In the first month of the third year of Yuanfu in the Northern Song Dynasty, at the age of only 25, Song Zhezong passed away. Zhezong did not leave any offspring or will, and the new emperor could only be selected from Zhezong’s brothers. Song Shenzong had a total of fourteen sons, of which only five were alive at the time. On the day of Song Zhezong’s death, he quickly summoned several important officials to the Empress Dowager and wept to them, lamenting that the country was unfortunate and the Emperor Daxing had no children. The world needed to be decided early, and that there was a legitimate heir to be appointed, but there was no legitimate heir to be appointed as a chief. This was a tradition of selecting a monarch throughout history. Prime Minister Zhang Dun suggested that Zhezong and his younger brother Jian Wang should be established, but the Empress Dowager was not willing. In terms of age, King Shen should be appointed, but due to his illness in the eyes, the Empress Dowager believed it was inconvenient to be appointed as a ruler. In turn, Prince Duan was appointed, but Zhang Dun firmly opposed it, saying that Prince Duan was frivolous and could not rule the world. However, this Prince Duan, who was referred to by the current prime minister as unable to rule the world, was chosen, and he was Emperor Huizong of Song, It was during his reign that the prosperous era formed by co governing the world with literati since the founding of Emperor Taizu began to reach a turning point in history. How frivolous was Emperor Huizong of Song, to the extent that he cut off the land left to him by his ancestors? After he ruled the world, what kind of internal and external troubles did the Song Dynasty face.
Longting, Kaifeng City, Henan Province
Kaifeng, Henan, formerly known as Bianjing, the imperial city of the Northern Song Dynasty. In 1100 AD, the seventh emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty, Emperor Zhezong of Song, suddenly passed away, causing the city to fall into a state of sadness and panic. The country cannot be without a ruler for a day. In a hurry, the Empress Dowager chose Prince Duan Zhao Ji from five candidates to succeed the throne. The reason was that the emperor had previously said that Prince Duan had good fortune and longevity, and his character was benevolent and filial. The ministers saw that the Empress Dowager’s intention was to appoint Zhao Ji, which was in line with the wishes of Emperor Zhezong of Song. At this point, they believed that Prince Duan could not rule over the world, and the Prime Minister Zhang Dun was powerless and unable to compete anymore. Therefore, they issued an edict to the Empress Dowager Gong ascended the throne in front of the coffin of Emperor Zhezong, and Zhao Ji was Emperor Huizong of Song.
Professor You Biao from the School of History at Beijing Normal University: It is common for emperors of the Song Dynasty to have poor offspring, and why is this the kind of imperial throne in the Two Song Dynasty? Especially during the succession to the throne, there is often a hasty situation, which is because he did not have a son, and many emperors did not have a son. However, I have calculated that about 37% of emperors without a son have never had a son, so what should they do if they do not have a son? Then you have to choose other royal families to succeed to the throne, and choose other Zhao family members to succeed to the throne. Why did Song Huizong succeed so hastily? It is because Zhezong had no sons, and there was no Huizong at all. No matter how round it was, it was not his turn. Later, when the Empress Dowager and several ministers combined, Zhao Ji succeeded to the throne.
Zhao Ji was obedient and well mannered in front of Empress Dowager Xiang, who liked him very much. In addition, Empress Dowager Xiang had already developed an extreme distrust of the bureaucrats led by Zhang Dun. Therefore, knowing that Zhao Ji was not suitable for becoming an emperor, she still urged him to come to power. Zhao Ji was neither mentally prepared nor had necessary experience. When he was in the palace, he did not like the main subjects of the royal family, such as Confucian classics and historical records. Instead, Empress Dowager Xiang had a strong interest in calligraphy, painting, cuju, horseback riding, and archery, and he knew everything from fighting chickens to walking dogs. Emperor Huizong of Song had outstanding talent in calligraphy. His calligraphy was unique and was known as the Thin Gold Calligraphy. His calligraphy strokes were vigorous, rhythmic, elegant, and elegant. It can be said that the Northern Song Dynasty was entrusted to an artist rather than a politician for management.
Professor Zhao Dongmei from Peking University: Song Huizong is not only a calligrapher and painter, but also a collector. He is a person who can understand art in various fields, and is indeed a creative and vibrant person. He puts a person in the position of emperor, which is the most dangerous. He loves to tinker with things.
At the beginning of Emperor Huizong’s accession to the throne, in order to gain support from various political factions and stabilize his position, he adopted a policy of reconciling the old and new factions. At the same time, in order to change his frivolous and reckless image, he also adopted a frugal and extravagant attitude in his daily life, such as returning jade artifacts presented by the people and releasing rare birds and animals raised in the inner courtyard in response to the admonition of officials. However, with the old and new party struggles, it was no longer just a matter of whether or not to reform and how to reform, but rather a fierce and irreconcilable bureaucratic competition. Emperor Huizong of Song had to make a choice between the old and new. In January of the first year of Jianzhong Jingguo, Empress Dowager Xiang passed away, and Emperor Huizong’s political orientation immediately changed. In November, he ordered to change his name to Chongning next year, which was meant to uphold Xining, officially marking the continuation of Wang Anshi’s reform path during the reign of Emperor Shenzong. In this context, Emperor Huizong of Song and Cai Jing and others came together, and the Northern Song Dynasty embarked on a journey full of crises.
