This was the period of the turbulent six dynasties of ancient China that ran from the end of the Han dynasty in 220 AD till the conquest of southern china by the Sui dynasty in 589. The six dynasties which held power during this period that spanned 350 years were Wu (222-280), Dong Jin (317-420), Liu Song(420-429), Nan Qi (479-502), Nan Liang (502-557), Nan Chen (557-589).