Last updated on May 28th, 2026 at 02:24 pm
Chinese history between the Tang and Song dynasties
The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period was a short but important era of political division in China after the fall of the Tang dynasty. In the north, five short-lived dynasties ruled one after another from 907 to 960. In the south and west, several more stable regional kingdoms continued into the period of Song reunification, with the last holdout, Northern Han, falling in 979.
Quick answer: what were the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms?
The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period was the era between the Tang dynasty and the Song dynasty. The “Five Dynasties” were five regimes that ruled the old imperial heartland in northern China. The “Ten Kingdoms” were mostly southern and western regional states that existed during the same general period.
- Five Dynasties: 907–960
- Broader transition: 907–979
- Between Tang and Song
- North: rapid dynastic changes
- South: regional kingdoms
Did the period end in 960 or 979?
Both dates appear in history writing, depending on what is being emphasized. The Five Dynasties ended in 960 when Zhao Kuangyin founded the Song dynasty. But the broader reunification process continued after 960 as Song rulers absorbed remaining kingdoms. Northern Han, the final kingdom in the traditional Ten Kingdoms list, was conquered in 979.
Study world history in context
See China’s dynasties alongside Bible and world history
The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period is easier to understand when you can place it between Tang and Song while also seeing what was happening elsewhere in the world. The Amazing Bible Timeline helps readers view biblical chronology and world history together on one visual chart.
The end of the Tang dynasty
The Tang dynasty had been one of China’s great imperial eras, but it weakened badly after the An Lushan Rebellion of 755–763. The rebellion damaged the empire’s finances, military organization, and political authority. In the years that followed, regional military governors became increasingly powerful, while the central government struggled to control the provinces.
The Huang Chao rebellion in the late 9th century made the crisis worse. Huang Chao, who had turned to salt smuggling after failing the civil-service examinations, joined the rebellions then spreading across China. His forces occupied Guangzhou in 879, captured Chang’an in 881, and briefly proclaimed a new regime called Daqi. Although Huang Chao died in 884, the revolt left Tang authority deeply damaged.
The final blow came from Zhu Wen, one of Huang Chao’s former generals. Zhu Wen gained power in north China, forced the Tang court under his control, and in 907 compelled the young Emperor Ai to abdicate. Zhu then proclaimed himself emperor of the Later Liang, the first of the Five Dynasties.
Why is it called “Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms”?
Five Dynasties
The “Five Dynasties” were five short-lived regimes that succeeded one another in northern China, especially around the old imperial heartland of the Central Plains.
North China
Ten Kingdoms
The “Ten Kingdoms” were regional states, mostly in southern and western China. Some were relatively stable and economically active compared with the war-torn north.
Mostly South China
The name can be confusing because the periods overlap and the kingdoms did not all begin or end in the same year. The phrase is a traditional historical label for a complicated transition between the Tang and Song dynasties.
The Five Dynasties at a glance
| Dynasty | Dates | Founder / key ruler | What to remember |
|---|---|---|---|
| Later Liang | 907–923 | Zhu Wen | Founded after Zhu Wen forced the last Tang emperor to abdicate. It began the Five Dynasties period. |
| Later Tang | 923–936 | Li Cunxu, Emperor Zhuangzong | Founded by a Shatuo Turkic ruling house that adopted the Tang name, but it was not a continuation of the earlier Tang dynasty. |
| Later Jin | 936–947 | Shi Jingtang | Founded with Khitan support. Its relationship with the Khitan/Liao power in the north shaped later politics. |
| Later Han | 947–951 | Liu Zhiyuan | The shortest-lived of the Five Dynasties. It collapsed when Guo Wei seized power. |
| Later Zhou | 951–960 | Guo Wei; later Guo Rong | The last of the Five Dynasties. Zhao Kuangyin overthrew the young Later Zhou emperor and founded the Song dynasty in 960. |
The Ten Kingdoms at a glance
| Kingdom | Dates | Main region | What to remember |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wu | 902–937 | Lower Yangtze region | A powerful southeastern kingdom that was eventually replaced by Southern Tang. |
| Southern Tang | 937–975/976 | Lower Yangtze; Nanjing region | One of the most culturally important southern kingdoms; it absorbed Min and Chu before falling to Song. |
| Jingnan / Nanping | 924–963 | Jiangling area, middle Yangtze | Small but strategically located between larger powers. |
| Chu | 927–951 | Hunan and nearby areas | A southern kingdom associated with relative prosperity before internal struggles and outside pressure weakened it. |
| Former Shu | 907–925 | Sichuan basin | Controlled the wealthy Sichuan region until conquest by Later Tang. |
| Later Shu | 934–965 | Sichuan basin | A later Sichuan kingdom with the same general center as Former Shu; it fell to Song. |
| Min | 909–945 | Fujian | A southeastern kingdom shaped by its rugged coastal geography; conquered by Southern Tang. |
| Southern Han | 917–971 | Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, parts of northern Vietnam | A far-southern kingdom based around Guangzhou; later absorbed by Song. |
| Wuyue | 907–978 | Zhejiang, Shanghai, lower Yangtze delta | A comparatively stable and prosperous coastal kingdom known for trade and Buddhist patronage. |
| Northern Han | 951–979 | Shanxi, around Taiyuan | The northern outlier among the Ten Kingdoms and the last to fall to Song. |
Note: Some older summaries start several kingdoms in 907 because that was the year the Tang dynasty ended. More precise reference works sometimes date particular kingdoms from earlier or later events, such as Wu from 902 and Chu from 927.