Professor Zhao Dongmei from Peking University: Don’t overlook the ideals of this young man when he first came to power. I have a student who specifically studied his first reign title, Jianzhong Jingguo, which was meant to be in Jianzhong. What Jianzhong means is that he needs to find a balance point again. Before this, the struggle between the old and new parties has turned into a vicious struggle, either the East overwhelms the West or the West overwhelms the East. When Song Huizong first came to power, he needs to mediate and return to a relatively tolerant and free political atmosphere that can stir up dissent. He is Jianzhong Jingguo, which is about stabilizing this country. The significance of his first reign title, but he soon lost it, and he was not trained as an heir. He was completely unprepared and inexperienced, And at that time, some people also said he was frivolous and could not rule the world. He did indeed prove to be frivolous later on, but when he first came up, he really wanted to do something.
But the problem is that Emperor Huizong encountered Cai Jing again.
Cai Jing was able to connect with Emperor Huizong of Song due to his exceptional calligraphy skills, which he claimed to be unparalleled in the world. Emperor Huizong of Song had heard of Cai Jing’s works for a long time. When he was the King of Duan, he even spent 20000 yuan to buy a fan written by Cai Jing. Now that the King of Duan has become Emperor Huizong, Cai Jing has used all his skills to create a series of works to present. At that time, Han Zhongyan held the position of Left Prime Minister and was naturally weak, unable to compete with the powerful Right Prime Minister Zeng Bu. When Emperor Huizong of Song appreciated Cai Jing, he quoted Cai Jing into court, attempting to make him compete with Zeng Bu for the benefit of fishermen. However, shortly after, Han Zhongyan was falsely accused of violating the laws of the Divine Sect and was expelled from the court. Afterwards, Zeng Bu and Cai Jing’s fighting methods were also defeated, and Cai Jing succeeded in becoming Prime Minister.
Professor Zhao Dongmei from Peking University: Cai Jing is definitely a bad person. Where is his bad behavior reflected? He was originally following Wang Anshi, but after Sima Guang came to power, he quickly scrapped what should have been scrapped. He was able to do it. So, what do you think about this person’s character? This person only recognizes interests and has no ethics, but this person also has an advantage that is a disadvantage on him. This person is talented, has good calligraphy, and writes beautifully. It is estimated that people may also be dignified, so Emperor Huizong of Song would like and trust him. These two people mix together, so… It’s not good if someone with vitality who needs to make trouble meets someone who can help him make trouble.
Cai Jing’s Tomb, Putian City, Fujian Province
Cai Jing was a famous treacherous minister in history. At that time, Emperor Huizong of Song and Cai Jing nominally inherited the new law, but in reality, they turned it into a tool for plundering and accumulating wealth. Cai Jing implemented the Fangtian New Law, but surprisingly, there was a strange phenomenon of wealthy landlords having less and less land, and poor households having more and more land. A large number of taxes and labor were transferred to poor households, and local officials increased their income in order to collect more service money and obtain rewards. In some places, the service money was increased by hundreds of times compared to the Yuanfeng period. The so-called reform of the salt and money laws became a shortcut to plunder people’s wealth, causing the world to often impose prohibitions on private wealth. Everything enhanced Emperor Huizong’s monopoly on national finance and created conditions for his extravagance and extravagance.
Professor Bao Weimin from the History Department of Renmin University of China: So is he an idiot in politics? I don’t think so. In fact, he is still very intelligent. He just naturally enjoys pleasure. He doesn’t really care about the suffering of the people, but he is actually very capable of controlling his own regime. We can see from Cai Jing’s career, where he was dismissed several times and had no ability to fight back, unlike Qin Hui. Therefore, Emperor Huizong of Song still deployed some people who had conflicts with Cai Jing to balance the situation.
Professor You Biao from the School of History of Beijing Normal University: I think the quality of the court’s politics, or in other words, the clarity and darkness of politics, may not depend more on the ministers. In ancient Chinese society, under this system, the decisive factor should also be the emperor.
