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The Sixteen Kingdoms, or less commonly the Sixteen States, were a collection of numerous short-lived sovereignities in the China proper and neighboring areas from AD 304 to 439 after the retreat of the Jin Dynasty (265-420) to South China and before the establishment of the Northern Dynasties. Originally, the term was first introduced by Cui Hong in the lost historical record, Shiliuguo Chunqiu (Spring and Autumn Annals of the Sixteen Kingdoms) and restricted to sixteen kingdoms of this era, namely the states of Han Zhao, Later Zhao, Cheng Han, Former Liang, Later Liang, Northern Liang, Western Liang, Southern Liang, Former Yan, Later Yan, Northern YanThe Northern Yan ( Simplified Chinese character: , Traditional Chinese character: , pinyin Beiyan) ( 407 or 409- 436) was a state of Han Chinese during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China. All rulers of the Northern Yan declared themselves " emperors"., Southern YanThe Southern Yan ( Simplified Chinese character: , Traditional Chinese character: , pinyin Nanyan) ( 398- 410) was a state of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China. All rulers of the Former Yan declared themselves " emperors"., Former QinThe Former Qin ( Chinese character: , Hanyu pinyin Qianqin) ( 351- 394) was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Founded by the Fu family of the Di ethnicity, it completed the unification of North China in 376. Its capital had been Xi'an up to the de, Later QinThe Later Qin ( Simplified Chinese character: , Traditional Chinese character: , pinyin Houqin) ( 384- 417) was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty (265-420) in China. Note that the Later Qin is entirely distinct from the ancient Qin Dy and Western QinThe Western Qin ( Simplified Chinese character: , Traditional Chinese character: , pinyin Xiqin ( 385- 400, 409- 431) was a state of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Note that the Western Qin is entirely distinct from the anc and XiaXia ( Chinese characters) details several meanings in the Chinese language and the History of China: The season of summer Xia (philosophy) is a Chinese philosophy similar (but not identical) to the chivalrous code of European knights. A Chinese family nam. The term has been broadened to included all sovereignities from 304 to 439.

A less used term, the Period of Sixteen Kingdoms represents this turbulent era from 304 to 439.

Almost all rulers of the kingdoms were part of the Wu HuWu Hu Pinyin W Hu) or Five Hu is a collective term for non-Chinese tribes during the period from the Han Dynasty to the Northern Dynasties. These nomadic tribes originally residing outside China gradually migrated to inhabit areas vacated by years of turm ethnicity and claimed to be the emperors and wangs ( kings). The Han Chinese founded the four states of the Northern Yan, Western Liang, Former Liang and the state of Wei (by Ran Min). Six Chinese rulers of the Former Liang remained titularly under the government of the Jin Dynasty. The Northern Wei Dynasty is not counted as one of the Sixteen Kingdoms even though it was founded during the Period.

Rulers of each of the Kingdoms are listed in relevant articles.