Simple timeline: from Tang collapse to Song reunification
- 755–763: An Lushan Rebellion A devastating rebellion weakens Tang rule and helps shift power toward regional military leaders.
- 875–884: Huang Chao rebellion Huang Chao’s uprising spreads across China, captures Chang’an, and leaves Tang authority badly damaged.
- 907: Tang dynasty ends Zhu Wen forces Emperor Ai to abdicate and founds the Later Liang dynasty.
- 923: Later Tang replaces Later Liang Li Cunxu defeats Later Liang and establishes Later Tang.
- 936–947: Later Jin and Khitan power Later Jin rises with Khitan support and then collapses after conflict with the Khitan/Liao state.
- 951–960: Later Zhou Later Zhou brings some stabilization, but Zhao Kuangyin seizes power in 960 and founds Song.
- 960: Song dynasty begins The Five Dynasties period ends, but China is not yet fully unified.
- 963–979: Song absorbs remaining kingdoms Song rulers conquer or receive the submission of the remaining regional states, ending with Northern Han in 979.
Why this period matters
It explains the Tang-to-Song transition
The period shows how China moved from the cosmopolitan Tang world into the more centralized Song era.
It highlights regional power
Military governors and local rulers became powerful enough to build their own courts, armies, and administrations.
It shows the rise of the south
While northern courts changed quickly, many southern kingdoms preserved economic and cultural life that later strengthened Song China.
In other words, the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period was more than a confusing list of short-lived states. It was a bridge between two major eras of Chinese history: the Tang dynasty before it and the Song dynasty after it.
North China vs. South China during this era
Northern China
The north saw rapid changes of dynasty, repeated military coups, and competition among generals. The old imperial centers remained politically important, but no dynasty lasted long before being replaced.
High instability
Southern and western China
Many southern kingdoms were also politically fragile, but several enjoyed more stability, trade, agriculture, and court culture than the north. This helped prepare the south for its later importance under Song rule.
Regional prosperity
People also ask
What were the Five Dynasties in China?
The Five Dynasties were Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou. They ruled one after another in northern China between the fall of the Tang dynasty in 907 and the founding of the Song dynasty in 960.
What were the Ten Kingdoms?
The Ten Kingdoms were regional states, mostly in southern and western China, that existed during the same general period as the Five Dynasties. The traditional list includes Wu, Southern Tang, Jingnan or Nanping, Chu, Former Shu, Later Shu, Min, Southern Han, Wuyue, and Northern Han.
When did the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period begin?
It began in 907, when Zhu Wen forced the last Tang emperor to abdicate and founded the Later Liang dynasty.
When did the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period end?
The Five Dynasties ended in 960 with the founding of the Song dynasty. The broader transition continued until 979, when Song conquered Northern Han, the last kingdom in the traditional Ten Kingdoms list.
Who ended the Tang dynasty?
Zhu Wen ended the Tang dynasty. He forced Emperor Ai to abdicate in 907 and proclaimed himself emperor of Later Liang.
Which dynasty came after the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms?
The Song dynasty came after the Five Dynasties. It was founded by Zhao Kuangyin, known as Emperor Taizu of Song, in 960.
Was China unified during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period?
No. China was politically divided. The north saw a rapid succession of dynasties, while the south and west contained several regional kingdoms.
Why were there so many dynasties in such a short time?
Military power had shifted to regional generals and governors during the late Tang. Because rulers depended heavily on military support, coups and short-lived regimes became common.
Were the Ten Kingdoms all in southern China?
Most were in southern or western China, but Northern Han was the exception. It was located in the north around Taiyuan in Shanxi.
Why is this period important in Chinese history?
It explains how China moved from Tang fragmentation to Song reunification. It also shows the growing importance of southern China’s economy and culture.
Was the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period peaceful?
It was politically unstable, especially in the north. Some southern kingdoms, however, experienced periods of relative stability and prosperity.
How does this period fit on a world history timeline?
It belongs to the 10th century AD, after the Tang dynasty and before the Song dynasty. On a world history timeline, it overlaps with the medieval period in Europe, the Byzantine Empire, the Abbasid world, and expanding trade networks across Asia.
Go deeper
Put the Tang, Five Dynasties, and Song on one chart
The Amazing Bible Timeline is designed to help readers see over 6,000 years of Bible and world history together. It is a helpful study companion for families, homeschoolers, churches, Bible teachers, and anyone who wants a clearer picture of how civilizations and events fit together over time.
Sources and further reading
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: Five Dynasties — overview of the Five Dynasties, dates, northern succession, and transition to Song.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: Ten Kingdoms — overview of the Ten Kingdoms, dates, regions, and cultural/economic context.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: China — The Five Dynasties and the Ten Kingdoms — broader context between Tang and Song.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: Tang dynasty — Tang decline and late Tang instability.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: Huang Chao — Huang Chao rebellion and its role in weakening Tang rule.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: Zhu Wen — Zhu Wen’s usurpation of the Tang throne and founding of Later Liang.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: Song dynasty — founding of Song and later reunification context.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: Taizu, emperor of Song — Zhao Kuangyin and the beginning of Song reunification.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: Taizong, emperor of Song — completion of Song consolidation by Taizong.
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Five Dynasties porcelain jar — public-domain image and cultural context for a 10th-century north China court object.
- Wikimedia Commons: Five Dynasties Ten Kingdoms map, 923 CE — map by Ian Kiu, CC BY 3.0.
- Fairbank, John King, and Merle Goldman. China: A New History. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2006.
- Ropp, Paul S. China in World History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010.
- Tan, Koon San. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. Other Press, 2014.