The Song Dynasty and The Yuan Dynasty
2 min readThe Song Dynasty(960-1279)
The Song period was divided into two phases: Northern Song(960-1127) and Southern Song(1127-1279). With a thriving economy, radiant education and culture, the Song Dynasty was considered to be another period of prime time in Chinese history after the glorious Tang Dynasty.
The Northern Song was founded in 960 by Zhao Kuangyin in Bianliang (in current Kaifengof Henan Province). In 1127, the Northern Song Dynasty was destroyed by the Jin Dynasty.
Zhao Gou fled to Nanjing Yingtianfu (in current Shangqiu of Henan Province) and established the Southern Song Dynasty there. Later, the capital city was moved to Lin’ an(in current Hangzhou). The Song Dynasty lasted 320 years with 18 emperors altogether.
The Song Dynasty had dramatic increase of population, which in some degree fomented and fueled an economic revolution in China. During this period, agriculture, handicraft industry, shipbuilding industry and commerce flourished, and science and technology madeimpressive advancements. The Song dynasty was notable for the development of cities for administrative purposes and for the development of trade, industry, and maritime commerce as well. There was a thrivingness in calligraphy, painting, sculpture and weaving art. Achievements in porcelain manufacture surpassed all previous dynasties, and the Song porcelain was transported through sea route to overseas countries. Gunpowder widely used for military purposes, the compass employed for navigation, and the movable type printing by Bi Sheng are huge contributions to the world civilization.
Song poetry was a newly emergent literary form extremely popular at that time with famous poets such as Liu Yong, Su Shi, Xin Qiji, Li Qingzhao. Shen Kuo, who excelled in many fields of study and statecraft, wrote Dream Pool Essays which covers different fields like astronomy, physics, chemistry, geology, meteorology, medical and so on, astounding the people of the world.
The Yuan Dynasty(1271-1368)
The Yuan Dynasty was established by Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan-the Mongols leader, lasting 163 years with 11 emperors. The Yuan Dynasty gradually adopted Chinese political and cultural models. However, during the 1340s and 13 50s, internal political cohesion disintegrated as growing factionalism at court, rampant corruption, and a succession of natural calamities led to rebellion and, finally, the dynasty collapsed.
Due to the renewed national unification, the economy was boosted which promoted science and culture, improved the ties between various nationalities and increased contacts and communications with foreign nations. The first records of travel by the Venetian Marco Polo accounted his trip to China, which aroused both great interest and awe of the world.
The religious culture of the Yuan Dynasty received an all-round development. The Mongolians’ own religion, Buddhism as well as the traditional Chinese religion of Daoism simultaneously acquired their positions in the Yuan society. There was a remarkable cultura flowering; especially a new kind of literature form Yuan Drama was prosperous during that period. The Yuan drama was one of the outstanding Chinese literary heritages. The most influential works are Wang Shifu’s Romance of the Western Chamber, Guan Hanqing’s DouE Yuan.
