From Chenqiao to Yashan: Three Centuries of the Song Dynasty's Rise and Fall

A yellow robe begins a dynasty, and a blue sea brings a kingdom to its end. In an accessible, easygoing style, this book tells the complete story of the Song dynasty's three centuries, from its founding to its fall. It offers twists and turns in court intrigue, political factionalism over reforms, and the choices between war and peace, while also exploring life in Bianjing, the commercial economy, the spirit of the scholar-officials, and Song civilization. It avoids reducing historical figures to simple heroes and villains, and treats unresolved mysteries with thoughtful restraint, inviting readers to understand both the Song dynasty's distinctive prosperity and the predicament that endured throughout its history.