Rise and Fall
Song Dynasty is divided into two individual periods; the Northern Song (960-1127 CE ) and the Southern Song (1127-1279 CE ). The Northern Song is united by Emperor Taizu, he was able to piece most of China together after disintegration and rebellion of the Tang Dynasty 907 CE and succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. He built an effective system of government composed of Civilian Scholars-officials. Regional military officers were being appointed from the capital itself. He was able to concentrate power into one area, the capital at Bianjing (now Kaifeng).
The Song Dynasty was engaged with different diplomacy and warfare in order to stabilize the borders with the Tungats of the Western Xia Dynasty and the Khitans of the Liao Dynasty. The Liao Dynasty to the North (916-1125 CE), however in 1125 it was reform by the Jurchen, a tribe that inhibit within the Liao Dynasty, and establish a new dynasty, the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234 CE). The Song Dynasty made an alliance with the Jurchen during the reign of Emperor Huizong of Song (1100-1125 CE); their armies together were able to take complete control of the Liao Dynasty by 1125 CE. The Song Dynasty’s army weakness was spotted due to their poor performance by the Jing Dynasty; therefore they broke the alliances with the Song Dynasty and launched their attack in 1125 and 1127 CE. They were able to take over the capital at Kaifeng and retire the Emperor Huizong and the succeeding Emperor Qinzong of Song and most of his courts. Thus end of the Northern Song Empire.
The Southern Song with its sturdy Economy and being led by self appointed Emperor Goazong of Song, they
established a new capital at Lin’an. Although being forced down south along the Huai River, the Southern Song Dynasty was able to make a stand against the in Dynasty. The government sponsor massive projects improving shipbuilding and harbors. Beacons, seaports and warehouses were built to support and improve sea navigation and trade. Because of increasing number ships in the waters of the East China Sea and Yellow Sea (to Korea and Japan), South East Asia, the Indian Ocean, and the Red Sea, it was essential to have a official standing navy to protect and support ships with maritime interest in these areas and therefore China’s and world first official standing navy in 1132. The Song prepared their navy and was prepared to face the Jin on the Yangtze in 1161 where the Battle of Tangdao and the Battle of Caishi took place. The Song forces was victorious in the both of the battles even though they were faced with 70,000 men and 600 war ships, but they won with only 3,000 men and 120 warships. The navy was equipped with better technology like the trebuchet catapults, launching gunpowder bombs at a fair range and paddle wheel ships. The Song navy was very much emphasized after that and after a century it grew to 52,000 fighting marines, but the financial and its economy is going down, but it did not stop the defensive preparation. The government also took possession of lands owned by the gentry and the upper class to fund the defensive projects, but it let to reduction of loyalty among the land owning families, some even use connections and their position to cheat on taxes.
Although the Song was able to stand up against the Jin, a new enemy emerged from the north. The Mongols led Genghis Khan (r. 1206-1227 CE), they invaded the Jin Dynasty in 1205, 1209 and 1211 and they were forced to give in to the Mongols and pay tributes. The Mongols were also able to conquer the Xia Dynasty, Korea and even as far as Middle East. The Mongols were allied with the Song until it was broke off when the song recapture its former capital Kaifeng in 1259. There war long war campaign, in 1265 the Mongols led by Kublai Khan won a significance battle at Sichuan and in 1279 the Mongols were able to beat the Song resistance and complete defeat when the child Emperor Bing Committed suicide with his officials.
Religion of Song Dynasty
During the Song Dynasty there were three religions or rather set of principles and philosophy that developed Chinese Buddhism was the main religion of the Song at the time. Buddhism was starting to decline due economic and political persecutions. So new religions were starting to emerge like Neo-Confucianism or set of principles, which influenced from Buddhism.
Taoism or Daoism is Buddhism plus Neo-Confucianism, Buddhism is the mind educator and Neo-Confucianism is the self educator. Other Foreign religions were Jew and Islam.
Legacy and Accomplishments from the Song Dynasty.
The Northern Song is the most advance and longest period of the Song Dynasty. The
advancements in education and literature all were taken to a new standard. Kaifeng was one the largest city during this era. The reason for all of this to happen is because of the increase in population between 10th and 11th century. The expansion of rice cultivation in central and the south, with its abundance of labor and food. It fuel the change of China’s Economy to a pre-modern china. They were the first to issue bank notre. This is also why the Southern Song Dynasty was able to revive after losing land to the Jin Dynasty.
The Song Dynasty was a period of rich culture of art, philosophy and social life. We can all see this from surviving paintings and documented texts. Clothing also state rank in society of the Song people. Knowledge spread much quicker due to printing there was also the invention of movable block printing. Art and philosophy was developed to another level, landscape and portrait painting have reached more maturity and level of complexity after the Tang period. The song Dynasty is also father to many types of kung-fu, for example the “Long Fist” today or the Tàizǔ Chángquán was created by Emperor Taizu himself.
They were the first to have an official standing navy, some new technologies during that time helping to aid the navy were, paddle wheeled ships, trebuchet catapults and gun power. Developing from the gun power, the Songs were able to develop canons, rockets and bombs. From rockets, the Chinese was the first to create a multi-stage rockets, this idea has helped us sent satellites into space and helped man reached the moon
Cuisine, the first restaurant was established during the Song Dynasty, it was called “Ma Yu Ching's Bucket Chicken House” it probably developed from tea house and taverns. Also noodles that we eat today was invented during the Song Dynasty, spaghetti is believed to originate in China when Marco Polo came to visit China during these time and when he went back to Italy it later develop into spaghetti or pasta. Also the creation of tea came up during the Song Dynasty, and it spread across the world through traf
People outside China at the time.
Alexios I Komnenos or Alexius I Comnenus (1048 – August 15, 1118), Emperor of the Byzantine Empire. The military, financial and territorial recovery of the Byzantine Empire known as Komnenian restoration
Marco Polo (September 15, 1254 – January 9, 1324 at earliest but no later than June 1325), gained his famed through his world wide travels and recordings. He was the first westerner to travel the Sil
k Road, Ku
blai Khan o
f the Great Mongol Empire.
Bibliography:
www.wikipedia.org
www.google.com
www.hpmuseum.org
http://www.hyperhistory.net
