Nanhai No.1 Museum, Yangjiang City, Guangdong Province
This is the earliest, largest, and most well preserved sunken ship discovered in China to date. In 1987, when the Guangzhou Rescue Bureau and the British Ocean Exploration Company were searching for the sunken East India Company ship in the Yangjiang area, they unexpectedly discovered this Song Dynasty merchant ship, which had been dormant on the seabed for over 800 years. In 2007, this Song Dynasty merchant ship named Nanhai No.1 was salvaged and brought ashore as a whole. Archaeological experts spent seven years clearing the mud, sea sand, and shells on the surface of the sunken ship layer by layer. Eventually, more than 60000 pieces of Song Dynasty porcelain in the ship’s hold were revealed to the world. After appraisal, these porcelain pieces mainly consist of five famous kilns: Jingdezhen kiln series in Jiangxi, Longquan kiln series in Zhejiang, Dehua kiln series in Fujian, Minqing Yiyao series in Fujian, and Cizao kiln series in Fujian. Who is the owner of this ship filled with porcelain, where did he come from, where did he go, and what kind of storms he has experienced? Eventually sinking to the bottom of the sea, no one knows. However, in the eyes of historians, such a merchant ship was just one of the many ships that sailed into the ocean during the Song Dynasty. At that time, the Song Dynasty had the world’s most advanced shipbuilding technology, which could create magnolia boats for long-distance navigation. The Song Dynasty’s maritime merchants sailed their merchant ships to the South Pacific Islands, crossed the Strait of Malacca, entered the Bay of Bengal, entered the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf through the Indian Ocean, and entered the Red Sea along the Arabian Peninsula. The Indian Ocean, which was originally controlled by the Arabs, had become the world of Song Dynasty merchant ships by the 11th to 13th centuries. Looking at the Three Continents Road in the sky and the sound of rising seas, merchants from all over the world reflected the prosperity of overseas trade during the Song Dynasty.
Quanzhou, the starting point of the ancient Chinese Maritime Silk Road, has an infinite sea to the south, and every year it is built to connect with foreign lands. During the Song Dynasty, foreign merchants came and went here in a continuous stream, to the extent that today Quanzhou still has the folk saying of Hui Ban Cheng and Pu Ban Jie. Foreigners are called Fan Ke, and they do business, live, and even settle down here, raising their descendants until they grow old. Nowadays, the large number of Fan Ke tombs preserved in Guangzhou, Quanzhou, Hangzhou, and other places are proof of their existence. However, in such a highly prosperous era of commodity economy, wars between the Song Dynasty army and Liao, Jin, Mongolia and other countries occurred one after another. Fu never stopped, and military defeats caused the center of the Song Dynasty’s political power to repeatedly move southward, until the Battle of Cliffs and Seas until its downfall. This was an era of frequent and turbulent warfare, Why did so many foreigners travel thousands of miles to do business and trade, and even settle down in the Song Dynasty? This has been a question that later generations often wonder. Foreign scholars studying Chinese history generally believe that the Song Dynasty was the golden age of Chinese history, an unprecedented period of development, innovation, and prosperity. However, in the long history written by the Chinese themselves, the Song Dynasty has always been unable to shake off the impression of poverty and weakness. Why do they have such extreme evaluations of the Song Dynasty?
Yong’anling, Gongyi City, Henan Province
Located in Yong’an Mausoleum, Gongyi City, Henan Province, it is the tomb of Zhao Hongyin, the father of Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin, and his mother Du Shi. In 976 AD, this was the seventeenth year that Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin became emperor. On the ninth day of March, Zhao Kuangyin set off from Tokyo to pay respects to Yong’an Mausoleum in Luoyang, the western capital. Later, he held a ceremony to worship the heavens in the southern suburbs of Luoyang, the western capital. All matters were completed, and according to common sense, the emperor should return to the capital city. However, Zhao Kuangyin stayed in Luoyang for a month and had no intention of returning to Tokyo. In fact, at that time, Zhao Kuangyin was truly patrolling the western capital. The purpose was not to offer sacrifices, but to have a more realistic and urgent plan, which was to conduct on-site inspections for the relocation of the capital to Luoyang. At this time, the capital of the Song Dynasty had been Kaifeng for seventeen years. Why did Zhao Kuangyin suddenly think of the idea of relocating the capital?
