Journal paper

Issue No.	No. 73
Title	The Decline of the Noble Chiao People during the Southern Dynasties: An Examination Centered on the Hou Jing Disturbance
Author	Leu, Chuen-shan
Page	1-56
Abstract	The Yongjia Disorder (yongjia zhi luan, 永嘉之亂) during the Western Jin dynasty led to the migration of the Noble Families (Shizu, 士族) from the Central Plains to Jiangzuo region, located south of the Yangtze River. Among these families, the Chiao clan established the Eastern Jin regime (318) and maintained influence for over 200 years during the Southern dynasties of Song, Qi, and Liang. However, by the end of the Liang dynasty, during the Hou Jing disturbance (548), the Chiao clan suffered severe setbacks and entered a period of decline. The subsequent Chen regime, dominated by military leaders of humble origins from Wu, marked a significant change. Scholarly discussions on the Chiao family’s decline have typically focused on internal factors weakening the Noble Families or have provided broad descriptions of their downfall following this period of upheaval. However, little detailed attention has been given to the specific impacts on the Chiao family. Despite the fragmentary nature of the historical record, this article attempts to reconstruct this crucial episode in the Chiao family’s decline by examining the damage they suffered during the Hou Jing disturbance, drawing on scattered historical materials and the recent academic research. In summary, from Hou Jing’s uprising to the fall of Taicheng, the Chiao family, concentrated in the capital Jiankang, was “almost completely destroyed.” A small portion perished in battle, but most died from diseaseand famine. Among the survivors, aside from those who “submitted to the rebel” Hou Jing, the majority fled west to seek refuge with Xiao Yi, Prince of Xiangdong, who was stationed in Jingzhou. The noble Wu people fled east to their hometown in the Sanwu area to wait and see. After Hou Jing was defeated, many surviving members of the Chiao and Wu clans were summoned to Jiangling. Unexpectedly, during the subsequent Incident of Jiangling, almost all the Noble Families in Jiangling were captured and taken to the Guanzhong area, with the vast majority of these captives being from the Chiao family. Additionally, during the entire upheaval, vast areas including Jiangbei, to the north of the Yangtze River, Handong, to the east of the Han River, and Bashu fell to the Eastern Wei, Northern Qi, Western Wei, and Northern Zhou, with many Noble Families falling under foreign domination. Ultimately, the remnants of the Chiao family, having survived multiple calamities, entered service in the Chen dynasty. However, as the Chen regime was centered around military leaders of humble origins of the Wu People, the influence of the Chiao family was greatly diminished, andthey gradually faded from the historical stage.
Keyword	Noble Chiao, Southern Dynasties, Hou Jing Disturbance, Jiangling Incident, Noble Wu People
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