Climbing the Yaoguang Peak on the Seven Star Mountain in Guilin, one can see a stone tablet engraved with the four characters of Yuanyou Party membership in the Longyin Rock Wall at the foot of the peak. It is said that this is the handwriting of Cai Jing. In the third year of Chongning, Emperor Huizong of Song and Cai Jing launched the largest political persecution movement in the history of the Northern Song Dynasty against Yuanyou Party members. According to Emperor Huizong’s instructions, Cai Jing and others compiled a list of Yuanyou traitors in order to make the so-called traitors infamous for eternity. Not only are the true old party members doomed, but some people who originally belonged to the new party have also been labeled as Yuanyou Party members. Although this stone tablet has been eroded by wind and rain for a long time now, The text is blurry, but he can still witness the fierce party struggles in the late Northern Song Dynasty. Originally, there was a system of Taiwan remonstrance since the Tang and Song dynasties to restrain officials, including prime ministers and even emperors. The main duty of Taiwan officials was to correct official wrongdoing, It is an official who supervises and supervises officials, while a censor is a servant who admonishes and is one of the officials who satirizes the monarch. Since the Song Dynasty, the integration of Taiwan and the censor has been established, and the two have mixed powers. The censor also has the power to supervise the hundred officials. In the era of Emperor Huizong of Song, the system of Taiwan’s admonition was almost non-existent. Emperor Huizong never took admonishing officials seriously, and in order to rise to power, people like Cai Jing had no choice but to engage in military affairs with the king.
Professor Zhao Dongmei from Peking University: The Taiwan remonstrance system is a very fragile system. What do you think the Taiwan remonstrance system is used to balance? The emperor and prime minister, right? In the hands of emperors and prime ministers, there is power, with the highest authority. The power of Taiwan’s remonstrance comes from justice, which means that Taiwan’s remonstrance officials believe in their own justice, and those around them also believe in speaking from a just standpoint. There is a consensus among everyone that this consensus has been broken. When you speak again, are you still truly righteous?
After more than 140 years of stable development, the Northern Song Dynasty entered a prosperous and prosperous era of peace when Emperor Huizong ascended the throne. For the first time, the population exceeded 100 million, and Emperor Huizong had this incredibly prosperous world of flowers and flowers for him to squander. Emperor Huizong liked exotic flowers and stones, and Cai Jing immediately ordered his trusted followers to search for gifts in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions. He also set up a special Yingfeng Bureau in Jiangsu to openly plunder the wealth of the people. Whenever there were stones and trees for people to enjoy in their homes, Cai Jing immediately sent people to plunder them and affix a yellow seal as confiscation. These strange flowers and stones were transported to Kaifeng through the Bian River. Ten ships were organized into one gang, called the Flower Stone Gang. They kept coming and going day and night. Soldiers and escorting officials were also required to meet and see them off. Once a huge the Taihu Lake Lake stone was as high as four zhang. In order to transport a specially made ship, thousands of boat trackers were used to transport it to Kaifeng. It took several months to dismantle the water gate, destroy the bridge, and dig the city wall to get through. It only cost a lot of money. This is a relic of the year, and also a witness to the Flower Stone Hill. It took six years to mobilize tens of thousands of soldiers and craftsmen. Countless extravagant projects make people sigh. During the 26 years of Emperor Huizong’s reign, Cai Jing served as prime minister four times for a total of 17 years, causing chaos throughout the court. Except for Cai Jing, Wang Fu, Zhu Mian, Li Yan, Tong Guan, Liang Shicheng, and others, they also attracted friends and imitations both inside and outside the Tang Dynasty, causing harm to the country and the people, and committing all kinds of evil, forming six thieves. Under the control of Emperor Huizong and this group of treacherous officials, the Song Dynasty can be said to be extremely dark.
Professor You Biao from the School of History of Beijing Normal University: In ancient Chinese society, there was no distinction between public and private. The Chinese people had long believed that the world was public, which means they had already believed that the world was public in the pre Qin period. In the Zhou Dynasty, the Zhou ritual stated that the world was public. In fact, it means that this is just an ideal. In reality, it is difficult to achieve it. In any dynasty, it is difficult to do so. If you say that Emperor Huizong of Song lost the world due to private reasons, or that he lost the world due to injustice, it is difficult to say so. The entire court is a complete system, and as long as there is a link in the system, it is difficult to achieve it. If the operation is not effective, problems may arise, so the loss of state by Emperor Huizong of Song was actually caused by various factors, and some things were even accidental.
Although the imperial harem was adorned with three thousand beauties, Song Huizong, who indulged in sensuality, was still unsatisfied. In order to seek stimulation, he often disguised himself and sneaked into the streets and alleys of flowers and willows, seeking joy and entertainment. According to legend, it was the first of 72 restaurants in Tokyo during the Northern Song Dynasty. It was here that Song Huizong met the famous Kyoto courtesan Li Shishi. Just as this promiscuous emperor was addicted to sensuality, a crisis was approaching him step by step. The extreme extravagance of Song Huizong’s monarchs and ministers led to the deterioration of the country’s financial situation, and the excessive collection of the people also led to irreconcilable social conflicts. In the second and third years of Xuanhe, in two years, The uprisings of Fang La, Song Jiang, and others erupted in Zhejiang, Huanghuai, and other areas. At the same time, the rise of the Northern Jurchen made the Northern Song Dynasty even more precarious. From the mid-11th century, the Liao Dynasty, which was dominant in the northern desert, embarked on a decline from prosperity to decline, The decadent life of the ruling group led to the decline of the court’s politics and continuous internal turmoil. The late emperors of the Liao Dynasty, Emperor Tianzuo, ascended to the throne in the same year as Emperor Huizong of Song, and their lethargy was no less than that of Emperor Huizong of Song. At that time, social and ethnic conflicts in the Liao Dynasty were unprecedentedly intensified, and resistance struggles among various ethnic groups emerged one after another. Among them, the Jurchen tribe posed the greatest threat to the rule of the Liao Dynasty.
