Former Zhao

Not to further confuse you, but 15 years after its founding, the Xiongnu, northern Han dynasty's name, will change from the northern Han to the former Zhao.

Liu Yuan's successor, Liu Cong, had adopted the name Zhao in 318 AD to elevate his dynasty's street cred and to shine a spotlight on their claim to ancestry from this ancient warring state of Zhao.

China history books often combine the two dynasty names into one and call this Xiongnu-led dynasty the Han Zhao.

There will be another Zhao dynasty declared in 319, which led to the former and later Zhao.

Liu Cong was made of much more aggressive stuff than his father Liu Yuan and had a fine killer instinct.

It was given up for lost.

At this point, from the peasants to the Jin nobles, it was a matter of survival.

They had to flee, and the only direction that made sense was as far away from Liu Cong and the invading Han Zhao soldiers as possible.