In the Northern Song Dynasty, scholars from Jiangnan relied on the imperial examination to become officials under the background of "valuing literature over military affairs". Amidst the old and new party struggles, border crises and people's livelihood management, they grew from idealistic scholars to pragmatic and capable ministers who took into account both culture and military preparations. They understood that "being an official is not only about economics and the world, but also the responsibility of guarding the bottom line of the country in complex current situations."