Jintai Zuling, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province
In 1113 AD, the leader of the Jurchen tribe, Wan Yan Aguda, succeeded him as the leader of the Wan Yan tribe. After careful preparation, he launched the Anti Liao War the following year and won consecutive victories, quickly occupying a large area in the northeast of Liao. In 1115 AD, Aguda proclaimed himself emperor and established the country, naming it Da Jin and using Huining as the capital. Upon hearing this, Emperor Tianzuo hurriedly led a 700000 strong army to personally march. The Liao army was not a match for Da Jin and was defeated and fled. The elite of the Liao army was almost completely lost in this battle. Since then, the situation has rapidly deteriorated, and the Jin army’s offensive has become even more intense. In a fierce battle, the interior of the Liao Dynasty began to disintegrate. At this time, a Liao official named Li Liangsi defected to the Song Dynasty and offered a plan to join forces with the Jin Dynasty to attack Liao and capture the homeland of Yan Yun. During the reign of Emperor Shenzong of Song, the Northern Song Dynasty established the strategic goal of first conquering the Western Xia and then attacking the Liao Dynasty, Under the banner of Shao Shu, Emperor Huizong of Song also boasted about his strategic goal of continuing to implement it. After achieving some victories in the war against Western Xia, he shifted his focus to the Liao Dynasty. Emperor Huizong of Song highly appreciated Li Liangsi’s strategy and bestowed his surname Zhao, granting him official positions. Li Liangsi later became Zhao Liangsi.
In the first year of Zhonghe, Emperor Huizong of Song sent Ma Zheng and others to cross the sea from Dengzhou to Jin to discuss specific matters related to the siege of Liao. In the second year of Xuanhe, he also appointed Zhao Liangsi and others as political envoys, carrying Emperor Huizong’s imperial pen to negotiate with Emperor Jin Aguda. Both Song and Jin were not allowed to make peace with Liao alone. The Jin army attacked the central capital Dading Prefecture of Liao, the Song army captured the Nanjing Xijin Prefecture of Liao, and the western capital Datong Prefecture. After the destruction of Liao, Song transferred the year old coins lost to Liao to Jin, and Jin returned the Yanyun area to Song. This is the Song Jin Sea Treaty, also known as the Sea Alliance.
Professor You Biao from the School of History at Beijing Normal University: During the Song Dynasty, the Silk Road in the northwest was cut off, and the Song people had to go to sea. Therefore, the Song people’s navigation technology developed rapidly. The Song people’s navigation ability was strong, so they could quickly reach Goryeo. Therefore, they passed through two routes: one was by land, which was from the Khitans, and the other was by sea. If the alliance between the Song and Jin dynasties could be executed, it would be beneficial for the Song Dynasty, but it means that he did not abide by the treaty. Therefore, the signing of the Song Jin Sea Alliance was actually a mistake made by the Song Dynasty. That’s why it led to the downfall of the Northern Song Dynasty.
Professor Bao Weimin from the Department of History at Renmin University of China: The Chanyuan Alliance can be said to have reached a balance of military power between the two sides. For the Khitan people, that is, the Khitan army went south alone and reached the Yellow River. In fact, it was not easy for them to move forward. So, the Song army actually had some victories in various battles and small battles. So, the two sides actually signed a contract under a balance of power. Although the Song Dynasty was always a posture because it was a humiliation, the status was equal at that time. In the country of brothers, Emperor Zhenzong was still his brother because he was older than Emperor Shengzong of Liao. Therefore, he was his brother. That’s my younger brother, he just needs to pay some money. In theory, that money is just a gift. This gift is different from the later tax tribute.
