The Song Dynasty 宋朝

After the fall of the Tang dynasty in 907, the territory in the central splits into smaller areas controlled by different rulers.^[1] This period is known as the Five dynasties & Ten Kingdoms (907-960). Zhào Kuāngyìn, who will give himself the name of Emperor Tàizǔ of Sòng 宋太祖, submits all the local rulers after years of war. In the following years, the Song dynasty will continue to expand its territory, eventually reaching a point where it is impossible, in spite of its military might, to keep the entire area under control. The breaking point is 1127, where the Song dynasty has to retreat south, which begins the era known as the Southern Song Dynasty 南宋 (1127-1279).

By this time, the central power that identifies as the heir of the Tang ruling is concentrated in the southern area of today’s China (see map page 146 of Ebrey’s CIHC), with the northern area (roughly, what corresponds to Manchuria today) being controlled primarily by Kithans 契丹, who founded the Liáo 遼 Dynasty (916-1125).^[2] The north/south division became prominent after the fall of the Eastern Han dynasty in 220 CE, and continues to play a role. Before 1127, at various points Song emperors tried to regain control of the northern territories, both for ideological and practical reasons (e.g., access to the Silk Road), but in the long run they were not successful. In the years following 1127 CE, the situation stabilizes as follows: the north is controlled by the Jürchens 女真, who conquered the Liáo dynasty and founded the Jīn Dynasty 金 (1115-1234, and the south was controlled by the Song dynasty (see map page 152 of CHIC). 

The Song’s first capital Kaifeng (which is strategic since it gives control over and access to the Grand Canal that connects north and south) was lost to the Jürchens in 1127. The capital was moved to Hangzhou (easy access to the Yangtze river), which the Jürchens will never be able to control. In spite of the territorial loss, the Song dynasty thrived economically and culturally. The southern area has a climate that facilitates food production, and the Song had access to a vast costal area, which promoted maritime trade. The ceramic production becomes more and more refined, among other industries, the Song ceramics were sold in great numbers. Tea also becomes a renown product around this time, along with silk and lacquer. 

Economic Changes During the Song

The Song dynasty is a pivotal moment when thinking about food production. Between the end of the Tang dynasty and the first half of the Song dynasty, the population doubled, peaking at 90 million. This time coincides with the Medieval Warm Period from circa 1000 CE to 1200 CE, although each area in the East Asian region was impacted in different degrees. While climate changes are not the only cause, they are forces that act indirectly, through people. This rise in population was both a result and a stimulus of changes in agricultural production. With the rise in temperatures, crops yielded more food, which contributed to population increase. At the same time, population growth determines an increase in food demand, contributing to the development of intensive farming.

Rice remained the primary crop being cultivated, with new varieties being introduced in the Southern area, such as the Champa rice from central Vietnam.^[3]

Irrigation systems were furthered developed, and monetary transactions increased drastically. Not coincidentally, it is during the Song that paper money is developed, because it is much easier to move and handle. Also not coincidentally, the early phase of the Song dynasty sees a major debate among intellectuals and officials working for the imperial house on how much the government should intervene in handling monetary affairs such as collecting taxes. Under Emperor Shenzong 神宗 (r. 1067-1975) and his main official Wang Anshi 王安石, there was a major political shift towards a more active statecraft. However, much of the bureaucracy and the elite did not see this as a positive change, and Wang Anshi’s reforms were hindered in many ways, eventually causing their failure.