A short-lived regime, the Western Jin Dynasty (266–316) only existed for several decades from conquering the Eastern Wu to being toppled. This shall be attributed to the War of the Eight Princes lasting 16 years from 291 to 306, a far-reaching and major historical event whose ins and outs are described in the book Chaos in Luoyang. History is what happened in the past, or past events. Past events are just inter-connected activities initiated by individuals. However, individuals cannot create activities at will. The moves they take are related to existing conditions. The book pays special attention to important figures during that period and focuses on their thinking and actions at the turning point in their life.