Before the Five Dynasties period, the capital of the Central Plains dynasties mainly swung between Chang’an and Luoyang. Chang’an and Luoyang, with mountains as fortresses and rivers as ponds, had a dangerous and solid situation that was easy to defend but difficult to attack, and had geographical advantages as capital cities. Kaifeng, on the other hand, was located in a plain with a flat terrain and no danger to defend. In order to defend the safety of the capital city, the court had to station a large number of troops in the capital city to prevent enemy attacks. As an outstanding military commander, Zhao Kuangyin’s biggest concern was this. He explained to his brother Zhao Guangyi that I wanted to move the capital city westward for no other reason, but to rely on high mountains and large terrain. The prominent location of the river was advantageous in blocking the enemy and cutting off a large number of troops, imitating the methods of the Zhou and Han dynasties to stabilize the country. However, Zhao Kuangyin’s idea was strongly opposed by the ministers. On the one hand, Most of these ministers have already settled in Kaifeng for many years, and moving their capital means the migration of their families; On the other hand, after years of war and turmoil, Xijing and Luoyang have long been unrecognizable. Reconstruction means a huge and long time. At this time, Kaifeng, after careful management by the Liang, Jin, Han, and Zhou dynasties of the Five Dynasties period, had become the most prosperous city in the country at that time, with a more imperial style than any other place in the country. More importantly, Kaifeng had a more convenient transportation advantage than Luoyang and Chang’an.
Professor Cheng Minsheng from Henan University: It is also located in the Central Plains, what does Central Plains mean? It means it is a central area for communication and exchange in the southeast, northwest, and north.
Professor Li Xiao from China University of Political Science and Law: Therefore, due to the convenience of this canal, Kaifeng has such an economic advantage and an objective inevitability. One of them is that after the entire economic landscape of China changed, it had its historical inevitability to establish Kaifeng as its capital.
Waterways and waterways are the lifeline of Tokyo’s economy and social life. The Bian River, Cai River, Wuzhang River, and Jinshui River run through the entire Bianliang area of Tokyo. The four rivers also communicate with each other through the moat, making transportation very convenient. Food and materials from various regions are continuously fed into the city through waterways, with Bian River being particularly important. It is connected to the Huai River and Yangtze River to the south, and millions of stones of rice are transported from the river, Huai River, lake, and Zhejiang every year. Local specialties and rare treasures in the southeast are transported from Bian River to the capital, and the capital also transports materials such as millet and charcoal to other places. At that time, Bian River The river is not only a major artery for north-south transportation, but also a link for national security and the lifeline of the Zhao and Song dynasties.
Professor Li Xiao from China University of Political Science and Law: At that time, after the founding of the Northern Song Dynasty by Emperor Taizu Zhao Kuangyin, many of his subordinates and their families lived in Kaifeng. If they abandoned Kaifeng and moved to other places, it was possible that at that time, whether it was these soldiers, officials, national economy, or people’s livelihood, it would bring a considerable burden. Because building a new capital, after a hundred years of war, such a large project was probably difficult to bear at one time.
Under the repeated opposition of the ministers, Emperor Taizu of Song finally gave up the idea of relocating the capital. You eventually gave up the idea of relocating the capital, but at the same time, he expressed his concerns. He told his attendants that if the capital of Kaifeng continued to be established, it would probably take less than a hundred years, and the people’s resources in the world would be exhausted. So what was he worried about?
Professor Cheng Minsheng from Henan University: Kaifeng is a plain without natural dangers such as mountains and rivers. In the era of cold weapons, it was a difficult place to defend. So, what do you need to rely on? It all depends on manpower, all depends on the military, and the military is the most dangerous.
Anyway, Zhao Kuangyin’s compromise was a blessing and an opportunity for Kaifeng, leading the city to unprecedented prosperity and prosperity. However, it also laid the foundation for poverty and weakness in the Song Dynasty. Today’s Kaifeng is no longer the Kaifeng of Bianjing as recorded in history. The Kaifeng of Bianjing, as recorded in history, has long been buried deep underground by mud and sand due to several floods of the Yellow River. In 1981, the Kaifeng Song City Archaeological Team, jointly formed by the Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and the Kaifeng Museum, conducted multiple investigations, drilling, and excavations, and initially revealed the appearance of the Dongjing City Site. Over 900 years ago during the Northern Song Dynasty, Kaifeng was China and also the largest and most prosperous city in the world. There were over a million people living in this city. However, the layout of the city at that time, who lived in the city, and how people lived in this city can only be restored through a book and a painting today.
