Northern Liang (397โ439 AD) was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms located in the Hexi Corridor (modern Gansu). Founded by the Lushui Xiongnu under the Juqu clan, it served as a vital bridge for Silk Road trade and a major center of Buddhist learning.
The kingdom is famously remembered as the last obstacle to the Northern Wei's unification of Northern China; its fall in 439 AD officially marked the end of the chaotic Sixteen Kingdoms period. The cultural and religious legacy of Northern Liang, including its early temple architecture and scripture translations, profoundly influenced the subsequent dynasties of East Asia.