Northern Song Dynasty , 960–1127
Emperor Taizu of Song (r. 960–976) unified China through conquering other lands during his reign, ending the upheaval of the five dynasties and ten kingdoms Period. In Kaifeng, he established a strong central government over the empire. He ensured administrative stability by promoting the civil service examination system of drafting state bureaucrats by skill and merit (instead of aristocratic or military position) and promoted projects that ensured efficiency in communication throughout the empire. One such project was the creation by cartographers of detailed maps of each province and city which were then collected in a large atlas. He also promoted groundbreaking science and technological innovations by supporting such works as the astronomical clock tower designed and built by the engineer Zhang Sixun.
The Song court maintained diplomatic relations with Chola India, Fatimid Egypt, Srivijaya, the Kara-Khanid Khanate of Central Asia, and other countries that were also trade partners. However, it was China's closest neighboring states which would have the greatest impact on its domestic and foreign policy. From its inception under Taizu, the song dynasty alternated between warfare and diplomacy with the ethnic Khitans of the Liao Dynasty in the northeast and with the Tanguts of the Western xia dynasty in the northwest. The song dynasty used military force in an attempt to quell the Liao Dynasty and recapture the Sixteen Prefectures, a territory under Khitan control that was traditionally considered to be part of China proper.
However, Song forces were repulsed by the Liao forces who engaged in aggressive yearly campaigns into northern song dynasty territory until 1005 when the signing of the Shanyuan Treaty ended these northern border clashes. The Song were forced to provide tribute to the Khitans, although paying this tribute did little damage to the overall Song economy since the Khitans were heavily dependent upon importing massive amounts of goods from the song dynasty. More significantly, the Song state recognized the Liao state as its diplomatic equal. The song dynasty managed to win several military victories over the Tanguts in the early 11th century, culminating in a campaign led by the polymath scientist, general, and statesman Shen Kuo (1031–1095).
However, this campaign was ultimately a failure due to a rival military officer of Shen disobeying direct orders, and the territory gained from the western xia was eventually lost. There was also a significant war fought against the Lý Dynasty of Vietnam from 1075 to 1077 over a border dispute and the Song's severing of commercial relations with the Đại Việt kingdom. After Lý forces inflicted heavy damages in a raid on Guangxi , the Song commander Guo Kui (1022–1088) penetrated as far as Thăng Long (modern Hanoi). However, heavy losses on both sides prompted the Lý commander Thường Kiệt (1019–1105) to make peace overtures, allowing both sides to withdraw from the war effort; captured territories held by both Song and Lý were mutually exchanged in 1082, along with prisoners of war.
During the 11th century, political rivalries thoroughly divided members of the court due to the ministers' differing approaches, opinions, and policies regarding the handling of the Song's complex society and thriving economy. The idealist Chancellor, Fan Zhongyan (989–1052), was the first to receive a heated political backlash when he attempted to make such reforms as improving the recruitment system of officials, increasing the salaries for minor officials, and establishing sponsorship programs to allow a wider range of people to be well educated and eligible for state service. After Fan was forced to step down from his office, Wang Anshi (1021–1086) became Chancellor of the imperial court. With the backing of Emperor Shenzong (1067–1085), Wang Anshi severely criticized the educational system and state bureaucracy.
Seeking to resolve what he saw as state corruption and negligence, Wang implemented a series of reforms called the New Policies. These involved land tax reform, the establishment of several government monopolies, the support of local militias, and the creation of higher standards for the Imperial examination to make it more practical for men skilled in statecraft to pass. The reforms created political factions in the court. Wang Anshi's New Policies Group (Xin Fa), also known as the 'Reformers', were opposed by the ministers in the 'Conservative' faction led by the historian and Chancellor Sima Guang (1019–1086). As one faction supplanted another in the majority position of the court ministers, it would demote rival officials and exile them to govern remote frontier regions of the empire. One of the prominent victims of the political rivalry, the famous poet and statesman Su Shi (1037–1101), was jailed and eventually exiled for criticizing Wang's reforms.
A Liao Dynasty polychrome wood-carved statue of Guan Yin, Shanxi Province, China, (907–1125) While the central Song court remained politically divided and focused upon its internal affairs, alarming new events to the north in the Liao state finally came to its attention. The Jurchen, a subject tribe within the Liao empire, rebelled against the Liao and formed their own state, the jin dynasty (1115–1234). The Song official Tong Guan (1054–1126) advised Emperor Huizong (1100–1125) to form an alliance with the Jurchens, and their joint military campaign toppled and completely conquered the Liao Dynasty by 1125.
However, the poor performance and military weakness of the Song army was observed by the Jurchens who immediately broke the alliance with the Song, launching an invasion into Song territory in 1125 and another in 1127; in this latter invasion, the Jurchens captured not only the Song capital at Kaifeng, but the retired emperor Huizong, his successor Qinzong, and most of the Imperial court. This took place in the year of Jingkang (Chinese 靖康) and it is known as the Humiliation of Jingkang (Chinese 靖康之恥).
The remaining Song forces regrouped under the self-proclaimed Emperor Gaozong (1127–1162), and withdrew south of the Yangtze River to establish the song dynasty's new capital at Lin'an (in modern Hangzhou). The Jurchen conquest of northern China and shift of capitals from Kaifeng to Lin'an was the dividing line between the northern song dynasty and liu song .
northern song dynasty Emperors
temple names |
posthumous names |
birth names |
period |
era names (nian hao年號) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign |
zhao kuangyin (趙匡胤 zhào kuāngyìn) |
960–976 |
jianlong (建隆 jiànlóng) |
|
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign |
zhao kuangyi |
976–997 |
taipingxingguo (太平興國 tàipíngxīngguó) |
|
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign |
zhao heng (趙恆 zhào héng) |
997–1022 |
xianping (咸平 xiánpíng) |
|
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign |
zhao zhen (趙禎 zhào zhēn) |
1022–1063 |
tiansheng (天聖 tiānshèng) |
|
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign |
zhao shu (趙曙 zhào shù) |
1063–1067 |
zhiping (治平 zhìpíng) |
|
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign |
zhao xu (趙頊 zhào xū) |
1067–1085 |
Xining (熙寧 xīníng) |
|
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign |
zhao xu (趙煦 zhào xǔ) |
1085–1100 |
yuanyou (元祐 yuányòu) |
|
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign |
zhao ji (趙佶 zhào jí) |
1100–1125 |
jianzhongjingguo (建中靖國 jiànzhōngjìngguó) |
|
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign |
zhao huan (趙桓 zhào huán) |
1126–1127 |
jingkang (靖康 jìngkāng) |
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