Song Dynasty

Song Dynasty

The Song Dynasty (960-1279) was a ruling dynasty in China. This dynasty is divided into two periods: Northern Song and Southern Song. Social life was vibrant in the Song dynasty. Literature and knowledge was enhanced by wood block printing and movable type printing. Confucianism infused with Buddhist ideals emphasized a new organization of classic texts brought out the core doctrine of Neo-Confucianism. The civil service examinations became more prominent in the Song period. Administrative sophistication and complex organization was during this era. Song Dynasty was prosperous in many respects of the society. Even though this dynasty was technologically and culturally advanced, Song people were not militarily powerful.

The civil service examination and the scholar-officials helped shape the educated class of Song and produce extraordinary men.

The most distinctive features of Chinese civilization were in the Song period. This was the scholar-official class certified through highly competitive civil service examinations. These elite were better educated than others in Chinese history. Aristocratic habits and prejudices largely disappeared when examination system was fully developed. This system came to be considered the normal ladder to success. The invention of printing should be given a little credit. The art of carving words and pictures into wooden blocks was developed by Tang craftsmen. They would ink the blocks then press paper onto them. An entire page of text and illustrations was held on each block. In the eleventh century movable type, on piece of type for each character, was invented. In China whole-block printing was cheaper. The spread of literacy was because printing dramatically lowered the price...

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...e partners. The decline in the status of women in Song times was sometimes blamed on Neo-Confucianism. Foot-binding also began during the Song Dynasty. This is the practice of binding the feet of girls with long strips of cloth to keep them from growing large. Moms wanted them to be judged more beautiful.

Printing and the booming economy allowed a great expansion of educated class in the Song period. This also dominated the government. The educated class in the Song period was shaped by the civil service examinations. Most educated men spent years or more studying but not always successful. Military leadership was at a disadvange even though there were high levels of education in literature, antiquities, philosophy, and art. The education of men, more books, and printing much of them was survived. This made it possible to see earlier periods and lives of women.