In 1103 AD, at the end of the Kui period in Chongning, young Meng Yuanlao followed his father to Kaifeng and lived in the western city. Meng Yuanlao spent 23 years in Kaifeng, and the customs and traditions of Kaifeng left a beautiful and profound impression in his memory. After the Jin Dynasty conquered the Northern Song Dynasty, Meng Yuanlao traveled south and often remembered the prosperity of Tokyo. He still vividly remembered every street and the orientation of every building in the old capital, as if he had never left before. He wrote his observations in Kaifeng into a book called “Dream of Tokyo” and expressed his deep nostalgia for the city of Bianjing, which he shared with Meng Yuanlao. A painter who lived in Bianjing during a period expressed his love for the city through an immortal painting scroll. His name was Zhang Zeduan, a native of Zhucheng, Shandong. He traveled to Kaifeng for study in the early years and later began to learn painting, specializing in painting palaces in the industry, He was particularly skilled in painting boats, shops, bridges, streets, and city walls. His painting skills were appreciated by Emperor Huizong Zhao Ju, and he was able to enter the Hanlin Painting Academy. Zhang Zeduan was determined to paint a painting that reflected the entire picture of Kaifeng and presented it to the emperor. He did not live in the Hanlin Painting Academy like other painters, but rented a house on the outskirts of Kaifeng. He spent four years observing the city of Kaifeng, observing every person in the city, and finally drew a masterpiece that has been passed down to the world – the Qingming Riverside Painting. The Qingming Riverside Painting used realistic techniques and a panoramic composition to vividly and meticulously depict the prosperity of the capital city of Northern Song, Bianjing. The scenes and rich social customs and traditions, along with Meng Yuanlao’s Tokyo Dream of Hua Lu, have become important clues for people today to study the social life of Bianjing City at that time.
In the Northern Song Dynasty, Kaifeng, Tokyo, had three palace walls: the imperial city, the inner city, and the outer city. The imperial city was located in the center of the city, surrounded by the outer city, also known as the Luo city, with a circumference of about 29 kilometers. There were three gates on the east, west, and south sides of the Luo city, and four gates on the north side. In addition, there were ten water gates specifically designed for rivers to pass through. At that time, every inch of land and every inch of gold in Kaifeng’s inner city, except for imperial relatives and a few wealthy and wealthy individuals, most officials and civilians lived outside the city. Before the fifth day of the day, the entire Kaifeng city gradually woke up, and people either went to court or went to markets. A busy day began. According to the “Tokyo Dream of Hua Lu”, Kaifeng is a city with a high degree of inclusiveness, where people from all walks of life are extremely dedicated to their work. Every household has their own unique attire, and people can tell their profession by their clothing. Even selling medicine, divination, and beggars are no exception. This description can also be confirmed in the Qingming Riverside Map. Today, we have revived this ancient painting from hundreds of years ago using computer technology, vividly restoring the bustling scene of Bianliang in Tokyo. The picture of Kaifeng depicted in the Qingming Shanghe Tu depicts tall and towering city buildings, with rows of street and house markets. Tea houses, wine shops, foot shops, meat shops, and temple temples are overwhelming. The five elements and eight works of art, including silk, incense, paper horses, medical clinics, and fortune telling, are all busy and orderly. Pedestrians rub shoulders and follow each other, and the flow of people is endless. gentry, officials, merchants, vendors, monks, wealthy children, beggars, men, women, and children, and the three religions and nine streams are clear at a glance. Su Dongpo lived in Kaifeng for nearly ten years, on February 3, 1083 AD. When he was in Huangzhou, he still remembered the bright lights of the night market in Kaifeng City. He wrote that the time of the silkworm market was not his homeland, and the Ma Xing Lantern Record. Back in the day, Ma Xing Street was dozens of miles long, filled with mat shops, which was the norm in Song Dynasty cities. However, this was impossible for ancient people before the Song Dynasty.
Professor Li Xiao from China University of Political Science and Law: In the Northern Song Dynasty, especially with the development of the commodity economy at that time, the urban landscape presented a new pattern. The system of neighborhood markets was completely broken, and residents could open doors and set up shops on the streets, even on some transportation arteries. Therefore, this opened a new chapter in market exchange and commodity trade throughout the city.
