Song dynasty

Quick Facts: Who was Song dynasty?

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Song dynasty

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A powerful Chinese imperial dynasty that oversaw massive technological, economic, and cultural flourishing.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Song dynasty ( SUUNG) was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Ten Kingdoms, ending the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. The Song often came into conflict with the contemporaneous Liao, Western Xia, and Jin dynasties in northern China. After retreating to southern China following attacks by the Jin dynasty, the Song was eventually conquered by the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The dynasty's history is divided into two periods: during the Northern Song (北宋; 960–1127), the capital was in the northern city of Bianjing (now Kaifeng) and the dynasty controlled most of what is now East China.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The Southern Song (南宋; 1127–1279) comprised the period following the loss of control over the northern half of Song territory to the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty in the Jin–Song wars. At that time, the Song court retreated south of the Yangtze and established its capital at Lin'an (now Hangzhou). Although the Song dynasty had lost control of the traditional Chinese heartlands around the Yellow River, the Southern Song Empire contained a large population and productive agricultural land, sustaining a robust economy. In 1234, the Jin dynasty was conquered by the Mongols, who took control of northern China, maintaining uneasy relations with the Southern Song. Möngke Khan, the fourth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, died in 1259 while besieging the mountain castle Diaoyucheng in Chongqing.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

His younger brother Kublai Khan was proclaimed the new Great Khan and in 1271 founded the Yuan dynasty. After two decades of sporadic warfare, Kublai Khan's armies conquered the Song dynasty in 1279 after defeating the Southern Song in the Battle of Yamen, and reunited China under the Yuan dynasty. Technology, science, philosophy, mathematics, and engineering flourished during the Song era. The Song dynasty was the first in world history to issue banknotes or true paper money and the first Chinese government to establish a permanent standing navy. This dynasty saw the first surviving records of the chemical formula for gunpowder, the invention of gunpowder weapons such as fire arrows, bombs, and the fire lance.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1127: 1127 Milestone — The dynasty's history is divided into two periods: during the Northern Song (北宋; 960–1127), the capital was in the northern city of Bianjing (now Kaifeng) and the dynasty controlled most of what is now East China.
2. 1234: 1234 Milestone — In 1234, the Jin dynasty was conquered by the Mongols, who took control of northern China, maintaining uneasy relations with the Southern Song.
3. 1259: 1259 Milestone — Möngke Khan, the fourth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, died in 1259 while besieging the mountain castle Diaoyucheng in Chongqing.
4. 1271: 1271 Milestone — His younger brother Kublai Khan was proclaimed the new Great Khan and in 1271 founded the Yuan dynasty.
5. 1279: 1279 Milestone — The Song dynasty ( SUUNG) was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Song dynasty

True or False: “Did the Song Dynasty's population double in size between the 10th and 11th centuries?”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): Yes, this dramatic growth was fueled by expanded rice cultivation and the use of early-ripening rice varieties.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Afonso III of Portugal — Historical peer (Died in 1279) (1279): King of Portugal who completed the Reconquista and established the modern state structure.
• Emperor Go-Shirakawa — Historical peer (Born in 1127) (1127): Powerful, yet politically constrained emperor who maintained influence through the insei system.
• Minamoto no Yoshimitsu — Historical peer (Died in 1127) (1127): Samurai lord and progenitor of Daitō-ryū, a master of martial arts.
• Emperor Chūkyō — Historical peer (Died in 1234) (1234): The 85th Emperor of Japan, whose brief reign was overshadowed by political turmoil.
• Emperor Go-Horikawa — Historical peer (Died in 1234) (1234): 86th Emperor of Japan who reigned during the Jōō period (1221–1232).
• Möngke Khan — Historical peer (Died in 1259) (1259): Fourth Khagan of the Mongol Empire, known for administrative reforms and vast conquests.
• Wang Zhen (inventor) — Historical peer (Born in 1271) (1271): Yuan Dynasty agronomist, inventor, and pioneer of wooden movable type printing.
• Wenceslaus II of Bohemia — Historical peer (Born in 1271) (1271): King of Bohemia, Duke of Cracow, and King of Poland; a pivotal figure in Bohemian history.

Frequently Asked Questions about Song dynasty