Beijing History Museum, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province
Many people in the Song Dynasty opposed the alliance between the Jin Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty, believing that the court could not abide by the contract reached during the alliance with the Liao Dynasty in Chanyuan. It was not a good strategy to initiate the conflict in person. Even the King of Goryeo told the Song Dynasty’s imperial physician who came to diagnose him that he heard that the emperor would seek the Khitan with the Jurchen Empire and preserve the Khitan, especially to defend China’s borders. It was advisable to prepare for it early. These opinions were not heard by Emperor Huizong of Song. The Fangla Uprising that broke out in the second year of Xuanhe implicated the army that was originally preparing to attack Liao, and Emperor Huizong could not draw troops to fulfill the maritime alliance. It is also said that as soon as the Liao Dynasty learned about the maritime alliance between Song and Jin, Emperor Huizong of Song was afraid of Liao’s retaliation and regretted his relationship with Jin. He wanted to unilaterally tear up the agreement. In February of the following year, the Jin envoy came to urge the Song Dynasty to advance as promised, but Emperor Huizong of Song intentionally delayed, It was not until August that a vague and ambiguous national letter was written to send the Jin envoy back, causing the Jin people to believe that the Song Dynasty had already broken the treaty, laying the foundation for future disputes between the two sides. In the fourth year of Xuanhe, the Jin army successively captured the central and western capitals of Liao, and Emperor Tianzuo fled to Jiashan. The downfall of the Liao Dynasty was already a foregone conclusion, and Emperor Huizong of Song decided to use military force. In April and July of that year, Tong Guan and Cai You led the Song army twice to advance towards Yanjing and launch the campaign against Liao, both of which were unsuccessful. The grain and military supplies accumulated on the Hebei border since Xining and Yuanfeng have been depleted.
You Biao, a professor at the School of History of Beijing Normal University: If the Khitan army of the Liao Dynasty was finally mobilized, and the army stationed in Yanjing, as well as the army stationed in Datong and the army stationed in Xijing, Nuzhen may not be able to gain any advantage if it was transferred, so the alliance at sea should be said to be a mistake made by the Northern Song government. Song Huizong has always wanted to recover the sixteen states of Yanyun, not only Song Huizong, but other emperors also had this idea, but this may be related to his great success. You see, my ancestors did not recover the sixteen states of Yanyun, and I recovered them for him.
The corruption and incompetence of the Song Dynasty were clearly seen by the Jin people. In the fourth year of Xuanhe, the Jin army occupied Yanjing. Since the outcome of the matter was different from the original agreement, the Jin people naturally refused to easily fulfill the original agreement. After several negotiations, they allowed the Song Dynasty to reclaim Yanjing and its six states. The condition was that the Song Dynasty not only had to pay the 500000 year old coins given to the Liao Dynasty to the Jin, but also had to pay 1 million guan of Yanjing tax money every year. When the Jin army retreated, they swept away the population and property of Yanjing. The Song Dynasty paid a huge price and bought back only a few empty cities. The Song Dynasty’s rulers and ministers not only did not learn from it, but also had to pay back 1 million guan of Yanjing tax money. Celebrating with joy in the illusory atmosphere of victory, thinking that the world can rest assured from now on. In the second year, the Liao general Zhang Jue, who had already surrendered to the Jin dynasty, rose up in Pingzhou to rebel against the Jin dynasty. The greedy Emperor Huizong of Song attempted to lure Zhang Jue back to the Pingzhou area, which was a violation of the Song Jin agreement and would inevitably face opposition from the Jin dynasty. Emperor Huizong of Song did not provide assistance to Zhang Jue and was prepared for the Jin army, resulting in Zhang Jue being quickly defeated by the Jin army and fleeing back to Yanshan Prefecture. The appointment letter personally written by Emperor Huizong of Song was also seized by the Jin army, and the Jin people came to demand him. At first, the Song dynasty wanted to deny it, but was forced to kill Zhang Jue and hand over his head, along with his two sons, to the Jin dynasty.
In August of the 5th year of the Xuanhe reign, the founder of the Jin dynasty, Wanyan Aguda, passed away. His younger brother, Wanyan Wu Qimai, ascended to the throne as Emperor Taizong of the Jin dynasty. In February of the 7th year of the Xuanhe reign, the Jin army captured Emperor Tianzuo, and the remaining forces of the Liao dynasty were basically eliminated. The large number of people and property plundered during the war stimulated the desire of the emerging Jurchen nobles to expand. They quickly turned their focus to the prosperous and corrupt and incompetent Song dynasty. In October of the Xuanhe reign, the Jin army launched a large-scale southern invasion in two routes, with the western route starting from Datong to attack Taiyuan and the eastern route starting from Pingzhou to attack Yanshan. The two armies planned to converge in Bianjing. At the same time, the Jin Dynasty also sent envoys to extort money from the Song Dynasty. Emperor Taizong of Jin had a clever and ambitious strategy. He sent troops to attack while also sending envoys to extort money, which became a common tactic used by the Jin people to deal with the Song Dynasty in the future. The Jin army advanced exceptionally quickly, and the Jin army on the eastern route entered Yanshan without fighting, Under the guidance of Guo Yaoshi, the surrendered general of the Song Dynasty, they drove straight in. Within a few days, the Jin army on the western route arrived at the outskirts of Taiyuan and began to besiege the city. At the same time, the Jin envoy arrived in Bianjing and arrogantly demanded that the Song Dynasty cede territory and become a vassal. The Qingming Riverside Park, located in Kaifeng City, Henan Province today, is a large-scale Song Dynasty cultural theme park built based on the realistic painting Qingming Riverside by painter Zhang Zeduan and according to the construction standards of the construction method. In addition to restoring and reproducing the bustling scenery of the Song Dynasty capital Tokyo, it also showcases historical stories passed down from generation to generation through historical dramas every day. The Battle of Bianjing is one of them.
