China & TibetAsia

Northern Zhou

557 CE – 581 CE · about 24 years

The Northern Zhou was founded by the Yuwen clan as successor to the Western Wei. It conquered the Northern Qi in 577, reuniting northern China. Its minister Yang Jian took the throne in 581 and founded the Sui dynasty.

Key facts

Dates	557 CE – 581 CE
Region	China & Tibet
Continent	Asia
Capital	Chang'an
Founder	Yuwen Jue (Emperor Xiaomin)
Religion(s)	Buddhism, Taoism
Peak extent	≈ 1.5 million km² (c. 577 CE) – source

Before & after

Preceded by

Western Wei Northern Qi

Followed by

Sui dynasty

Sources

Wikipedia – Northern Zhou
Wikipedia – List of largest empires

Dates follow widely used reference works; many ancient dates are approximate or debated. Neutral summary for general reference.