| Summary: | 碩士 === 華梵大學 === 美術學系碩士班 === 99 === Emperor Taizu of Song Dynasty, posthumous title of the founding Song emperor - Zhao Kuangyin reigned from 960, the military revolt that led Zhao Kuangyin to found the Song Dynasty, suppressed the state political power of the south, stopped war and military activities, and encouraged the culture and education to expect governance.
Until Emperor Taizong - Zhao Kuangyi, he unified the nation, opened widely about the gateway of imperial examinations and sought for preeminently talented persons to have a peaceful and orderly world. He gave people an impression of dictatorship Emperor. Until the reign of Emperor Song Zhengzong, Zhao Heng, and Emperor Renzong, Zhao Zhen, they not only inherited the supervisory system which Emperor Tai established but also made some creative constructions; then, they used diplomatic strategies to maintain international peace. Up to Emperor Yingzong, Zhao Shu, he passed away after taking over the nation for four years; so, he had no achievement. Until Emperor Shenzong, Zhao Xu, he worked hard for peace, and then appointed Wang Anshi to initiate political reform; in addition, strengthened the foreign aggression to protect political reform. Up to Song Zhezong – Zhao Xu, he was so blindness that villains holding sway, and the situation of the nation declined gradually. Until Emperor Huizong – Zhao Ji, he was fatuous and extravagant; so, crafty sycophant and complete flatters, and then brought calamity to the country and the people. Finally, Emperor Qinzong – Zhao Huan succeeded to the throne; although he eliminated evildoers and planned to brace up, he was timid and overcautious, feared the enemy with no brave, leading North Song Dynasty fall of a nation.
In Song Dynasty, it emphasized literature and restricted military force; hence, Song Dynasty was regarded as a declined and weak Dynasty in ancient China. However, speaking to political and military achievements, from Emperor Taizu founding the Song Dynasty to Emperor Ren in the first year of Qingli (1041), agro-industry growth rapidly, trade and commodity livened up, and development of economy and technology reached to the high peak till the end of North Song Dynasty. For this reason, the brilliance of political and military achievements was in the highest position in the World at the time.
In “Watercourse” section in “Reminiscences of the Eastern Capital” by Meng Yuanlao, it described Bian River as “shipped food provisions for Southeast area, the entrance to Capital City for things from Southeast area, taking both public and private interests into consideration.” The main scheme of “Riverside Scene at Qingming Fistival” by Zhang Zeduan is Bian River; the total quantity of ships, no matter big or small, at a glance distance in Bian River in this masterpiece reached to almost 30 ships. These two phenomena both can prove busy water transport of grain and the importance of goods and materials supply of Bian River in North Song Dynasty. For surface transport, Kaifeng in“Reminiscences of the Eastern Capital” by Meng Yuanlao was the place of “Coming from all directions, communicating with every country. In “Yuandan Morning Rally”, it de-scribed that envoys from various countries would come to North Song Dynasty to pay respect to Emperors in every Yuandan; and also described the visit of Khotan as “came with wife and brother, rode camel, and load felt pocket and copper bell.” This situation closely met with the scene which a camel trains carried cargo out of town and return under two jiao silver coins gate.
“Reminiscences of the Eastern Capital” put down in writing about business prosperity in Kaifeng in North Song Dynasty, mixed residential commercial district, among which wine business and catering trade were over 50%, especially regarding big restaurants as index. The outskirts of Kaifeng among the bank of Bian River which have been painted in “Riverside Scene at Qingming Fistival” had all trades and professions ceaseless coming and going, among which there were the cow pulling a cart, people shouldering pole, street vendors standing in great numbers, Sun Jiazheng shop was filled with capacity and took up the wine cup and chat merrily. This general appearance of picture which described above and the situation which described in “Reminiscences of the Eastern Capital” can both be witness about the actual situation of business prosperity in Kaifeng in North Song Dynasty.
In “Qingming Festival” section in “Reminiscences of the Eastern Capital”, it described the civilians in Kaifeng City in North Song Dynasty would go out of town to commemorate a dead person at his grave and walk on the green grass. On the return trip, the sedan-chair canopy would decorate by willows and varia, and returned over and arrived at the evening. In the right margin of “Riverside Scene at Qingming Fistival”, it painted troops went forward among the way in the path among villages, among which the sedan-chair canopy which carried by two servants was decorated by willows and varia. This scene happened to be similar with the plot in “Reminiscences of the Eastern Capital.”
In “Reminiscences of the Eastern Capital” by Meng Yuanlao, it went into details about the city defense and palace reconstruction, people’s livelihood and custom, street scenery and market condition, festival activities, and civilians’ pleasure and amusement, etc. of Eastern Capital Kaigeng in North Song Dynasty. “Riverside Scene at Qingming Fistival” by Zhang Zeduan painted realistically about hustle and bustle nostalgia and grand occasion of water transport of grain from beginning to end of Bian River on the outskirts of Kaifeng in North Song Dynasty. Nowadays, it makes people feel they are personally on the scene when reading about the description of peaceful and pleasure living condition in Eastern Capital Kaifeng in North Song Dynasty; what is more, it makes people feel like personally to be on the scene when seeing the painting about prosperous situations from the beginning to the end of Bian River in Kaifeng in North Song Dynasty. This writing and painting become a good combination to have mutual proof so that people can understand about the culture and military achievements in North Song Dynasty. These two masterpieces: “Reminiscences of the Eastern Capital” and “Riverside Scene at Qingming Fistival” were created by Meng Yuanlao and Zhang Zeduan respectively; the contents of these two works did not disobey. Thus, it can be seen the writing and painting are indeed authentic. In a nutshell, we adopted “Reminiscences of the Eastern Capital” and “Riverside Scene at Qingming Fistival” as witnesses of rising and falling of North Song Dynasty.
Although the culture and military achievements in North Song Dy-nasty succeeded, it was negligent in governing the shortcomings. Hence, the struggle of powers in imperial government occurred frequently, civil turmoil took place unceasingly. This was because the government only looked for patching up a quarrel and reconciles the parties concerned, but ignored to investigate the shortcoming and find out the main cause. For this reason, chaotic matters happened repeatedly. Furthermore, military system unbalanced, the morale of the troops was sinking lower, military orders overflowed; in a nutshell, military force dispirited.
The reasons why North Song Dynasty fell of a nation are many. However, the main causes of a vanished nation lied in fatuous and passing days with luxurious ease of Huizong, cowardice and fear about enemy of Qinzong, and crafty sycophants to confuse Emperors, especially falling in the fatuous and indecent Huizong and coward and fear-with-enemy Qingzong.
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