1.The Song dynasty was born out of a 47-year period of political chaos and disorder following the collapse of the Tang dynasty in 907. Different powers tried to assert their authority over the Chinese Empire during a time period that came to be known as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. The Five Dynasties refers to five important families from northern China, and the Ten Kingdoms refers to breakaway monarchies in southern China. Gradually, one of the northern families, known as the Later Zhou, grew more powerful than its rivals. This was mainly due to a brilliant cavalry general, Zhou Kuangyin. When a seven-year-old boy was named successor to the Zhou throne, Zhou Kuangyin rebelled and captured the Zhou throne with the help of his troops. Zhou Kuangyin then named himself Emperor Taizu of all China and conquered most of southern China to establish the Song dynasty.
2.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.
3.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. The map below depicts the Song Dynasty's low during the Southern Song Period.
4.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.
5.Hangzhou was chosen as the new capital of the Southern Song dynasty in 1132, when most of northern China had been conquered by the Jurchens in the Jin–Song wars. The surviving imperial family had retreated south from its original capital in Kaifeng after it was captured by the Jurchens in the Jingkang Incident of 1127.
6.This was a way to ensure that only the most qualified people were chosen for these positions. The exam was also used to promote social mobility, as it allowed people from different social classes to compete for jobs. Anyone wanting to work for the imperial government of China had to pass a rigorous examination over more than 1,200 years ago. The scholar-bureaucrats studied Confucius, a sage from the sixth century BCE who wrote extensively about governance. In addition to their own food and beverages, many of the examinees attempted to smuggle in notes. The Han Dynasty
3. Song Dynasty Time Period
The Song Dynasty was a Medieval (5th to
15th century CE) Chinese Dynasty that lasted
from 960 to 1279, with over 300 years of rule.
The Song Dynasty's history can be gracefully split
into the Northern Song Period (960-1127) and the
Southern Song Period (1127-1279).
7. The Song dynasty (sʊŋ) was
an imperial dynasty of China that
ruled from 960 to 1279 AD. The
dynasty was founded by Emperor
T’ai Tsu 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.
8. Kaifeng
During the Northern Song (960–1127), the
capital was in the northern city of Bianjing (now
Kaifeng). Kaifeng became their capital from where
the power of the sung emperors was wielded.
Hangzhou
In the South, the climate and the
beautiful surroundings were the setting for
the Nan Song dynasty established (1127) by
the emperor Gaozong. He chose a capital he
called Lin'an (present-day Hangzhou) and set
about maintaining defenses against the hostile
North and restoring imperial authority in the
hinterland.
9. The civil service entrance
exam, known as the Guokao in
China, was taken by more than
one million people. The civil
service exam was important in
China because it was used to
select people for government
jobs.
Civil Service Exam
10. Government printing of paper money
Jiaozi, the world's first
paper-printed currency, a Song
innovation. In Song Dynasty,
long distance trade had been
very developed, huge amount
of goods and money were
flowing inside the country.
12. During the Song Dynasty, major advancements in
agriculture were made. These included:
The commencement of farming south of the Yangzi
River. This was a major decision and proved to be an
effective one, as the land there was more fertile and
allowed for more than one crop to be grown during the
year.
The growing of diverse and many different types of
rice. This included drought-resistant rice to specialized rice
made specifically for brewing. Consequently, rice began to
serve many different purposes and take a major role in
people's lives.
The spreading of agricultural manuals. This common
and effective manual helped to instruct and advise farmers
on the best ways to do certain things pertaining to growing
crops.
13. Song Dynasty Art and Culture
Snow Mountains by Guo Xi, located in the Shanghai Museum. Guo Xi, a
representative landscape painter in the Northern Song dynasty, is known for
depicting mountains, rivers, and forests in winter.
Painting during the Song Dynasty
(960–1279) reached a new level of
sophistication with further development of
landscape painting. The shan shui style
painting—”shan” meaning mountain and
“shui” meaning river—became prominent in
Chinese landscape art.
14. Advances in Ceramics
Appreciation of the arts among
the gentry flourished during the Song
Dynasty, especially in painting and
ceramics.
16. Movable Type
In the 11th century movable type (one
piece of type for each character) was invented.
Movable type was never widely used in China
because whole-block printing was less
expensive, but when movable type reached
Europe in the 15th century, it revolutionized the
communication of ideas.
17. Shipbuilding - was also improved
methodically, as the range of the rudders
increased and certain properties of the form
of the ship helped increase flexibility. The
Song made improvements in the nautical
field as demonstrated by their enhanced
shipbuilding and compass techniques.
The increased stability of the compass.
The compass was greatly improved during
the Song Dynasty as the Song reduced its
needle size and attached a fixed stem.
18. Gunpowder uses
The invention of gunpowder. The first
discovery of a formula to make gunpowder
and the different weapons and uses it had
was discovered in the 11th century.
Gunpowder was used in many different
weapons such as the “fire-spurting lance”, a
tube with gunpowder inside and when lit
acted like a flamethrower, grenades,
cannons, and land mines.
19. Song Dynasty Religion
The Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) was a period in
Chinese history marked by significant advancements
in technology, art, and culture. One of the most
important aspects of life during this time was religion.
The Song Dynasty saw the rise of new religious
movements, such as Neo-Confucianism, and the
spread of existing ones, such as Buddhism and
Daoism.
20. Summary
In summary, the Song Dynasty was characterized by
many accomplishments in the technological realms.
Advancements in technology were diverse and plentiful,
such as in agriculture, weaponry, and the technicalities
of machines. This combination of achievements in food,
warfare, and machines helped to define the Song
Dynasty’s innovation and its lasting effect on the
technology in Ancient China.
