperor Min, then reestablished the Jin dynasty with its capital in Jiankang (modern Nanjing), inaugurating the Eastern Jin (317–420).

Eastern Jin (317–420)

After the fall of Chang'an and the execution of Emperor Min of Jin, Sima Rui, posthumously known as Emperor Yuan, was enthroned as Jin emperor in 318. He reestablished the Jin government at Jiankang (present-day Nanjing), which became the dynasty's new capital. This marked the start of the Eastern Jin period.[

The Eastern Jin dynasty remained in near-constant conflict with its northern neighbors for most of its existence, and it launched several invasions of the north with the aim of recovering its lost territories. In 383, the Eastern Jin inflicted a devastating defeat on the Former Qin, a Di-ruled state that had briefly unified northern China. In the aftermath of that battle, the Former Qin state splintered, and Jin armies recaptured the lands south of the Yellow River. The Eastern Jin was eventually usurped by General Liu Yu in 420 replaced with the Liu Song dynasty. The Eastern Jin dynasty is considered the second of the Six Dynasties.

Posthumous names	Family name and given names	Durations of reigns	Era names and their according range of years	Territories
Western Jin dynasty 266–316
Wu	Sima Yan	266–290	Taishi, 266–274 Xianning, 275–280 Taikang, 280–289 Taixi, 28 January 290 – 17 May 290	Western Jin Territorial extent of the Jin c. 280 Traditional Chinese 西晉 Simplified Chinese 西晋 Transcriptions
Hui	Sima Zhong	290–307	Yongxi, 17 May 290 – 15 February 291 Yongping, 16 February – 23 April 291 Yuankang, 24April 291 – 6 February 300 Yongkang, 7 February 300 – 3 February 301 Yongning, 1 June 301 – 4 January 303 Taian, 5 January 303 – 21 February 304 Yongan, 22 February – 15 August 304; 25 December 304 – 3 February 305 Jianwu, 16 August – 24 December 304 Yongxing, 4 February 305 – 12 July 306 Guangxi, 13 July 306 – 19 February 307
none	Sima Lun	301	Jianshi, 3 February – 1 June 301
Huai	Sima Chi	307–311	Yongjia, 307 – 313
Min	Sima Ye	313–316	Jianxing, 313–316
Eastern Jin dynasty 317–420
Yuan	Sima Rui	317–323	Jianwu, 317–318 Taixing, 318–322 Yongchang, 322–323	Eastern Jin The Jin Empire (yellow), c. 400 (Eastern Jin) Traditional Chinese 東晉 Simplified Chinese 东晋 Transcriptions
Ming	Sima Shao	323–325	Taining, 323–326
Cheng	Sima Yan	325–342	Xianhe, 326–335 Xiankang, 335–342
Kang	Sima Yue	342–344	Jianyuan, 343–344
Mu	Sima Dan	344–361	Yonghe, 345–357 Shengping, 357–361
Ai	Sima Pi	361–365	Longhe, 362–363 Xingning, 363–365
none	Sima Yi	365–372	Taihe, 365–372
Jianwen	Sima Yu	372	Xianan, 372–373
Xiaowu	Sima Yao	372–396	Ningkang, 373–375 Taiyuan (太元), 376–396
An	Sima Dezong	396–419	Longan, 397–402 Yuanxing, 402–405 Yixi, 405–419
Gong	Sima Dewen	419–420	Yuanxi, 419–420