Tales of the Northern Song

The Northern Song was a complex era. Its achievements and failings, its glory and humiliation, still have much to teach us today. Drawing on the important chapters of Song History in Outline, by the Ming Dynasty historian Chen Bangzhan, this book selects key material and takes the Northern Song’s domestic and foreign affairs as its central thread. It offers a systematic overview of the dynasty’s history, presenting the founding and consolidation of the Northern Song, its relations with Liao and Xia, its attempts at reform, and its eventual decay and fall. Though “the Orchid Pavilion is gone, and the Zize Garden lies in ruins,” “history serves as a mirror, showing the rise and fall of dynasties.” Reading history can inspire wistful reflection, clarify principles, and sharpen the mind. We sincerely hope this book will help readers deepen their understanding of this important era. At pivotal moments in their lives, ordinary people endured immense sacrifice and suffering. This book turns its attention to their lives.