Song Dynasty

Song Dynasty Map

The Song Dynasty was located in East Asia within modern-day China. Its broad access to the East China Sea and the South China Sea ensured that maritime trade with the Indian Ocean would always flourish, even when the Song Dynasty's more northern provinces came under attack. The map below depicts the Song Dynasty's height during the Northern Song Period.

Fig. 1- Map depicting the territorial boundaries of the Song Dynasty during the Northern Song Period.

The map below depicts the momentous change in the Song Dynasty's boundaries after the rise of the Jin Dynasty in the 12th century. During this time, the Song Dynasty's capital relocated to Lin'an (seen on the map below), otherwise known as Hangzhou or Hang.

Fig. 2- Map depicting the territorial boundaries of the Song Dynasty during the Southern Song Period.

Medieval East Asia was a conglomerate of different tribal ethnic groups that gave rise to powerful kingdoms. The chart below helps break down the political and cultural shape of East Asia during the reign of the Song Dynasty. The names of dynasties and ethnic groups may be used interchangeably throughout this article.

Song Dynasty Facts

The Song Dynasty rose from the fallen Tang Dynasty's ashes thanks to General Zhao Kuangyin's aggressive efforts, who named himself Emperor Taizu at his empire's inception in 960 CE. In many ways, Emperor Taizu set the blueprint for the ideal future of the Song Dynasty. He implemented political changes to protect his power, promoted a focus on Confucianism and traditional Chinese culture, and supported technological and scientific advancement. During his role, China began reshaping itself as a global economic force.

Fig. 3- Art depicting Song Emperor Taizu.

Song Dynasty Politics

The greatest successes and worst downfalls of the Song Dynasty can be drawn to its government. Through the revival of Confucian-based civil service examinations, the Song Dynasty ensured that its leaders had an excellent education and a strong understanding of Chinese tradition and social hierarchy. It also meant that those who weren't wealthy enough to be instructed in rigorous Confucian education had no chance of landing a job in the Song government.

Song officials often struggled to manage their booming economy, leading to state financial issues. But they did achieve some successes. By establishing a standing Chinese navy in 1132 to protect maritime assets and introducing paper money around the same time, Chinese officials ensured a strong and steady growth of the Chinese economy, even despite the Song Dynasty's warring and tributary payments to hostile kingdoms in the north.

But the Song Dynasty's government was also wracked by political turmoil. The introduction of the reformative New Policies by 11th century Song Chancellor Wang Anshi further divided Song politics into reform-minded and conservative-minded groups. Political dissension manifested in violent revolts and political corruption. Often, the Song Censorate, an inquisitorial branch of the government, did more harm than good. Wars within Song courts often distracted the dynasty from its more severe external threats, that of the Liao Dynasty, then the Jurchens, and inevitably the Mongol Empire.

The Liao Dynasty was the Song Dynasty's first significant threat from the north. But when a small rebel group led by Jurchens sought to bring the Liao Dynasty low, the Song Dynasty supported them. Ironically, the Song Dynasty helped establish the Jurchen Jin Dynasty in the 12th century, a dynasty that would continue to assail the Song Dynasty for a decade. The Jurchens invaded the Song north, capturing the capital of Kaifeng and forcing a relocation of the Song's capital to Lin'an in 1127.

Song Dynasty Economy

As previously stated, China's economy flourished under the Song Dynasty. Trade with the Indian Ocean and abroad brought a wealth of goods, from cotton, gems, and spices to camels and textiles. China could produce over 200 million pounds of iron annually, and its infrastructure supports its metallurgy and trade economy. Blast furnaces were often fueled by hydropower, and ships could travel through an extensive network of rivers and canals.

Fig. 4- Drawing of a Song Chinese banknote.

Moving into its later years, multiple Song Dynasty cities boasted over a million inhabitants. The early Northern Song Period had a population of 90 million, which would only continue to grow during the Southern Song Period. The mass creation of wealth and quantity of transactions forced the Song government to implement paper money. This monetary system only proved easier to track and easier to tax.

Song Dynasty Art and Culture

Aligning itself with the success of the Song Dynasty's economy, culture, and art in Song China were given new life. Influenced by Neo-Confucian ideals and the traces of Buddhism in Song culture, poetry experienced its revival in the Chinese courts. Song Dynasty art focused on landscape paintings that often portrayed a sense of emptiness, such as the piece by artist Fan Kuan seen below:

"Travelers Among Mountains and Streams", by Song Chinese artist Fan Kuan. (Figure 5)

Song Dynasty Inventions

China's Song Dynasty is renowned for its inventions, including the movable printing press, the magnetic compass, and the invention of gunpowder. These inventions would soon spread throughout the world along Chinese trade routes, but they all originated in Medieval China. Although gunpowder was technically discovered during the Tang Dynasty, the Song Dynasty first harnessed its potential. Shortly after writing the recipes for gunpowder, Song China began producing a myriad of gunpowder-based weaponry, from rocket launchers to hand grenades.

Song Dynasty Achievements

Although the Jin Dynasty stripped away the northern half of the Song Dynasty's territories, the Song Dynasty continued to flourish for many years. Its economy and population continued to grow, sustaining its level of cultural and social progress. The Jin Dynasty had its bully, however: the Mongol Empire. The Mongols crushed China during the 13th century, and the joint efforts of Mongol warlords Mongke Khan and Kublai Khan led to the fall of the Song Dynasty and the establishment of the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty within China by the 1270s.

But much like its first leader, Emperor Taizu, the Song Dynasty set a precedent for the future successful management of China. With many of its inventions and innovations, from sustainable infrastructure to paper money, global trade, and gunpowder weaponry, the Chinese Song Dynasty defined the shape of Chinese progress. In many ways, the hallmarks of the Song Dynasty represent the ingredients of a prosperous state during our modern era.