Title: "Song Dynasty: A Thousand Years of Separation and Merge".
In the long course of history, there was a period when China's rule was divided and merged, as unpredictable as the clouds in the sky. The Song Dynasty is one of the dynasties that has endured many vicissitudes and has never been thrived. Today, we will walk into the thousand-year history of the Song Dynasty, its wonder and unity.
Breaking point 1: The founding emperor released his military power with a glass of wine, and rose up in one day.
In 960 AD, a sensational Chenqiao Mutiny put Zhao Kuangyin, who was originally a military general, on the throne. This Chenqiao mutiny is also known as the "yellow robe plus body", Zhao Kuangyin released the military power in his hand between a glass of wine, and became the emperor. This easy move to seize the throne became a unique scene in the founding of the Song Dynasty.
Emphasis on literature over military force: the power of military generals will be weakened, and civil officials and Confucianism will rise.
Zhao Kuangyin pioneered the policy of "emphasizing literature over military force". He was afraid of the generals, for fear that they would follow his example and seize the position, so he took a series of measures, including "weak branches" and "changing the law", etc., to weaken the strength of the local army and strengthen the control of the army. This made civil officials and Confucian generals emerge in Song society and became the dominant force in the ruling class.
Economic prosperity and political stability: The alliance laid the foundation for governance.
The alliance between the Song Dynasty and the Liao State marked the gradual entry of the Song Dynasty into the rule of the world. During the Northern Song Dynasty, China was politically stable, economically prosperous, and thriving in science and technology. Zhao Kuangyin's reforms, including the "equalization system" and the reduction of taxes, laid the foundation for economic prosperity. At the same time, the Northern Song Dynasty was also one of the most prosperous periods of scientific and technological culture, and many important inventions such as movable type printing and compass were made during this period.
The Difference Between North and South: The Dilemma and Development of the Southern Song Dynasty.
During the Southern Song Dynasty, the political situation in China underwent major changes. Due to the invasion and internal turmoil of the Jin Dynasty, the rule of the Southern Song Dynasty was relatively difficult. In order to maintain national stability, the Southern Song Dynasty adopted measures such as centralizing power and weakening the power of military generals. Despite the foreign invasion, the Southern Song Dynasty still developed in terms of economy, science and technology, culture, etc., especially the prosperity of overseas **, which further enhanced the economic strength of the Southern Song Dynasty.
* The root cause: the opposition between civilian officials and military generals.
Although Zhao Kuangyin's "cup of wine to release military power" when he founded the country successfully stabilized the political situation, it also buried hidden dangers. The weakening of military generals led to a confrontation between civilian officials and military generals, which was reflected in all the uprisings. Although the management system of the Song Dynasty was strong, the root causes of social contradictions were not fundamentally resolved.
Peasant uprisings: large but unsustainable.
During the Song Dynasty, peasant uprisings were frequent, but the scale of peasant uprisings in the Song Dynasty was smaller compared to the large-scale peasant uprisings of other dynasties. This is related to the Song Dynasty's emphasis on literature over military force, and the high status of the scholar class in society. The peasant revolt lacked the participation of a high-level scholar, which limited its scale and influence. In addition, the failure to fundamentally resolve social contradictions made it difficult for peasant uprisings to establish an effective ruling order after occupying a certain area, and ultimately to sustain them.
The mystery of history that cannot be bypassed: it must be divided for a long time, and it must be divided for a long time.
The history of the Song Dynasty is like "the major events in the world must be combined for a long time, and they must be divided for a long time", full of the cycle of ** and unity. **Behind the unity is the interweaving of multiple factors such as social structure, governance philosophy, and political struggle. The rise and fall of the Song Dynasty is a vivid and profound picture in the long river of history.
Conclusion: The long river of history flows forever.
The Song Dynasty is an important chapter in Chinese history, and its unique founding history, governance philosophy, and social structure have left a deep imprint on later development. We walked into the history of the Song Dynasty, as if we had traveled through time and space, listening to the millennium of division and integration. In the long course of history, we have seen the competition between civilian officials and military generals, and the alternation of prosperity and turmoil. The rise and fall of the Song Dynasty is not only a historical inevitability, but also an inevitability of social development. Just as "the major events in the world must be united for a long time, and they must be divided for a long time", the long river of history flows eternally, and the magnificent epic of the Chinese nation is constantly written. Let us have a reverence for history, follow the footsteps of time, and move towards a better future.