During the Northern Song Dynasty, the residents of Tokyo came from all directions and lived on the streets, expanding their business operations to every corner of the city. The Song Dynasty was the golden age of merchants, and the wave of commerce swept across the country. People from all walks of life joined the ranks of merchants, even monks and Taoists were involved in the commercial trend. The Daxiangguo Temple in Bianliang, Tokyo was once the busiest trading market in the capital. Some large merchants, with the power of capital and personal abilities, could gain higher social status. The prosperity of the commodity economy gave rise to prosperous and prosperous cities, which greatly enriched the cultural life of the city. During the reigns of Emperor Renzong and Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, there was a monopoly in Bianliang, Tokyo. A place for entertainment and leisure for the common people – Wa She.
Professor Li Xiao from China University of Political Science and Law: Why is it called Wa She? Wa is a type of brick and tile. According to records from the Song Dynasty, it is called Wa Zi because its personnel gather like tiles. When they come, the tiles merge, and when they go, they disintegrate, making it easy to gather and disperse. It is a gathering place with a high mobility of people and a very fast speed.
Qingming Shanghe Tu Kaifeng City, Henan Province
Kaifeng, Henan, a historical and cultural theme park restored in a one-to-one ratio according to the Qingming River Map, attracts tens of thousands of visitors every day. Folk activities and performances from the Song Dynasty are scattered throughout the park, showcasing the rich cultural and entertainment activities of the Northern Song Dynasty from a thousand years ago. Each tiled house has a varying number of dedicated performance railings, including a stage, backstage, audience seats, etc. The performances include storytelling, singing, acrobatics, shadow puppetry, music, dance, acrobatics, and more. The area around the East Corner Tower in Tokyo is home to the most concentrated tiled houses and pavilions, with over 50 large and small pavilions, the largest of which can accommodate thousands of people. These places are both entertainment and commercial centers, and the performances of artists are all aimed at making money. The entertainment industry has developed into a pillar industry in Tokyo, and the profound urban atmosphere and commercial atmosphere have naturally gained a lot of popularity. At its peak, Kaifeng had a population of about 1.5 million, undoubtedly the largest city in the world at that time, and also attracted the attention of the world at that time. As tribute to the four barbarians, diplomatic envoys, businessmen, and international students from places such as Wu Sui, Goryeo, India, Vietnam, Japan, and Southeast Asia constantly came to visit. In Kaifeng, hundreds of Jews have migrated and integrated into the daily life of Bianliang in Tokyo.
Professor Cheng Minsheng from Henan University: We know that the Jewish people are the most difficult to assimilate, so in the history of world civilization, only the Song Dynasty was able to assimilate the Jewish people who came to Kaifeng. Therefore, their cultural value is very high, and there are still many descendants of Jews living in Kaifeng to this day.
Bianjing was magnificent and unparalleled in the world. As the busiest city in the world at that time, Tokyo and Kaifeng were enough to make every person who came here linger and forget to leave. Seizing this city became the tireless ambition of other regimes. In 1125 AD, the Jin army invaded the city and after a counter attack and peace, the people of the Song Dynasty in Kaifeng welcomed their most humiliating day. On April 1st, 1126, the Jin army loaded them with various rare treasures they had plundered from Kaifeng and brought a large number of officials, craftsmen, advocates, and others back to their northern capital, the Northern Song treasury. Years of savings were looted, and Kaifeng was occupied by the Jin Dynasty. The economy declined, the population decreased, and the industry and commerce declined. It could no longer restore its former prosperity, causing one city to decline while another rose.
After the Song Dynasty’s southward migration, Hangzhou was established as the capital and promoted to Lin’an Prefecture. Over the next 170 years, Hangzhou became the political, economic, and cultural center of the country. In 1275 AD, a 21-year-old Italian man and his father came to the capital of the Yuan Dynasty and presented a letter from the Pope to Kublai Khan. He was Marco Polo, who was appreciated by Kublai Khan. The intelligent Marco Polo quickly learned Mongolian and Chinese. He took advantage of the opportunity to visit various places under the command of the Great Khan and traveled throughout the mountains and rivers of China. The vastness and wealth of China amazed this young man. In the description of “Marco Polo’s Travels”, Hangzhou was… At that time, Hangzhou was the most beautiful and bustling city in the world. Today, Hangzhou is a highly developed modern city, and as a relic of the former capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, it is rare to see it, However, the historical influence of over 800 years ago has already permeated every detail of Hangzhou people’s lives. More than 800 years ago, the Northern Song Dynasty collapsed, and the Song Dynasty regime moved southward. A large number of people from the north migrated to Hangzhou. Among these northern immigrants, in addition to the royal family, nobles, officials and wealthy gentry, there were also a large number of skilled craftsmen engaged in agriculture, handicrafts, commerce, catering services, and other industries. They settled in Hangzhou and integrated the commercial atmosphere and lifestyle of Tokyo and Bianliang into this city.
