The Southern Song Dynasty (Dynastic Turmoil)

From Zhao Gou's restoration of the Song court in 1127 to its fall to the Yuan in 1276, the Southern Song survived in the south for 150 years. As the Song royal house moved south, the southern economy developed further, and science and technology advanced by leaps and bounds. Through innovation and renewal, Song Confucian Neo-Confucianism reached new heights in the history of ancient Chinese thought. The Southern Song faced the Jin and Yuan dynasties in prolonged standoffs, shifting between war and peace. The turbulent conditions produced a great many heroes, such as Zong Ze, Yue Fei, Han Shizhong, and Wen Tianxiang, as well as renowned poets and lyricists such as Xin Qiji, Lu You, and Li Qingzhao. Their stories have been sung through the ages. The Southern Song continued to be weak in military affairs, but its civil governance was worthy of a place in the annals of history.