Chapter 14 - The Northern Economy

Summary

In the wake of the Yellow Turban rebellion (184), a long civil war ensued that raged on well into the third century. For the North, the economic impact of this war was devastating. Great urban centers such as Luoyang and Chang’an were ravaged, vast tracts of land were laid waste, and the population was decimated. As the century progressed, the economy recovered from this destruction only to be plunged into crisis again, beginning in the fourth century. During the early medieval period, spanning 400 years (from the late second century to 589), the economy was volatile and marked by such extreme ups and downs. It was, however, also a period when north China went through significant economic development—old patterns were transformed and new ones emerged.