Rise and fall of the Song Dynasty (2024)

OliviaGutierrez, Jessica Strand

NatalieBocanegra, Veronica Curiel

Rise and fall of theSong Dynasty

I.Song Dynasty

1. Arose in Central China in 960.

2.First dynasty to issue banknotes or paper money.

3.First Chinese polity to establish a permanent standing navy.

I. Emergence

A. The Song Dynasty was divided into two separate dynasties theNorthern Song (386-581) and the Southern Song (420-589). [ADDISON’SNOTE: INCORRECT. NORTHERN SONGEMERGES OUT OF A PERIOD OF WARRING FACTIONS WITH EMPEROR TAIZU <SEEBELOW> IN 960. EMERGENCE OF THESOUTHERN SONG, IN CONFLICT WITH THE JIN, OCCURS WHEN THE SOUTHERN SONG ALLYWITH THE JIN <JURCHENS> AND OVERTHROW THE LIAO IN 1115; SUBSEQUENTLYTHERE IS FIGHTING BETWEEN JIN AND SOUTHERN SONG UNTIL THE SONG AGREE TO PAYTRIBUTE TO THE JIN. THE SOUTHERN SONGEMPIRE LASTS 1127-1279.]

[ADDISON: I’M NOT SURE WHERE THIS GROUP GOT THEINFORMATION, BUT PLEASE REFER TO CHAP. 11 IN YOUR BULLIETT CROSS TEXTBOOK; TheZhou dynasty was overthrown in 220 bce, although thesubsequent military ascension of power by Song Taizuis correct. He then implements feudalismand a centralist bureaucracy.]

B. TheNorthern Song: This dynasty was founded by Zhao Kuangyin.He was a military general who launched a mutiny against the Zhou Dynasty andwas successful. He established the Northern Song Dynasty and he became Emperor Taizu. Emperor Taizu and hisbrother Emperor Taizong managed to unify theterritories in Chinawithin two decades.

Afterremoving military power from the Jiedushi, Emperor Taizu placed the military under the power of the emperorand established a centralized state power.

Advancesmade in the Northern Song Dynasty were plentiful. They were quite advanced inscience, culture, and art. They developed typography and gunpowder underscience, they created the ‘ci’ poem in literature,and their painting was at a high artistic level. [ADDISON: POINT BIS CORRECT]

[ADDISON: background:See the map on pg. 320. Atop theSouthern Song Empire is the Liao Empire, consistingof the Khitan tribe, which was a multi-ethnic tribethat extended quite a distance, traded with many, and was very mobile. Liao rule from 916-1121.They became excellent military combatants with newest technology ofweapons, as well as being excellent horsem*n and archers. The Southern Song, in a period of weakness,agreed to pay tribute to the Liao. This lasted until 1115, when the Southern Songunited with a group to the North-East of the Liao;this group is the Jurchens (subsequently known as theJin). ]

C. Southern Song: The army of theJin Dynasty invaded and demolished the Northern Song Dynasty and captured itsimperial family except for Zhao Gou. Zhao Gou would be placed as emperor of the new Southern Song Dynasty and establish*ts capital at Lin’an.

The Southern Song Dynasty continuedthe legacy left by the Northern Song in that literacy was more important themilitary. Due to this it is considered the weakest dynasty in China’s history. Turbulent timesbetween the Southern Song and the Jin were caused to the Emperor Gaozong. After his reign, things between the two dynastiesstabilized.

The Southern Song would then joinforces with the Mongolian Regime and over power the Jin Dynasty.

II. Fall

A.Political corruption and invasions from external tribes, and civilian uprisingsgreatly weakened the Northern Song Dynasty.

Dueto weak military strength the Northern Song were not able to withstand theinvasion from the Jin Dynasty. In 1127 the Jin army captured the Northern Songcapital of Kaifeng,ending the Northern Song Dynasty.

B.After the Southern Song Dynasty joined the Mongolian Kingdomto overthrow the Jin Dynasty they found themselves in turmoil with them. TheMongolians attempted to expand into the Song territory several times but due tothe brave song soldiers they failed.

Afterinitiating peaceful gestures with the Mongolians the Song Dynasty was finallyconquered by them

After the deathof the former king of the Mongolians, his younger brother, Kublai Khan, becamethe new king. In 1271 Kublai Khan established a new dynasty, the Yuan (1271 -1368). In 1276 the Yuan court launched a massive attack on the Southern Song,resulting in the capture of the Song's capital, Lin'an,and the downfall of the Southern Song Dynasty.