The Song Dynasty of Imperial China was the most peaceful and tranquil era of ancient Chinese history. Throughout the rule of three centuries, despite a split into tw

The Song Dynasty of Imperial China was the most peaceful and tranquil era of ancient Chinese history. Throughout the rule of three centuries, despite a split into two factions in 1125 CE, the era of the Song Dynasty forms the basis of Chinese civilizational values.

The Song Dynasty created relative political stability as the emperors focused on maintaining peaceful borders and consolidated rule. The political stability allowed greater innovations, economic development, and better lives for its 300 million subjects. This was an era of economic revolution when technology, science, mathematics, engineering, and philosophy flourished.

Buddhism became one of the most popular religions during this era as the political establishment was more accepting towards new ideas. More Buddhist monks travelled to China from India. Chinese philosophers such as Cheng Yi and Zhu Xi wrote vociferously on Buddhist metaphysics leading to its assimilation into traditional Confucius ideas. 

Interestingly, the issuing of banknotes in the form of paper money, for the first time in world history happened in the Song dynasty era. The dynasty also witnessed the first-ever chemical formula for gunpowder used in the weapons such as bombs, fire arrows, and fire lances. The Sinic architecture as we know it today for its designs was initiated during the Song era. 

The improvement in agriculture and irrigation led to increased cultivation and diversity of crops like rice, wheat, millet, cotton, tea, fruits, vegetables, and sugarcane. The overall gross domestic production during the Song era stood three times that of Europe. Also, there was an expansion of maritime trade and overseas contacts with Japan, Korea, Cambodia, India, Persia, Arabia, East Africa, and Vietnam. The culture of consumption of rice throughout Asia was attributed to the farming techniques that were developed during the Song era. 

The dynasty also had the first permanent standing navy. Civil Service examinations for the recruitment of public officials were conducted for better tax collection. The pass outs witnessed upward social mobility into an aristocratic lifestyle with militaristic virtues of discipline and honour.

However, just like every dynasty, the Song era also had its deep-laden conflicts within the societies. The division of Song in 1125 CE was caused by Jurchen rebels leading to half of the northern Song’s population to another Jin dynasty who funded this subversion. 

The Mongol empire which was on its path of conquering the world reached most of Asia and Europe. The Song dynasty was vulnerable to Genghis Khan and his successors campaigning against them. 

By 1260 CE, Kublai Khan, a grandson of Genghis Khan started building his own Yuan dynasty as he continued adopting Chinese customs and policies to win over the Chinese population, damaging the reigns of the Song Dynasty over its polity.

The final battle between the Mongols and Song was naval warfare where the Song fleets were destroyed by the Mongol fleet headed by Zhang Hongfan and Lu Xiufu, the commander of the Song fleets jumped into the sea with his eight-year-old heir, Zhao Bing, killing both of them and ending the era of Song.

Song Dynasty (960 CE - 1279 CE)

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