The rulers of the Southern Song Dynasty devoted their national efforts and meticulously engaged in the urban construction of Lin’an, bringing Hangzhou into the most glorious period in history. Lin’an City is adjacent to Fenghuang Mountain to the south, West Lake to the west, and a plain to the north and east, with a unique natural environment. The palaces of the Southern Song Dynasty are located on Fenghuang Mountain in the south, and the entire city block is in the north, forming the pattern of Nangong and Beishi. The Imperial Street, which extends from the north gate of the palace to the north, runs through the entire area and is the busiest in the city. The total length of the Street is about ten miles. From the outside of the He Ning Gate to the front of the Jingling Palace, there are many shops and shops along the way, standing in rows. The southern section of the Street is adjacent to the imperial palace, which is the central organ of the court and the area where imperial relatives, civil and military officials reside. Therefore, there are many shops in this section. Mainly engaged in the operation of high-end goods, with the middle section of Yujie as the central comprehensive commercial area, there are also several industries, various cities, shops of all sizes, and a complete range of products. All the needs of clothing, food, housing, transportation, and life can be met here, with various famous stores There are over 120 old shops, and the northern section of Yujie is a characteristic stage that combines culture and entertainment. It is the largest entertainment center in Lin’an, and Beiwa is located here. There are a total of 13 Goulan in Beiwa, performing day and night acrobatics, puppet shows, acrobatics, film shows, storytelling, etc. Every day, thousands of city residents in Beiwa play and relax.
Professor Li Xiao from China University of Political Science and Law: During the Southern Song Dynasty, some of the celebrities in the Goulan tiled houses were actors, and even recruited by the emperor to perform for the emperor and the nobles in the palace. In other words, many of the art forms in them were truly appreciated by both the refined and the common people. Firstly, they faced the ordinary people of the Lower Barbarians, and at the same time, they were also appreciated by the so-called royal aristocrats at that time. This is a remarkable achievement in the development history of Chinese cities, cultural undertakings, and cultural industries.
The imperial court’s tribute court was also located near the northern section of the Yujie Street, which was the central venue for holding the imperial examination. Every time the examination was held, thousands of candidates gathered here to participate in the examination. Influenced by it, the Pengqiao area became the largest book market in Lin’an. Compared with the Northern Song period, the commerce and handicraft industry in the Southern Song Dynasty further developed, and the division of labor became more and more detailed. There are roughly 414 lines of records in the prosperous record of the elderly in West Lake today, with a complete variety of goods and exquisite craftsmanship far superior to the previous generation. Among them, the official handicraft workshops are mostly concentrated in the Wuling Fang area in the north of the city, and the Zhaoxian imitation area. Private handicraft industry is spread throughout the city, with both front and back shops being both workers and merchants. The business model is widely prevalent.
Professor Li Xiao from China University of Political Science and Law: There is a saying that Hangzhou has heaven above and Suzhou and Hangzhou below. Of course, this saying has a long history. I think a very important reason is that during the Tang and Song dynasties, especially during the Song Dynasty, the unprecedented economic development of the entire Jiangsu and Zhejiang region, due to the development of agriculture, handicrafts, and commercial trade in this area, these cities have presented a very prosperous scene and a strong radiating driving effect in the surrounding areas.
This is the Louwailou Hotel located on the shore of West Lake. Chef Du Yuntao, who has been working here for more than 20 years, personally cooked a famous Hangzhou cuisine called Song Sao Fish Soup, which originated in the Southern Song Dynasty.