The invasion of the Jin army into Bianjing made Emperor Huizong of Song tremble with fear. He had no choice but to issue a decree to offend himself and had the idea of fleeing to avoid trouble. Emperor Huizong appointed Crown Prince Zhao Huan as the Kaifeng Pastor, attempting to have his son block the Jin army in the name of supervising the country. Later, under the persuasion of Li Gang and others, he ordered the Crown Prince Zhao Huan to abdicate and proclaim himself as the leader of the military sect. Although he was frugal and simple, he could also be considered diligent, but he was indecisive, suspicious and unpredictable, lacking courage and determination, and no foresight. He was the main commander of the war. Amidst the ups and downs of the times, a tragic scene of national downfall finally emerged.
Professor Zhao Dongmei from Peking University: He’s scared, it’s just that simple. He’s scared, and when he’s scared, the Crown Prince is ready-made, so he gives it to him for no other reason. And you should know that after he hands over the baton, he leads people and soldiers, and he goes south and east to patrol. He runs to Mizhou in Anhui, the Emperor of Taoism, and he goes to Chongdao.
On the sixth day of the first lunar month in the first year of Jingkang, at the age of 26, Emperor Qinzong of Song, under the strong persuasion of Li Gang, temporarily gave up the idea of fleeing. He climbed onto the Xuande Tower, understood the various armies, and expressed his intention to defend to the end. He appointed Li Gang as the personal commander of the expedition, fully responsible for defending the city. The soldiers wept and cried, and the mountain called for longevity. Li Gang had a slight idea of the arrangement, and the Jin army was ready to attack the city. Although the Jin army was attacking fiercely, progress was not smooth. At this time, the northwest border of the Song Dynasty and stationed troops from various places were coming to assist. The Jin army launched a long-distance attack, penetrated alone, and was trapped under the fortified city, committing the great taboo of the military. In this situation, as long as the rulers and ministers of the Song Dynasty worked together, shared the enemy’s hatred, and defended Bianjing, it was originally possible to inflict heavy damage on the enemy. However, Emperor Qinzong of Song was afraid of the enemy and did not believe that the Song army and civilians could save the danger. Therefore, just as the defense of Bianjing began, Emperor Qinzong of Song sent envoys to the Jin army one after another. Begging for peace, the analysis of Li Gang’s burnt lips and tongue in battle was only perfunctory. The Jin side proposed extremely harsh conditions, demanding 5 million taels of gold and 50 million taels of silver, 10 million pieces of silk and colored silk each, and tens of thousands of horses, camels, and mules each. They respected the ruler of their country as their uncle, All Yanyun people in Han must be returned in full, and the land of Taiyuan, Zhongshan, and Hejian must be ceded as hostages to princes and prime ministers. The appetite of the Jin people was too great. They demanded a large amount of gold and silk, and even if they exhausted the wealth of the Song Dynasty, it would be difficult to make ends meet. Sanzhen was the Pingfan of the Song Dynasty, and the ancestral tomb of the Zhao family was also there. Despite such harsh conditions, Emperor Qinzong of Song agreed to everything in order to seek peace and prosperity. He ordered the plunder of gold and silver from various people in Bianjing, and finally scraped nearly 200000 taels and 4 million taels of silver. The savings of the people were already empty. At the same time, King Kang Zhao Gou and the young master Zhang Bangchang were also taken as hostages and sent to the Jin camp.
Professor You Biao from the School of History at Beijing Normal University: When the Jurchen proposed this, the price was very high. At that time, it meant that when he sent envoys out, he demanded political obedience, economic tribute, and even demanded that the things he had originally given to the Khitan be priced at millions or even tens of millions of yuan. Therefore, the price offered in politics and economy was very high. That’s why Emperor Qinzong of Song hesitated between peace and war. He couldn’t satisfy the high price offered by the Jurchen. If he did, he would be scolded to death by officials both inside and outside the court, including his relatives. He may be scolded to death, so he cannot agree to this condition, so he wavers between this and the battle.
