A lineage beyond the river

Short-lived unity

The Jin Dynasty finally reunited China in 280 by bringing the regions south of the Yangtze River under its rule and ending the divided Three Kingdoms (220-280) period.

Whatever history would bring, people at the time hoped reunification would usher in lasting prosperity.

The first object visitors may encounter is an ordinary brick made in Nanjing during that period. Unearthed locally, it bears an inscription that captures the era's optimism: "The land under Heaven is now at peace."

The Western Jin emperors presided over a vast realm spanning more than 5.4 million square kilometers. A group of wooden slips from the Suxianqiao site in Chenzhou, Hunan province, offers a glimpse into how this enormous system operated at the grassroots level. Before paper became widespread, wooden and bamboo slips, collectively known as jiandu, were the main media for documentation in China.

These detailed local government records provide valuable information about population censuses, taxation, transportation, local products and other aspects of life.

" Paper began to be widely used during this period," Zhu says.

"So we are also seeing the final peak of jiandu before it gradually faded from history."

Another highlight is a gold seal decorated with a tortoise, a symbol of longevity and prosperity in Chinese culture. Unearthed in Hunan province, it belonged to Liu Hong, a military general whose prominence is reflected in historical records.

An exquisite copper cup inlaid with nacre, unearthed in Pizhou, northern Jiangsu, offers another glimpse into the era. Its sophisticated craftsmanship and precious materials suggest the owner's high social status.

The nacre is believed to have been imported from overseas. Archaeologists also discovered a glass bowl and a nautilus cup in the same tomb, offering clues to the wider network of the Maritime Silk Road.

History offered a harsh lesson when Jin rulers neglected people's livelihoods and indulged in luxury. Endless wars followed, and peace became a luxury that no one could afford.

After the Jin court moved to Nanjing, it maintained a fragile balance between the imperial court and several powerful aristocratic families. Meanwhile, northern China endured another century of chaos. States rose and fell in rapid succession, while ambitious figures repeatedly dreamed of reunifying the country, only to see their efforts collapse after defeat.

Zhang Xuefeng, a history professor at Nanjing University, says northern immigrants retained a strong nostalgia for their devastated homeland. They brought rituals and clothing traditions with them and gave southern settlements the names of their former home counties, many of which are still in use. They also highlighted their places of origin on epitaphs, preserving memories of their birthplace for later generations.

"However, reality also urged them to cooperate with local people in Jiangnan and consolidate the rule of the Eastern Jin," he says.