The Rise of Song Dynasty & the Mysterious Death of an Emperor- Song Dynasty Origin 960 - 979

In the Chinese cultural narrative, the Song dynasty is imagined to be THE kung fu dynasty. This is the story of its founder, Zhao Kuangyin and his mysterious death.

🕒[TIMESTAMP]🕒
0:00 Introduction
1:24 The 5 Dynasties & 10 Kingdoms period
3:29 Young Zhao Kuangyin
6:59 Establishing Song Dynasty
9:53 Neutralizing Internal Threats
11:17 Zhao Kuangyin's Unification Campaign
12:21 The Death of Zhao Kuangyin's
14:42 Zhao Kuangyi Unification Campaign

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📚SOURCES:
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Hung Hing Ming, 2014, Ten States, Five Dynasties, One Great Emperor
Ouyang Xiu, (TL: Richard L. Davis), 2004, Historical Records of the Five Dynasties
Victor Cunrui Xiong, 2009, Historical Dictionary of Medieval China
David A. Graff, 2002, Medieval Chinese Warfare 300 –900
John W. Chaffee, 2005, Branches of Heaven - A history of the Imperial Clan of Sung China

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#History #Documentary #Asia

[CoolHistoryBros]

Just because an event is recorded in the official dynastic history of China, it doesn’t mean that it is the incontrovertible truth. The rise of Zhao Kuangyin and his brother Zhao Kuangyi are full of mysteries that can’t be answered.

[animation]

Fun fact: The Southern Han Dynasty, which the Song Dynasty conquered, was the only Chinese dynasty in known to have regularly kept a force of war elephants. The elephants helped the Southern Han against the kingdom of Ma Chu but were later defeated by Song crossbow soldiers.

[kweassa]

I very much like the Song dynasty as well. Everyone just berates them for how 'weak' their military was, and bad-mouths its society as "too civilian" and/or "weak." But in the academia, the cultural achievements of Song, and particularly their incredible economic surge is viewed very favorably. There's even a term, "The Song Renaissance" to describe just how powerful their economy was, and some scholars even go far as to suggest the possibility of pre-industrial era "Song capitalism, " hundreds of years before Europe.

Their end was also the most dramatic as well. No "Fengshan ritual" here. They went out fighting to the last. When the entire region north of the Yellow River was lost to the Mongols, from that point on that "weakling Empire" put up a valiant defense at the Yangtze lines and resisted the invasion for not four years, but four decades until the fortress of Xingyang fell.

For an empire of "pencil pushers" and "nerds, " that's not bad at all.

[HighPriestFuneral]

The start of the Song Dynasty almost seems right out of a fairytale. It combines all the aspects of traditional Chinese ideas into a single perfect tasting cake, but perhaps it is a little too sweet... I think Zhao Kuangyi may have been the "kingmaker" so to speak. Zhao Kuangyin comes off as pure hearted as the records make him seem, but his brother always seemed rather shifty. While not mentioned here, the deposed boy emperor was eventually killed, but not by Zhao Kuangyin's order. The history says it was because some general wanted to curry favor with him, so Zhao Kuangyin had him killed. I wouldn't be surprised if Zhao Kuangyi was somehow behind that too.

As for Zhao Kuangyin's death. That is an oddity, especially since some other versions of the story say that people heard the emperor yell out "Do it right! Do it right!" Though there's also the supernatural elements of Zhao Kuangyi's shadow moving erratically, while he was sitting down drinking tea long into the night with a monk. It's overall a very strange story. I do believe in the Gold Shelf Promise, if only because Zhao Kuangyi could convince his mother to tell that to her eldest son and the reasoning was pretty sound for when it was made.

[aokhoinguyenang]

Most Wuxia I know about the Song Dynasty are set at the end(i.e the Southern Song period) because during the chaos & corruption the Xias are basically the only effective force maintaining order, even defending the country(in the story). The only one off the top of my head that set at the peak of the dynasty is about Judge Bao due to his bodyguard Zhan Zhao being a former Xia(operate outside the law)

[judsonwall]

I’m at 1100 CE in my studies, right at the height of their empire (although disaster is nearing). I’m so damn excited you’re doing a Song Dynasty series. Perfect timing.

[FishBoneD]

Was looking for this about 20 minutes ago. Guess I was just too excited.

[vitorpereira]

I was looking forward to this episode and the wait was worth it. CJ you are awesome!

[loubnaibnqurtuba]

there's a historical term "tang - song transition" suggested by naito torajiro, very famous japanese historian. he said that the transition between tang and song is not just change of dynasty, but change from chuusei(中世) to kinnsei(近世).
It means that song dynasty is totally diffrent from previous dynaties in china in many ways.

[thomasbal]

That was a great video. The Song Dynasty is definitely underrated in general Chinese history and it is one of my favourite Chinese dynasties too.

[thomasbal]

In the immortal words of Count Dooku, “I’ve been looking foreword to this”.

[kemurajohn]

I believe the fact that Gaozong later had no child and had to pass the throne to Taizu's descendant was the karma to Taizong killing Taizu

[russellchristopherrobin]

You always provide some cool history bro

[hikaru_shim_]

These videos always do a great job of making East Asian history interesting while also injecting just the right amount of humor (I started laughing when Empress Dowager Du, "Did the whole unimpressed Asian mom thing, ") and making the historical figures relatable. Also, Empress Dowager Du did give wise advise to her son. It's not easy to be an Emperor.

[navinkumarpk]

Can you do more episodes on the Tanguts, Khitans and Jurchens?

[HexElf]

Damn, I literally just started reading Water Margin and when I saw the poem about the Five Dynasties I was like, hey, I just saw that epiosde! No need to check the footnotes this time. Instead I started wondering if this era had been covereed. Less than a day later, BAM it's here. Thank you once again Chinese History Bros for making my studies so much easier.

[lte]

As one of the soldiers who forcibly draped Zhao Kuangying in imperial robes, I can testify that he truly did not want to become emperor. He cried and pleaded saying he could not betray his sovereign but we gave him no choice

[alvinlin]

Damn the song dynasty was the quickest Chinese dynasty to go from gigchad warrior-generals to nerdy beaurocrats. All dynasties eventually follow this pattern tho

[jakekilley]

i think yuour history channel is by far my favourite for Asian history, if possible if you have it ive looked and looked through videos maybe i missed it do you have a video on the 5 kingdoms period after tang dynasty? if not do you plan to cover a video leading up to tang to song transition ??

[Xix]

Ah, THIS is where Outlaws of the Marsh take place. OK, now I can read my 4-book set. Thanks for this wonderful channel.