Starting in 960 and ending in 1279, the Song Dynasty which followed the Period of the Five Dynasties and the Ten States and preceded the Yuan Dynasty in China consisted of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1126) and the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). With a prosperous economy and radiant culture, the Song Dynasty was considered as another period of ´golden age´ after the glorious Tang Dynasty (618 - 907).
The Northern Song was founded by Zhao Kuangyin, a military general in the Latter Zhou Dynasty (951 - 960). In 960, Zhao Kuangyin launched a mutiny in Chenqiao county (in current Henan Province).It was not long before the last king of the Latter Zhou was forced to abdicate. Thus a new dynasty - Song Dynasty was established in Kaifeng. In that period, most part of China´s territory was unified. However, in late Northern Song, the political corruption was serious and the regime began to decline. In 1127, the Northern Song Dynasty was destroyed by the Jin Dynasty (1115 - 1234).
The Southern Song Dynasty was set up by Zhao Gou, son of the last emperor of Northern Song. After Jin defeated the Northern Song, many imperial clansmen were captured by Jin´s army. Fortunately, Zhao Gou had a luck escape. In 1127, he 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 (currently Hangzhou City in Zhejiang Province).The Southern Song´s regime was subject to the Jin Dynasty. Many patriotic generals were killed in the late period. In 1279, the army of the Yuan Dynasty captured Lin´an, putting the Southern Song to an end.
the painting of Qingming Shanghe Tu
