Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Lasting unity over most of China's historical territory was finally
achieved in 960 by Zhao Kuangyin, who became the founding
emperor of the Song dynasty (960-1279) and is known in Chinese his-
tory as Song Taizu, or “Grand Progenitor of the Song.” Taizu was origi-
nally a general for the last of the Five Dynasties, but he turned against
it when he deemed its fortunes were finished. The story of his rise to
power is known to every educated Chinese. According to some Song
historical materials, Zhao (the future Taizu) awoke one morning in
his military camp and was startled to find a yellow robe draped about
his shoulders. He immediately understood the momentous meaning
of the robe: yellow was the imperial color, and only the emperor could
wear a yellow robe. He thrice protested his inability and unworthiness
to be emperor, but his lieutenants were so insistent, and the voice of
the people was so enthusiastic, that he finally agreed reluctantly to
bow to the popular will and proclaim his own dynasty, the Song, with
its capital at Kaifeng (which was then known as Bian or Bianliang). His
dynasty lasted for over 300 years when it was overthrown by the Mon-
gol descendants of Chinggis Khan in 1279.
Zhao was probably more ambitious and less reluctant to assume
power than this idealized version of the events indicates. He was
unhappy that the emperor of the dynasty against which he rebelled
was a mere child and probably concluded that he himself was more
qualified to unify China, and the unification of China was very much
on his mind after he proclaimed his dynasty. He had two great tasks
before him: first, the conquest of the south and the internal unification
of China and second, recovery of the parts of northern China con-
quered by the Kitans. He had his work cut out for him.
One of Taizu's steps in securing his power over China internally was
to reign in the military. He was, of course, quite self-conscious about
his own rise to power through a military mutiny, and he wanted to
ensure that nobody else would be able to challenge his power in this
way. He carefully and deliberately deprived his lieutenants of their
own military authority and transferred it into his own hands. Another
well-known story gives an idealized and dramatic account of how all
this happened. One night at a sumptuous wine-and-dine affair with
his comrades in arms, Taizu (who was apparently quite drunk) began
to weep bitterly. Surprised and taken aback by this, his lieutenants
asked him why he was crying. He responded that he could not bear
the thought that his own military comrades, here so convivially gath-
ered with him on this evening, might one day launch a military rebel-
lion against him. Each of them protested that this would never happen
and sought to console him. Eventually they agreed that in order to get
