It is easy to conquer the north and difficult to conquer the south, why is the northern expedition often victorious and the southern expedition repeatedly defeated in history?
Why is it easy to conquer the world in the north but difficult to conquer the Central Plains in the south? From ancient times to the present, countless Ming monarchs have wanted to unify the Central Plains and the world. But why is it so easy for the northern nomads to go south to conquer the Central Plains, but it is difficult for the economically and culturally developed places in the south to go north along the meridian road to achieve orthodox status? What is the historical law behind this?
A strategic pattern of being strong in the north and weak in the south has been formed.
In the long history of China, we have encountered a striking phenomenon - the dynasties that once ruled China, such as the Yuan and Qing dynasties, mostly originated in the northern grasslands. Since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty moved the capital to Chang'an, the center of the Central Plains Dynasty gradually moved north. The reason for this pattern is not purely geographical factors, but the result of a combination of factors.
During the Cold War, the role of cavalry was crucial. The vast grasslands of the north are ideal places for training and raising war horses. Northern nomads such as the Xiongnu, Xianbei, Khitan, Jurchen, and Mongol had large numbers of light cavalry. They conquered the frontier with their superb archery skills and superb horsemanship. They are a formidable military force.
In contrast, the hilly terrain and hot and humid climate of the south are not suitable for horses. The only southwestern horses cannot be compared with the fine breeds of the north. In the decisive battle, the infantry and war elephants used by the southern countries could not withstand the sudden attack of the northern iron cavalry. This situation provided favorable objective conditions for the northern army to advance to the Central Plains.
In addition, before the Han Dynasty, China's political and economic centers were concentrated in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, especially in the Central Plains, which is considered the birthplace of Chinese civilization. South China was a frontier region for a long time, and it was not until the Han Dynasty that it gradually integrated into the South China Sea and Lingnan regions. In order to gain legal status and more resources, the northern nomads had to launch large-scale conquests in the south.
However, the countries of the South are more inclined towards self-preservation and economic reconstruction than towards occupying the northern centre. Much of this has to do with the traditional and historical context of the two regions...
Personality differences lead to very different destinies.
The nomadic peoples of the north were loyal and brave, admired combat skills, and aspired to conquer a wider territory. Although the southern tribes are economically rich and culturally developed, they have a gentle personality and pay more attention to accumulating wealth through **. This difference in national character has affected the course of history to a certain extent.
Let's look at the leaders of the ethnic minorities in the north: the Xiongnu ruler Bordun reigned for more than 60 years, and almost every year he went south to invade the Central Plains; Kublai Khan of the Yuan Dynasty led his army south, aiming to dominate the world; Nurhachi of the Qing Dynasty also went through hardships and obstacles, and finally united with the Jurchen tribes of the Jin Dynasty to overthrow the Ming Dynasty in one fell swoop.
These northern chieftains were very extravagant and had a strong sense of enterprise. In order to prove their abilities, they risked their lives to fulfill their desire to unify the Central Plains. Although they failed several times along the way, their determination never wavered. Obviously, the tradition of the northern peoples valuing military achievements and the ambition of the chiefs were important reasons for their eventual success.
Let's look at the rulers of the countries of the South. King Wu Lu has been in the frontier for more than ten years, leading 30,000 people who have just surrendered to recover Jiangdong; Liu Chan, the queen of the Shu Han Dynasty, read the "Spring and Autumn Period" by heart, governed the country, and let the people live and work in peace and contentment; Li Yu, the queen of the Southern Tang Dynasty, was brilliant and lived a luxurious life, but he did not care about political and military affairs.
These southern rulers were benevolent and humble, and were able to manage their internal affairs well and improve the lives of their people. But in the face of the threat of force from the invaders from the north, they lacked the strength to resist and the will to fight. This is in stark contrast to the military spirit and military strategy of the northerners.
At this point, we can clearly see that there are fundamental differences between the North and the South in terms of national character and style of rulers. This has become one of the important variables in the development of history.
The Western Jin Dynasty presents a new pattern.
During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, a major event occurred that changed the face of Chinese history. This was the southward migration in the last years of the Western Jin Dynasty. In 316 AD, the Tuoba Xianbei people invaded the Central Plains from the north, and a large number of scholars moved south. They brought advanced technology and culture from the north, as well as a complete system of governance. This has made the countries of the South stronger than ever before, economically and culturally prosperous. But the North has been in chaos for almost 300 years.
This southward movement has directly led to a new pattern in which the south is strong and the north is weak. Emperor Wu of the Song Dynasty Liu Yu successfully went on a northern expedition and once unified the north and south. With this southward and northern expedition, the southern ethnic groups gradually realized the importance of the northern Central Plains, and at the same time germinated a desire to fight for orthodoxy. This can be seen as a turning point for the regime in the South to negotiate peace.
However, in the following hundred years, the Northern Dynasty continued to move south several times, and has always had the upper hand in the wars between the North and the South. The conflict between the north and the south lasted for a hundred years, and was eventually unified by Yang Jian, the founder of the Sui dynasty.
Song of the South opens up a new economic pattern.
Another important event in Chinese history was the southward migration of Jianyang at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty. This southward migration not only stimulated the rapid economic development of the south, but also further accelerated the transformation of the balance of power between the north and the south.
In 1126, the Jin soldiers went south, the Northern Song Dynasty perished, and Song Gaozong went south and established the Southern Song Dynasty in Hangzhou. For the next 150 years, the Southern Song ruled 60% of the population and 80% of the economic output south of the Yangtze River. The north has long been under the rule of the Jin and Yuan tribes.
The Southern Song Dynasty sought to improve water conservancy facilities, develop handicrafts and overseas**. The spread of the printing press also contributed to the spread of education and culture. During this period, the South was far ahead of the North in terms of economic power, science and culture. Although the Jin Yuan organized several attacks, they did not destroy the Southern Song Dynasty easily.
It wasn't until 1279 that the Yuan army crossed the Lin'an River, ending the rule of the Southern Song Dynasty. But at this time, the economic foundation and cultural heritage of the south had been deeply rooted, and a new economic peak began in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. This revolution in the South is like a loud bang, changing the genes of the South and pushing the South to a whole new level.
In the centuries that followed, the South was no longer inferior to the North in terms of economic power and production capacity, if not surpassed. The conflict between the northern and southern dynasties shifted from a military confrontation to an economic confrontation. This marks the beginning of a new historical stage in North-South relations.
In China's more than 2,000-year history, the Northern Iron Cavalry repeatedly moved south, occupied the Central Plains, and established dynasties. But the huge Jiangnan water town is difficult to dominate. The people of the South were also displaced under the pressure of the Northern Dynasty and struggled to survive. But these settlements eventually became the new center of gravity of Chinese civilization. We can see that geography and humanity together determine the destiny of a nation.
When we trace history back to its origins, we can remove this layer of smoke. The land of China carries far more than the southern conquest and northern war of isolated nations. In the alternation of honor and disgrace, the bloodline of a great nation is also quietly rising. Under the sky, the vicissitudes of the sea, the mountains and rivers are magnificent, and the sun is shining. It's a picture of eternity.