374 Song (Sung) dynasty ounces of silver and 200,000 bolts of silk Song was willing to buy peace rather than fight, arguing that the total gifts amounted to no more than percent of its annual income The Song government focused on defense, rebuilding sections of the Great Wall, fortifying frontier towns, and deploying a large army of 1,250,000 men Finding good horses for a cavalry was a problem because Song had inadequate horse breeding lands and Liao and Xixia, which did, would not sell horses to Song An alternate policy of subsidizing farmers to raise horses, which the government could requisition in war, failed Taizu and his successors strengthened the central government by expanding the school and examination systems from which the bulk of civil servants were recruited Advancement in printing and a fast growing economy produced a large and prosperous middle class whose educated sons found honor in serving the government A Confucian revival that began in the late Tang dynasty gained dynamism under Song Confucian scholar-officials reinterpreted the teachings of Confucius and his early followers that successfully challenged Buddhist teachings Cut off from contact with India, Buddhism’s original home, by Muslims and others who ruled Central Asia, Chinese Buddhism lost its vitality during the Song era The reinterpreted Confucianism that matured during Song is called Neo-Confucianism and was accepted as orthodox in China, Korea, and Japan until the 20th century Song scholar-officials formed two parties called Conservatives and Innovators that debated each other on taxation and other government policies Each party implemented policies according to its ideals when in ascendancy At its height around 1100 the Song population totaled around 100 million, more than that of the larger earlier Han and Tang empires Urban centers flourished, a national market system boosted trade, new seeds and crops increased food production, and many crafts provided a wide range of products True porcelain was produced for the first time in the world with high temperature kilns; the products of the many kilns were exported by land and sea throughout Japan, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Egypt The many craftsmen required in producing the ceramic wares worked in a fashion that resembled the division of labor of modern assembly lines Song is also famous for literature of many forms and paintings; they reached their zenith under the eighth emperor, Huizong (Hui-tsung), who reigned between 1101 and 1125 Huizong’s extravagant patronage of the arts and lavish spending on palaces and gardens strained the trea- sury, and his neglect of governing resulted in factional conflicts Finally his disastrous foreign policy almost ended the dynasty Huizong stopped appeasing Liao and made an alliance with a new nomadic people called Jurchen in northern Manchuria who had newly established a state called Jin (Chin) Their common goal was to destroy Liao by a pincer attack and to share the spoils The war fought between 1118 and 1125 destroyed Liao but the alliance collapsed, and Jin then marched on the Song capital, Kaifeng (Kai-feng) Ill prepared, Huizong abdicated, leaving his son Qinzong (Ch’in-tsung) to face the consequences An abortive peace ended when Jin renewed its attack, capturing Kaifeng, then called Bian (Pien), in 1127 and taking both Song rulers and 3,000 members of their family and court to captivity in Manchuria In retrospect the period 960–1127 is called Northern Song SOUTHERN SONG The period 1127–1289 is called Southern Song A younger son of Huizong eluded capture, rallied Song troops, and continued fighting until a peace treaty was signed in 1142 when Jin realized it could not conquer southern China; the new Song ruler, Gaozong (Kaotsung), r 1127–1162, was resigned to losing northern China The most important military hero of the Song era, General Yue Fei (Yueh Fei), had been signally successful in resisting Jin forces and had advanced to the Yellow River valley But Song appeasers led by Qin Gui (Ch’in K’uei) had General Yue imprisoned on false charges and murdered in jail, perhaps as a peace offering to Jin Yue became a great Chinese hero, admired and venerated in popular religion for his patriotism, while Qin has been despised for his treachery There were two revisions of the Song-Jin treaty, each adjusting the payment Song made to Jin Gaozong is regarded as a second dynastic founder; he salvaged a desperate situation and gave the Song another lease on life, albeit in a smaller territory Most of his successors were undistinguished and relied on powerful chancellors and ministers The capital of Southern Song was Hangzhou (Hangchou), once called Linan, near the coast south of the Yangzi (Yangtze) River The Huai River became the boundary between Jin and Southern Song Southern Song was required to recognize Jin as a superior state and became its vassal and paid it an annual tribute of 200,000 ounces of silver and 200,000 bolts of silk Southern Song prospered and Hangzhou became a great metropolis, surpassing Kaifeng Learning flourished, and