Song: Map & History
The world’s first industrial and economic revolution, inventing paper banknotes, gunpowder weaponry, and the magnetic navigation compass.
Wikipedia Encyclopedic Compendium
Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry
Song was an ancient Chinese state during the Zhou dynasty with its capital at Shangqiu. The state was founded soon after King Wu of Zhou conquered the Shang dynasty to establish the Zhou dynasty in 1046 BC. It was conquered by the state of Qi in 286 BC, during the Warring States period. Confucius is traditionally considered to have been a descendant of a Song nobleman who moved to the state of Lu.
Modern Countries Once Part of Song
At its mapped extent, Song covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Song's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Song in Depth
History
In 701 BC, a political marriage between Lady Yong of Song (宋雍氏) and Duke Zhuang of Zheng—as well as the capture of Zhai Zhong (祭仲), a leading warrior—empowered Song to manipulate the administration of Zheng.
In 651, Duke Huan of Song (宋桓公) died, leaving the state to be ruled by Duke Xiang, who reigned from 651 to 637. He was considered a hegemon by some, but was unable to maintain that role. He eventually fell to the troops of Chu.
In 355, Dai Ticheng (戴剔成), a distant relative of the ruling royal line and once a minister of Duke Huan II, managed to usurp the throne. In 328, Dai Yan, a younger brother of Ticheng, took the throne and declared himself to be King Kang of Song, with Ticheng murdered or exiled.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Song (state) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Song: Key Facts
| Capitals | Bianliang, Lin'an Prefecture |
|---|---|
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Founded | 960 CE |
| Dissolved | 1279 |
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q7462 (CC0).
Song Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Song appears, with the other states of the time.
Imperial History & Territorial Expansion
Founded by Emperor Taizu (Zhao Kuangyin), the Song Dynasty pivoted from military warlordism to civilian Confucian governance, unleashing unprecedented technological and commercial dynamism. In urban centers like Kaifeng and Hangzhou, commercial markets operated around the clock. The Song invented the world’s first paper currency (Jiaozi), harnessed the magnetic mariner’s compass for oceanic seafaring, and engineered early gunpowder rockets and flamethrowers.
Song Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Zhao Kuangyin is acclaimed emperor by his troops, ending the Five Dynasties.
State-backed Jiaozi paper currency circulates in Chengdu.
Jurchen Jin armies capture Kaifeng; court retreats south to establish Southern Song in Hangzhou.
Final naval battle against Mongol Yuan forces concludes Song dynasty.
Key Monarchs, Architects & Strategists
Enduring Planetary Legacy
- ✓Invention of Jiaozi in Sichuan, the first government-issued paper currency in human history
- ✓Creation of the magnetic needle compass for blue-water oceanic navigation
- ✓Military application of gunpowder formulas in bombs, arrows, and flamethrowers
- ✓Monumental landscape paintings and celadon ceramics, celebrated in "Along the River During the Qingming Festival"
Song: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Song exist?
Song is dated to 960 CE – 1279 CE (Northern: 960–1127 / Southern: 1127–1279), in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of Song?
The capital of Song was Bianjing (Kaifeng, Northern), Lin'an (Hangzhou, Southern).
How large was Song at its peak?
At its peak in 1100 AD Song covered about 34,728 km².
How did the map of Song change over time?
Song appears on 3 dated world maps in the atlas, from 750 BCE to 323 BCE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
Geographic Lifelines
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