Just as Emperor Qinzong of Song was greatly troubled by the shortage of gold and silk, on January 20th, Zhong Shidao and Yao Pingzhong led the Jingyuan Qinfeng roadside defense army to the capital, and other loyal royal soldiers also arrived one after another. The Song army outside the city had reached more than 200000, and Zhong Shidao was a respected veteran general. The Northwest Border Defense Army was also the most brave and skilled elite of the Song army. Their arrival boosted the morale of the Song army, and Emperor Qinzong of Song temporarily turned to the main battle side. In addition, he strongly supported Yao Pingzhong’s idea of quick and decisive battles, leading him to launch a surprise attack on the military camp. As a result, the situation was not confidential. The Jin army had already been prepared and set up an ambush to break through the Song army. Yao Pingzhong was afraid of guilt and dared not return to the city, so he fled alone. He learned to plan his way and sent cavalry to rob the camp that night. Even if he couldn’t win, he would send troops to harass the enemy every night, leaving them exhausted and fleeing. However, Emperor Qinzong of Song was brave enough, No longer daring to speak of war, Li Bangyan, the surrendering faction of the Lord He, took the opportunity to spread rumors that the Northwest Qinwang’s army had been completely destroyed. Emperor Qinzong of Song was even more alarmed, fearing that the Jin people would come to question him. He quickly revoked the military power of cultivating the division of labor, dismissed Li Gang from his position, disbanded the Imperial Expeditionary Force, and even planned to tie Li Gang up and hand him over to the Jin envoy.
Professor Zhao Dongmei from Peking University: Song Qinzong was originally limited in ability, and he ended up in such a mess for just over a year. He had no choice, and after he went up, there were many real leaders who could be transferred. Therefore, Song Qinzong was a poor and honest person, with only one or two wives. He was such a difficult person. If he were to guard the city, there would still be more than enough. The actions of the surrendering faction aroused strong indignation among the people of Bianjing. At that time, hundreds of imperial students, Fu Que, wrote a letter accusing treacherous officials of defecting to the enemy and causing harm to the country. They demanded to persist in the resistance war and restore the official positions of Li Gang and Zhong Shi Dao. The voices of support from the residents of Bianjing were earth shattering. Helpless, Emperor Qinzong of Song restored the positions of Li Gang and Zhong Shi, and the form of resistance against the Jin Dynasty rose again. Seeing that the military and civilians of Bianjing were united, the number of loyal king soldiers was increasing, and they felt that the situation was not good. Without enough gold and silk, they took an edict to cede the three towns and hastily withdrew their troops, replacing Kang Wang Zhao Gou with Su, who was the Su King of Su, as a hostage. Zhong Shidao requested to launch a fierce attack while the Jin army was crossing the Yellow River, but was rejected by Emperor Qinzong of Song. As a result, the Jin army returned safely and the crisis was temporarily resolved. During the Song Dynasty, the literati were peaceful and the military were playful. They were not serious about preparing for war, but were busy controlling the Imperial Academy. The court strictly prohibited the scholars and commoners from gathering people to rebel under the pretext of Fu Que’s petition, and those who violated the law were engaged in military activities. There were officials who could be executed first and reported later. Of course, during this period, Emperor Qinzong of Song also did some good deeds that were in line with the public opinion. He cleared up a group of treacherous officials represented by the six thieves, including Cai Jing. He was exiled to Lingnan and died on the way. Emperor Qinzong of Song also brought his father, Emperor Huizong of Song, who had fled from the battlefield, back to Bianjing. Afterwards, he further restricted his political intervention and brought him back to Bianjing. Under strict control, as for Li Gang, who had an upright personality and dared to take on responsibilities, Emperor Qinzong of Song had long resented him and even rebuked him for being arrogant and authoritarian, expelling him from the court. Later, Li Gang was charged with being the sole commander of the campaign and losing his wealth, Being demoted several times.
On the one hand, the Jin army agreed to make peace to numb the rulers and ministers of the Song Dynasty, while on the other hand, they continued to attack the city and seize land, and used the victories on the battlefield to gradually increase the conditions for peace negotiations, luring the Song Dynasty to surrender step by step. In August of the same year, the Jin army invaded the south again, with Taiyuan falling on the third day of September, Taiyuan falling on the fifth day of October, and the Jin army from the east and west meeting again at the foot of Bianjing on the second day of the leap month. Bianjing was besieged for the second time, and the situation was even more dangerous than the first time. The defending army in the city was less than 70000, and the troops of the diligent kings from all over the country remained in place under the orders of the peace faction Geng Zhongnan and Tang Ke not to act recklessly. Although Emperor Qinzong of Song sent envoys one after another to urge the troops of the diligent kings to come and rescue them, it was too late and most of the envoys were intercepted by the Jin army. There was a fraudster named Guo Jing who claimed to be able to defeat the Jin army and capture the commander of the Jin army with his six armored divine weapons. Emperor Qinzong of Song believed his lies and sent him to lead the so-called divine weapons in battle, but the result was a great defeat and collapse. Tokyo City was captured and forced to surrender. Emperor Qinzong of Song personally went to Jin Camp to negotiate surrender, respond to his demands, and cede Hebei and Hedong regions. In January of the second year of Jingkang, the Jin army successively detained Emperor Huizong and Emperor Qinzong of Song in Jin Camp.