Hangzhou Louwailou Restaurant Chef – Du Yuntao: It is said that when Emperor Zhao Gou visited West Lake for a boat trip, he tasted the fish soup made by Song Sao. At that time, the emperor greatly appreciated it and even rewarded him with some gold and silver brocade and silk. After the local bureaucrats learned about this, the emperors liked it so much that they eagerly tasted this delicious soup. Therefore, at that time, a atmosphere of everyone eating Song Sao’s fish soup was formed, and this dish was very famous. After so many years of inheritance, it was passed down. We are also a famous dish in history, so we have refined and improved it to form this dish of watching outside the building, combined with the dish of Song Sao fish soup.
“The Diagram of Turning at the Gate” by Wei Xian
During the Song Dynasty, the personal attachment relationship between farmers and landlords was greatly weakened. Farmers were no longer the private owners of landlords, but rather had the freedom to rent and move upon the expiration of the contract. Many farmers often engaged in farming and commerce during their busy hours. At the same time, handicrafts were replaced by mandatory assignments and labor systems. The relationship between craftsmen and masters was one of employment and employment, and the remuneration of craftsmen was calculated based on the quantity and quality of the products produced. The personal constraints on craftsmen had been greatly relaxed, and a considerable number of these craftsmen were farmers in the idle period. The improvement of agricultural productivity gave them surplus time to participate in handicrafts and commerce. Some farmers had more time to participate in handicrafts and commerce. Simply break away from agricultural production and move to cities, mines, tea gardens, salt farms or operate independently, or trade goods between urban and rural areas. During the Song Dynasty, coal mining was quite developed in Shanxi, Hebei, Shaanxi and other regions. With the large-scale mining and industrial utilization of coal, handicrafts such as metallurgy, ceramics, well salt, and weaving also showed a prosperous development trend.
Professor Cheng Minsheng from Henan University: In this metallurgical industry, the prominent feature is the mining of coal mines. Coal mines have begun to be mined on a large scale, and they are used for smelting on a large scale. Therefore, if applied to smelting, the metallurgical industry will also achieve great development.
Professor Li Xiao from China University of Political Science and Law: According to the records of Su Dongpo and others, in places like Xuzhou, using coal as fuel for iron smelting is much more flexible and sharp than traditional charcoal. We know that the coal iron revolution opened the prelude to the industrial revolution in Britain, and at this time, China can also be said to have opened such a page.
Apart from big cities like Tokyo and Lin’an, the population size of other cities also rapidly increased. During the Yuanfeng period of the Northern Song Dynasty, there were over 40 cities with over 100000 households, and during the Chongning period, the number increased to over 50. In the 13th century, besides China, the largest and most prosperous city in the world was Baghdad, with a population size between 300000 and 500000. The largest and most prosperous city in the West was Venice, with only 100000 people. London in 14th century Europe had only 40000 people, and Paris had 60000 people, indicating the prosperity of cities in the Song Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty, the non-agricultural population and Fangguo households in the city center were separately registered as legal households, and their taxes were separated from agricultural taxes. As a result, the civil class, as an important social group, has stepped onto the historical stage.
Professor Li Xiao from China University of Political Science and Law: During the Song Dynasty, the scale of cities was not only unprecedented in our country’s history, but also in the history of the whole world. At that time, it could be said to be very spectacular. For example, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, Kaifeng, had a population of as much as 1.5 million. According to later historians, some believed that it could even reach as much as 1.5 million, but now most scholars believe that a city size of around 1 million should not be a problem. Such a large city scale was rare in the world at that time.
At the same time, the trade in small and medium-sized towns and rural markets is becoming increasingly prosperous. New types of commercial areas, such as grass markets, have emerged in the suburbs of cities, and their trade prosperity is no less than that of inner cities. Many small and medium-sized towns even have tax revenues exceeding those of their respective prefectures and counties.
Professor Li Xiao from China University of Political Science and Law: During the Northern Song Dynasty, the revenue from commercial taxes generally accounted for 17% of the monetary and fiscal revenue during that period. In some cases, it even reached 40-50% in some years.
