Former Liang

The Former Liang (; 320–376) was a dynastic state, one of the Sixteen Kingdoms, in Chinese history. It was founded by the Zhang family of the Han ethnicity. Its territories included present-day Gansu and parts of Ningxia, Shaanxi, Qinghai and Xinjiang. All rulers of the Former Liang remained largely titularly under the court of the Eastern Jin dynasty as the Duke of Xiping except Zhang Zuo who proclaimed himself wang (prince/king). However, at times the other Former Liang rulers also used the wang title when imposed on them when they were forced to submit to their powerful neighbour states—initially the Han-Zhao, then the Later Zhao, and finally the Former Qin. The official year of Former Liang's establishment is up to interpretation, as the early rulers did not explicitly declare their independence. Among the commonly accepted years are 301 (when Zhang Gui became Inspector of Liang province and gradually gained autonomy over the region), 318 (when Zhang Shi continued to use Emperor Min of Jin's reign era, Jianxing, despite Emperor Yuan changing it) and 320 (when Zhang Mao declared a general amnesty in his domain). In 327, the Gaochang commandery was created by the Former Liang under Zhang Jun. After this, significant Han settlement occurred in Gaochang, a major, large part of the population becoming Han.