Professor You Biao from the School of History at Beijing Normal University: Why can the alliance of Chanyuan be reconciled? At least the two sides are evenly matched in Chanzhou, and you can’t handle me. I am guarding you here, and the cavalry cannot pass through. Moreover, it is the vast local government behind Chanzhou and the rule of the Northern Song Dynasty. Therefore, the Khitans are particularly afraid of the situation behind it. The Song Dynasty’s army has not formed a balance of power, and it is difficult to reconcile. Therefore, when such a large army is under pressure, the city has already been besieged. If you think about reconciliation again, it will be difficult.
On February 6th, the Emperor of Jin issued an edict to depose Emperor Huizong and Emperor Qinzong of Song as commoners, and to appoint Zhang Bangchang as the pseudo Emperor of Chu. Seven days later, Emperor Huizong of Song and others were forced to go to Jin camp. The Jin Dynasty’s vassal states, Guhan and Wuli, escorted more than 3000 people, including Emperor Huizong, Emperor Qinzong of Song, his concubines, royal families, and officials, as well as a large amount of looted gold, silver, treasures, ceremonial relics, books, classics, and skilled craftsmen, to the north. As a result, the Northern Song Dynasty was destroyed.
Professor Zhao Dongmei from Peking University: Actually, it should be said that Emperor Huizong bears the main responsibility, but it should not be just Emperor Huizong. It should be Emperor Huizong and his court who bear the main responsibility. Then, it is the Song Dynasty’s long-term strategy of dividing military power, which lacks the construction of armed forces, strategic considerations for national defense, and does not have a sense of security. This also requires a major responsibility.
Professor You Biao from the School of History at Beijing Normal University: After the Wang Anshi Reform, the policies of the court changed back and forth. One followed Wang Anshi’s approach, another followed Zhezong’s approach, and then followed Sima Guang’s approach. The policies became completely chaotic, without a fixed one. There was a continuous policy that suddenly came back and forth, sometimes even changing every year. When you see the Song Dynasty changing its era names, when the era names changed the most, when the era names changed the most, when the era names were the most chaotic, when the era names changed the most, and when the era names changed the most chaotic.
In the year of the Jingkang Rebellion, Emperor Huizong and Emperor Qinzong were abducted to the north, leaving the Central Plains devastated and plagued by refugees wandering around. Amidst the scattered flow of people moving south, there was a dilapidated wooden wheel cart and a middle-aged man of some age, dressed in ordinary clothes and with a tired face, who was helping him fall asleep. His surname was Meng, and he lived in Tokyo for 24 years. He was an inconspicuous official. He knew that this time he left Tokyo, he would probably never see anyone again, not because he had no chance to return, but because the prosperous scene of the past would no longer exist. After he came to see the south settle down, he wrote based on his memory. A book called “The Dream of Tokyo” records his time living in Tokyo. In the preface, he writes that after a long period of peace, there were many characters, such as children with drooping hair, but they were encouraged by the spirit of drums, old people with white spots, and did not know how to fight. The seasons were different, and each had its own viewing experience, On the night of the lantern, on the night of the moon, and in the snow and flowers, he begged for skills to climb high, taught to drive and tour the garden, looked up at the brothels and painted pavilions, embroidered households and pearl curtains, and carved cars parked in the sky street. BMW raced along the imperial road, shining with gold and jade, and the fragrance of Luo Qi wafted. The text of “The Dream of Tokyo” was cumbersome and straightforward, like an explanatory text, listing every detail of the daily life in Tokyo. His tone was calm, even dull, but beneath this indifferent surface, it conveyed a deep sorrow that penetrated the bone marrow.
90 Seconds in History: Song, Jin, and War
The final determination of the historical map of the Southern Song Dynasty in China was formed during the more than thirty years of war and tug of war between the Southern Song court under the leadership of Emperor Gaozong Zhao Gou and the Jin Dynasty after the Jingkang Rebellion. The Jingkang Rebellion destroyed the Northern Song Dynasty, and Zhao Gou, as the only legitimate heir, ascended to the throne. He always retreated and begged for compromise, hoping that the Jin Dynasty could give him a peaceful and peaceful corner. However, with the power of the Northern Song Dynasty’s downfall, the Jin Dynasty originally planned to annihilate the Song Dynasty in one fell swoop. Therefore, after the Jingkang Rebellion, the Jin Dynasty’s army did not stop moving southward. The invasion of foreign tribes aroused the resolute resistance of the people of the Song Dynasty. During this process, a large number of anti Jin generals emerged, and Yue Fei became one of the outstanding ones. With the support of the anti Jin people, the Jin Dynasty finally realized that it was difficult for the Song Dynasty to be destroyed in a short period of time after a series of failures. After pressuring Emperor Gaozong of Song to kill Yue Fei, the Song Jin peace treaty was finally reached, marking China’s entry into another historical period.