However, for the Song Dynasty government, which was in frequent turmoil and suffered from the three major chronic diseases of redundant soldiers, officials, and expenses, such tax achievements were just a drop in the bucket and far from being able to cope with the huge financial expenses. For this reason, the government eventually became the largest merchant in the Song Dynasty. The Song Dynasty established an extremely strict and complete monopoly system, which not only included salt, iron, wine, tea, alum, etc. in the national monopoly, but also strictly controlled the private sale of monopoly products. The government also implemented strict management of the allowed trafficking of monopoly products, and merchants had to hold the transportation guidance issued by the prohibition agency to set the location for picking up goods. The government imposed strict price restrictions. The monopoly system brought abundant income to the government, but seriously affected the normal development of private industry and commerce. In the Sichuan region, the Northern Song government established the Bo Mai Service, The monopolistic fabric trade prohibited individual farmers and small merchants from freely buying and selling, while the powerful landlords took advantage of the situation to release cheap and expensive food, engage in speculation, exploit the people, and profit from it, causing poor farmers to lose their household land, small merchants to be forced into industry, and family handicrafts to be severely damaged. The Northern Song government also included tea in the monopoly, buying tea at low prices and selling rice at high prices for tea farmers, causing a large number of tea farmers to go bankrupt and their livelihoods to be cut off.
In 993 AD, there was a severe drought in the Sichuan region, causing a great famine. Under the coercion of natural and man-made disasters, a peasant uprising broke out. Wang Xiaobo launched a peasant uprising in Qingcheng County, proposing the idea of equal distribution of wealth. This uprising was responded to by tens of thousands of impoverished farmers in Sichuan. This uprising led to the suspension of coin minting in Sichuan, and major problems arose in the circulation of coins in Sichuan, which was originally short of money. In this situation, the world’s earliest paper currency, Jiaozi, emerged.
Song Dynasty Silver Ingots Kaifeng City Museum
During the Song Dynasty, due to the rapid development of the economy, the circulation of currency increased sharply. After the middle of the Northern Song Dynasty, the annual minting volume exceeded the sum of the minting volumes of the Tang Dynasty for decades. However, coins still could not keep up with the speed of commodity circulation. The shortage of coins is particularly severe in the Sichuan region. During the Song Dynasty, there were mainly two types of coins: copper and iron. In the Sichuan region, there was less copper and more iron, and iron coins have always been minted in large quantities. Iron coins were more cumbersome than copper coins, making it extremely inconvenient for commodity trading.
Professor Cheng Minsheng from Henan University: If you buy a brush and pay ten wen copper coins, then you have to take 100 wen iron coins because the price of iron itself is low? It’s just for him. Its price is used as the standard, which makes it very inconvenient to buy things. It’s very inconvenient, isn’t it? If you go shopping for bulk items, you have to carry a lot of money and use a car to promote it. It was in this context that paper money first appeared in Sichuan.
The Picture of Jiaozi Traveling in the City, National Museum of China
Chengdu Jiaozi Huitong Tianxia Xiao Jidong Chen Dengmu
In the early years of the Northern Song Dynasty, there were merchants in Chengdu who were unable to carry large sums of money and operated cash safekeeping businesses. The depositors handed over the cash to the depositors, who filled out the deposit amount on paper rolls, returned it to the depositors, and charged a certain safekeeping fee. This type of paper circle was called Jiaozi. Initially, Jiaozi was just a credit note for deposits and withdrawals, but gradually developed into a true paper currency with the characteristics of credit currency. In the year 1023 AD, the government established the Yizhou Jiaozi Office in Chengdu, and the official Jiaozi issuance was presided over. This official Jiaozi was the earliest paper currency officially issued by the government in China and the world.
Professor Li Xiao from China University of Political Science and Law: The reason why Jiaozi is stable is directly related to its use of copper and iron coins as its standard. That is, as much paper currency as there is in reserve, it will be issued. However, in the mid to late Northern Song Dynasty, under the leadership of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, during some changes in the country’s economic system, paper currency was used as a means of accumulating wealth, rather than being issued in large quantities without using copper and iron coins as reserves.
Southern Song Dynasty Jian Qian Guan Zi Chao
In the early years of the Southern Song Dynasty, credit bills such as Jian Qian Guan Zi, Jiao Zi, and Gong Ju Guan Zi were issued successively, but they were not widely circulated. The most widely issued paper currency in the Southern Song Dynasty was called Hui Zi, which was mainly used in the southeast region, so it was also called Southeast Hui Zi. In 1160 AD, Qian Duanli, the governor of Lin’an, took over the Bian Qian Hui Zi, which was hosted by a wealthy family of crude oil, and allowed Hui Zi to run parallel with copper coins. In addition to Southeast Hui Zi, Southern Song paper currency, as well as Sichuan’s Chuanyin, Huai Jiao in the two Huai regions, and Hubei’s Hu Hui, circulated and used in specific areas. Hui Zi initially did not establish tax boundaries or limits, but quickly expanded. The phenomenon of depreciation.
