The Southern and Northern Dynasties period, which follows the Jin Dynasty and precedes the Sui Dynasty in China, is an age of civil war and political disunity.

However it is also a time of flourishing in the arts and culture, advancement in technology, and the spread of foreign Mahayana Buddhism and native Daoism.

Distinctive Chinese Buddhism is also matured during this time and shaped by the northern and southern dynasties alike.During this period, the process of sinicization accelerates among the non-Chinese arrivals in the north and among the aboriginal tribesmen in the south.

Many northern Chinese also immigrate to the south.

This process is also accompanied by the increasing popularity of Buddhism (introduced into China in the first century CE) in both north and south China, along with Daoism gaining influence from the outline of Buddhist scriptures (with two essential Daoist canons written during this period).

Although multiple story towers such as guard towers and residential apartments had existed in previous periods of China, during this period the distinct Chinese pagoda tower (for storing Buddhist scriptures) evolves from the stupa, the latter originating from Buddhist traditions of protecting sutras in ancient India.The south and north develop into a relatively stable equilibrium, due to geographical differences.

The flat steppes of the north give a significant edge to cavalry, while the hilly and mountainous riverlands of the south give a significant edge to naval warfare.

A strong navy on the Yangtze River could protect the south from the north, since cavalry is almost useless in the mountainous riverlands.

Likewise, logistical difficulties for the horse-poor south make it difficult to maintain a successful northern campaign.

Depending on the relative strengths of the states, the Huai River area and the Sichuan basin are the primary areas of significant territorial changes.

This barrier will only be overcome by the first Emperor of the Sui Dynasty, who will build a large invading navy in the Sichuan basin, hence his ability to more easily conquer the south and reunify China.Despite (or perhaps because of) the political disunity of the times, there are notable technological advances in China.

With the invention of the stirrup during the earlier Western Jin Dynasty, not only are cavalry tactics improved immensely, but heavily armored Chinese cavalry also become the norm in this age.

Advances in medicine, astronomy, mathematics, and cartography are also noted by historians.

The famous Chinese mathematician and astronomer Zu Chongzhi (429–500) belongs to this age, an intellectual and social product of the elite culture shaped and developed in southern China during this period of time.The Chinese arts of poetry, calligraphy, painting, and music flourish during this period like never before, as Chinese aristocrats mainly in the south are socially expected to master these as their pastimes.

Although the north has its cultural achievements, the south (specifically at the capital of Nanjing) is the place for higher cultural achievement, elitist culture, artistic refinement, and new standards of art that rank artists according to their various abilities.