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Why did the Eastern Jin dynasty choose Nanjing as its capital in 317?
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Nanjing
Skyline of central Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China.
The Eastern Jin dynasty (Dong Jin) chose Nanjingâthen known as Jiankangâas its capital in 317 primarily because the ruling Sima family was fleeing foreign invasions in North China.12
Following the collapse of the Western Jin dynasty and the destruction of its capitals at Luoyang and Chang'an by northern nomadic groups, the surviving members of the imperial family retreated south of the Yangtze River. Nanjing served as a strategic haven for these northern families in exile. The city had previously established itself as a significant political and cultural center during the Three Kingdoms period, when it served as the capital for the kingdom of Wu, making it a logical choice for the re-establishment of the Jin dynasty.21