Professor Li Xiao from China University of Political Science and Law: In this way, its credit in civilian use was greatly affected. Therefore, the reason why Jiaozi was not used later was not because Jiaozi did not know how to use it, but because it changed its name and was introduced by money. It was replaced by some new named banknotes such as Huizi and Guanzi in the Southern Song Dynasty. Of course, the reason why Jiaozi itself was replaced by these is also closely related to its serious depreciation due to its excessive issuance and lack of credit protection mechanisms.
In 1168 AD, the government stipulated that Huizi would be divided into three years, with each term consisting of 10 million guan, and would be replaced with new ones. However, due to financial difficulties, the rulers and officials of the Southern Song Dynasty soon destroyed their own established exchange boundaries and quotas, resulting in a vicious expansion of Huizi and difficulty in maintaining its monetary function. Regardless of whether it was Jiaozi, Qianyin, or Huizi, they inevitably became tools for the government to accumulate wealth, inevitably leading to indiscriminate use and facing the dilemma of premature death at any time. However, even so, the Southern Song government still could not shake off the historical fate of poverty and weakness. So where did the wealth accumulated by the Song Dynasty government ultimately flow.
Professor Li Xiao from China University of Political Science and Law: The national finance has been struggling to make ends meet for a long time, and it is rare to live a relatively relaxed life like this. So this foreign war, especially for several nomadic ethnic regimes in the north, there is little record of victory in the battles between Liao, Western Xia, Jin, and even Mongolia.
Professor Cheng Minsheng from Henan University: In the Song Dynasty, people said that the military has no pay, no military travel, no military wealth, no military presence, and no money to accomplish anything. They said that financial tension is due to military expenses.
In the year 319 of the Song Dynasty, it was not only a thriving economic history, but also a history of continuous wars and successive retreats with regimes such as Liao, Jin, Mongol, and Yuan. The professionalization of the military caused huge financial expenses, which led to a financial crisis of insufficient national resources despite the large influx of resources. This inevitably led to the Song government using various means to forcibly exploit resources, raise a large number of soldiers, and create a bloated bureaucratic structure. In addition, the government contributed a huge amount of annual coins to the Liao, Western Xia, and Jin dynasties, turning itself into the largest merchant, profiting through commercial means, resulting in the expansion of the official economy and ultimately endangering economic development. Although the Song people used their wisdom and diligence, the government turned itself into the largest merchant, profiting through commercial means, which ultimately harmed the development of the economy. Mian created enormous wealth and prosperity, but fell into meaningless consumption due to the shortcomings of his own system, forming a situation of accumulated poverty and weakness, In the end, they could only lead to their downfall. Compared to the Northern Song Dynasty, the Southern Song Dynasty did not have as severe a problem of three redundancies, but the corruption level of the ruling group was even higher. Therefore, the endings of the two dynasties were exactly the same, and their former prosperity eventually turned into smoke and disappeared in the time and space of history.
90 Seconds of History: The Love Lotus Theory
The saying “Love Lotus” has been passed down through generations, and its author is Zhou Dunyi, a famous Neo Confucianism scholar of the Northern Song Dynasty. Zhou Dunyi lost his father at the age of five and joined his uncle Zheng Xiang with his mother. Zhou Dunyi loved lotus flowers from a young age, and Zheng Xiang built a pavilion in front of his own house to plant lotus flowers, allowing Zhou Dunyi to read and understand. It can be said that Zhou Dunyi’s definition of a gentleman’s personality and his association with Confucian qualities began with a pond of lotus flowers. Zhou Dunyi was the founder of Song Dynasty’s Neo Confucianism. Zhou Dunyi mainly wrote works such as “Tai Chi Diagram” and “Tongshu”. He linked the theory of cosmic generation with the theory of human nature, and at the same time, he put forward the idea that the sage advocates tranquility, advocating the cultivation of tranquility to eliminate evil and promote good, in order to reach the highest level of the sage, Thus, Confucianism was greatly advanced, and many of the propositions and categories proposed by Zhou Dunyi were repeatedly explored and developed by later Neo Confucianism scholars, paving the way for the formation of Neo Confucianism.
