The Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127)
In 960, Emperor Taizu reigned a whole region called the Northern Song Empire with Kaifeng as its capital. The Northern Song Dynasty had a reform of court that staffed administration and the court positions were filled with scholars who had passed the Imperial Examinations. To the Song, the Liao Empire in the northeast was a big military threat and the Song court also wanted to rule the land of Western Xia as well. Not only did the Song fight these two empires, they also fought the Viets in the southeast. All these three empires weren't of Chinese heritage. Their founders originated outside of ancient China. In campaigns against these three, the Song lost most of the time but they kept their territory well until 1127.
The Northern Song Dynasty was a time period of rapid growth of port cities, merchant cities and large urban populations. The reign was one of stability, prosperity and technological as well as industrial advancement. During the Dynasty, the Imperial Examinations tested one’s knowledge of material of Neo-Confucian Classics that was important for candidates for government positions. It was thought that a governing bureaucracy staffed by scholars would be more loyal to the court than officials with domains and areas of rule because officials depend on the court for their pay and position. But, if an official passes the exams, he is thought to be intelligent and noble.
As far as war goes, the Northern Song weren’t the best. In their wars against the Western Xia, the Liao and the Viets, the Song didn’t gain nor lose territory. They couldn’t conquer but they couldn’t get conquered. Next to their enemies, the Song mainly had their eye on the Tanguts. The Tanguts had a small kingdom in the northwest that controlled access to the Gansu Corridor that was a very important link to the Silk Road trade route. The Tanguts were originally a part of the Tang Empire but when it fell, the Tanguts created their own little kingdom that started oppressing the Song Empire while it expanded in the late 900s. The Song thought that if they conquered the Tanguts, they could reestablish Silk Road trade just like the Han and Tang Dynasties. The Song did have some military victories in the early 11th century against the Tanguts but one of the Song generals, leading scientists and a scientific writer named Shen Kuo wrote The Dream Pool Essays, which motivated the Tanguts to regain their territory and they did.
The Liao Empire was an aggressive enemy in the northeast that eventually forced the Song to pay them tribute in 1005 but then from 1075 to 1077, the Ly Dynasty in Vietnam fought the Song. The captives and the captured land were mutually exchanged between the Liao and the Ly. The Northern Song Dynasty basically ended when they with their ally the Jurchens, vassals of the Liao Empire, attacked the Liao Empire and defeated it. Essentially, the Song had won but the Jurchens attacked the Song Empire and in 1127, Kaifeng was captured as well as the emperor and most the emperor’s clan. The highest member of the remains of the emperor’s clan would be the new emperor of a new empire. The capital that was established for the next empire was Hangzhou. Meanwhile, the Jurchens made Kaifeng their capital and founded the Jin Empire.
