The Southern and Northern Dynasties (420 AD to 581 AD)

The Northern and Southern Dynasties in fact is an abbreviation of Northern Dynasty and Southern Dynasty. In Northern Dynasty, there was Northern Wei which later was separated into Eastern Wei and Western Wei, Northern Qi replacing Northern Wei, and Northern Zhou taking the place of Western Wei and overthrowing Northern Qi. Compared with the Northern Dynasty, the Southern Dynasty period was simpler. It was composed of the ruling states of Song, Qi, Liang, and Cheng in order.

During Southern and Northern Dynasties, economy in the south was more developed than that in other parts. That was because a large population migrated to the south to avoid the turmoil of war in the north. Therefore labor force in the south was largely strengthened together with advanced technologies in production. It greatly promoted the growth of local economy and gave birth to many developed economic areas such as Yangzhou .

In terms of culture, this period boasted of the development of metaphysics thought. The era of turmoil provided a fertile land for the free development of various ideas. Literature also achieved bright progress represented by poetry. In addition, communication with foreign countries in this period was very frequent and fruitful. Exchanges with the other parts of the world had reached Japan and North Korea to the east, Middle Asia and Rome to the west, and Southeast Asian Countries and areas.

The Southern and Northern Dynasties were a stage of national integration in a large scale. Communication between the north and the south was conducted in a deep level. The lasting wars and strife caused destruction and misery to people's lives, but the development of culture was the only positive result which could only be understood rather than expressed out in the period of chaos.