Empire · 960–1279 · East Asia

Song dynasty

Also known as Song Empire

In 960 the general Zhao Kuangyin seized power and founded the Song, ending half a century of division. Wary of military strongmen, the Song placed civil officials chosen by competitive examinations in charge of government, and the scholar-official class flourished.

The economy boomed: rice farming expanded, cities such as Kaifeng and Hangzhou held a million people, and the Song issued the world's first government paper money. Inventions included movable type, the magnetic compass for navigation and gunpowder weapons. Militarily the Song was weaker, paying tribute to the Liao and Western Xia; in 1127 the Jurchen Jin captured Kaifeng and the court fled south, ruling as the Southern Song from Hangzhou. The Mongols under Kublai Khan conquered it, and the last boy emperor died at the naval Battle of Yamen in 1279.

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Years

960–1279

Capital

Kaifeng (Northern Song); Lin'an, now Hangzhou (Southern Song)

Greatest extent

980, about 3.10 million km²

Region

East Asia

Northern Song, before the loss of northern China in 1127; c. 3.1M km² (Taagepera 1997, reached by 980); c. 3.1M km² from 980 (Taagepera 1997; Turchin, Adams & Hall 2006)