Southern 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
The Song dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Ten Kingdoms, ending the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. The Song often came into conflict with the contemporaneous Liao, Western Xia, and Jin dynasties in northern China. After retreating to southern China following attacks by the Jin dynasty, the Song was eventually conquered by the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty.
Modern Countries Once Part of Southern Song
At its mapped extent, Southern Song covered territory in 3 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Hong Kong S.A.R.1139–1278 CE · nearly all
- Macau S.A.R1139–1278 CE · nearly all
- China1139–1278 CE · a large part
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Southern 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.
Southern Song in Depth
History
After usurping the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty, Emperor Taizu of Song (r. 960–976) spent sixteen years conquering the rest of China proper, reuniting much of the territory that had once belonged to the Han and Tang empires and ending the upheaval of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. In Kaifeng, he established a strong central government over the empire. The establishment of this capital marked the start of the Northern Song period. He ensured administrative stability by promoting the civil service examination system of drafting state bureaucrats by skill and merit (instead of aristocratic or military position) and promoted projects that ensured efficiency in communication throughout the empire.
Economy
The Song dynasty had one of the most prosperous and advanced economies in the medieval world. Song Chinese invested their funds in joint stock companies and in multiple sailing vessels at a time when monetary gain was assured from the vigorous overseas trade and domestic trade along the Grand Canal and Yangtze River. Both private and government-controlled industries met the needs of a growing Chinese population in the Song; prominent merchant families and private businesses were allowed to occupy industries that were not already government-operated monopolies. Artisans and merchants formed guilds that the state had to deal with when assessing taxes, requisitioning goods, and setting standard workers' wages and prices on goods.
Culture and society
The Song dynasty was an era of administrative sophistication and complex social organization. Some of the largest cities in the world were found in China during this period (Kaifeng and Hangzhou had populations of over a million). People enjoyed various social clubs and entertainment in the cities, and there were many schools and temples to provide the people with education and religious services. The Song government supported social welfare programs including the establishment of retirement homes, public clinics, and paupers' graveyards. The Song dynasty supported a widespread postal service that was modeled on the earlier Han dynasty (202 BCE – CE 220) postal system to provide swift communication throughout the empire.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Song dynasty (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Southern Song: Key Facts
| Capitals | Bianliang, Lin'an Prefecture |
|---|---|
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Founded | 960 CE |
| Dissolved | 1279 |
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q7462 (CC0).
Southern Song Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Southern 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.
Southern 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"
Southern Song: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Southern Song exist?
Southern 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 Southern Song?
The capital of Southern Song was Bianjing (Kaifeng, Northern), Lin'an (Hangzhou, Southern).
How large was Southern Song at its peak?
At its peak in 1100 AD Southern Song covered about 2,057,332 km².
Geographic Lifelines
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