Tuyuhun in the context of "Tangut people"

The Sixteen Kingdoms (simplified Chinese: 十六国; traditional Chinese: 十六國; pinyin: Shíliù Guó), less commonly the Sixteen States, was a chaotic period in Chinese history from AD 304 to 439 when northern China fragmented into a series of short-lived dynastic states. Most of these regimes were created by groups such as the Xiongnu, Xianbei, Di, Jie, and Qiang, who had moved into northern and western China over earlier centuries and rose in rebellion against the Western Jin dynasty in the early fourth century. Some states were founded by the Han as well. Regardless of their rulers' background, every state adopted dynastic institutions in the Han tradition and styled itself as a legitimate monarchy. These states often fought one another and also contended with the Eastern Jin dynasty, which governed the south after the collapse of Western Jin in 317. The era ended in 439, when Northern Wei, founded by the Tuoba clan of the Xianbei, reunified the north. The Eastern Jin dynasty had already collapsed in 420 and been replaced by the Liu Song dynasty, the first of the Southern Dynasties. After the consolidation of the north, Chinese history entered the period known as the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

The term "Sixteen Kingdoms" was first used by the 6th-century historian Cui Hong in the Spring and Autumn Annals of the Sixteen Kingdoms and refers to the five Liangs (Former, Later, Northern, Southern and Western), four Yans (Former, Later, Northern, and Southern), three Qins (Former, Later and Western), two Zhaos (Han/Former and Later), Cheng-Han and Xia. Cui Hong did not count several other kingdoms that appeared at the time including the Ran Wei, Zhai Wei, Chouchi, Duan Qi, Qiao Shu, Huan Chu, Tuyuhun and Western Yan. Nor did he include the Northern Wei and its predecessor Dai, because the Northern Wei is considered to be the first of the Northern Dynasties in the period that followed the Sixteen Kingdoms.

The Murong (Chinese: 慕容; pinyin: Mùróng; Wade–Giles: Mu-jung; LHC: *mɑ-joŋ; EMC: *mɔ-juawŋ) or Muren refers to an ethnic Xianbei tribe who are attested from the time of Tanshihuai (r. 156–181). Different strands of evidence exist linking the Murong to the Mongol nomadic confederation in Central Asia. The Former Yan (337–370), Later Yan (384–409), Western Yan (384–394), Southern Yan (398–410) dynasties as well as Tuyuhun (285–670) were all founded by Murong peoples.

Murong is also a surname, predominantly used by people of Xianbei descent. Prominent individuals who bear the surname include the Emperors and family of Former Yan and Later Yan, Murong Ke, Murong Long, Murong Sanzang (慕容三藏), Murong Yanzhao (慕容延钊), Murong Yanchao, Murong Nong, Murong Han, Murong Chuqiang (慕容楚强), Murong Haoran (慕容浩然), and the fictional character Murong Fu (慕容復). When Han peoples during the reign of Yuwen Tai were forced to change their surnames, Murong was one of three officially mandated Xianbei surnames. This policy was reversed by Emperor Wen of Sui, but some Han people retained the Murong surname.

The Tangut people (Tangut: 𗼎𗾧, mjɨ nja̱ or 𗼇𘓐, mji dzjwo; Chinese: 党項; pinyin: Dǎngxiàng; Tibetan: མི་ཉག་, Wylie: mi nyak; Mongolian: Тангуд) were a Sino-Tibetan people who founded and inhabited the Western Xia dynasty. The group initially lived under Tuyuhun authority, but later submitted to the Tang dynasty. After the collapse of Tang dynasty, the Tanguts established the Western Xia. They spoke the Tangut language, which initial research believed to be either of the Qiangic or Yi groups of the Tibeto-Burman family, later phylogenetic and historical linguistic accounts revealed that it belonged to the Gyalrongic branch of the Qiangic group. The Western Xia was annihilated by the Mongol Empire in 1227, and most of its written records and architecture were destroyed. Today the Tangut language and its unique script are extinct; only fragments of Tangut literature remain.