OP/ED

    It has just been discovered that China is being broken into 24 circuits, and they all have their own capital city. This is important for any person who cares if they live in a society of crazy people or a regular society. This is poor thinking on the emperor’s part for two reasons; one the emperor will have little control over the say in the circuit’s law. The second reason is that the head of each circuit could rise to more power then the emperor. This idea, of 24 circuits, might work because the emperor made them sign a contract of agreement, but anybody can disobey a contract. If the emperor is trying to destroy his dynasty then he has a great plan in mind.

Culture

Painting was a major part of the Northern Song Dynasty, and played such a large role in the Chinese culture. There were many different types of paintings but the three most popular types of painting were Chinese painting, Figure painting, and Landscape painting. The Northern Song Dynasty is known as a high point in the expansion of the Chinese painting. A traditional Chinese painting is made of simple lines, and shapes. It is two dimensional, and close objects are scene at the bottom of the paper and objects far away are at the top of the page. The painting was usually based on the artist’s state of mind and personal remembrance. Chinese painting is made of four categories: figure painting, landscape painting, bird -and-flower painting and ink painting. The first major category, figure painting, is paintings that show proper moral behavior, which were used to illustrate the Confucian text. The painting was used at the imperial court to show the daily life of the elite. Figure painting was usually used to paint people while they are naked or paint peoples figures. The name figure painting came from, a person’s figure painted. The last but most important category was Landscape paintings. The name basically speaks for itself; it is a painting of a landscape. Since China is so mountainous the landscape paintings were often of mountains. The other paintings were of trees, and the yellow river which ran through the capital city, Kaifeng. These paintings kept the emperor, scholars, children, and adults occupied on their free time.

Interview with emperor Taizong

A = Austin (interviewer)

T = Taizong (interviewee) 

A: Hey Taizong, how are you today?

T: Good how are you?

A: Good thanks. Let’s get down to business.

A: How high are the expectations after taking over from your older brother?

T: They are high. He was such a great ruler and I loved my brother so much. He rebuilt the country of China after the fail of five Dynasties. He eliminated all the rivals who threatened him. He was secretly an unbelievable poet and painter but never thought his work was good enough for others to see. I just hope that I can be as good as an emperor as he was.

A: What do have in mind to do as emperor?

T: The first thing that I plan to do is send a large army north to push the Khitan over the Great Wall. They are too much of a threat to us and we can’t take any chances with their fierce army.

A: You are a person who loves to read information. How does it feel to create the first encyclopedia?

T: It feels great! I get to share very important information with all of my fellow people of the Northern Song Dynasty. If kids start to read the books early they can become an important government official or a scholar. I just want our people to be very smart so it will be easier for me to pick the emperor after me.

A: Because you are such a great emperor you have set new standards for emperors to come. How does that make you feel?

T: It is exciting to know that I have been such a great influence and people have recognized my leadership role and success. Now the son of Heaven has to play the role of judge, poet, and head of the government, military leader, sage, high priest, and patron of arts. I never knew that my hard work would pay of so much.

A: Do you have anybody in mind to become the next emperor?

T: Yes, I think that the person who helped me make the encyclopedia will get the throne after my reign. He is such a bright individual and a great painter and poet, exactly like my brother and I. His name is Zhenzong. He is one of my younger brothers. I think greatness runs in the family.

A: Taizong, thank you for your time and go continue your successful reign.

T: Thank you.

Neo-Confucianism

Neo-Confucianism was the major religion of the Northern Song Dynasty. Neo-Confucianism is the same as the Confucianism religion except some updates were made to the religion. People were expected not to do bad things because it is wrong. One way the religion affected the people was the civil service examination system. The exam was given in three levels, the first being a test of general knowledge of the Confucian works. The test was highly competitive and less than 10 percent passed the exam. The next level tested a candidate’s knowledge of history, government, moral ethics, and poet talents. The last level was an essay discussing current political issues by relating them to a selected classic novel. Another way is the new family system. In the Dynasty the family was society's most basic unit. Everyone was expected to respect his or her parents, and was expected to put the family before themselves. They also believed that the children were what kept the family going. Kids were spoiled and expected to be a proper son or daughter. The religion didn’t only affect the government but the families also.

Gun Powder

 

         Gun Powder, the biggest invention of the Northern Song Dynasty, played an essential role in everyday life. Gun powder was discovered in the 9th century, by Daoist Priests. He was searching for a magical elixir when he mixed charcoal, saltpeter, and sulfur together. Everybody watching was amazed when the concoction exploded and made a load noise. One way Gun Powder changed the Northern Song Dynasty was that it was used to celebrate the New Year. They made firecrackers by stuffing batches of Gun Powder in bamboo tubes, which got thrown into a fire. The sparks made would be a beautiful display in the night sky. The loud noises made from the firecrackers would scare away the evil spirits. Gun Powder was also used on the battlefield as a “flamethrower.” The flamethrower was the same as a firecracker but the soldiers would throw the firecracker at the enemy. The “flamethrower” would send terror through the enemies heart and be used as intimidation. The “flying fire” was also a military advantage during the Northern Song Dynasty. Some archers attached Gun Powder paste to the arrow and lit it before it was launched. The “flying fire” would explode on impact. Gun Powder was used for protection, and festivals making it such an important discovery in the Northern Song Dynasty.

Northern Song Dynasty MAP

       The picture on the left is a map of the Northern Song Dynasty in the year 1050. China was made up of 3 different countries, which only took up the eastern part of modern day China. The Northern Song particularly took up the southeast section of the modern day country. The capital city of the Dynasty, Kaifeng, was located in a strategic location. Like most of the cities in the Northern Song Dynasty, it was on a river for food, supplies, and trade. The location made Kaifeng the wealthiest city in Ancient China. The current capital of modern day China, Beijing, was located in the Northern Song's rival empire, the Liao. The coast line and the northern part of the Xi Xia are the only borders that are still around in China.

PEACE AT LAST!!!

At last, the new emperor, Zhenzong finalized a peace settlement with the Khitan. The settlement forced Zhenzong to refer to the Liao emperor as “elder brother.” He also had to pay a huge annual fee of 200,000 rolls of silk and 100,000 ounces of silver. As many of us know, the Khitan came into China and made the imperial court move west and west. This forced Zhenzong to give in and sign a peace settlement. This settlement isn’t making all citizens happy. As a matter of fact, most people find the agreement humiliating and it makes them feel angry. A local miner said in an interview, “I have to work extra to get my daily work done. I have a family to get home to every night and I only have enough energy to last me a day’s work.” A teacher from Knifing said, “As long as I am protected and my family and I are safe I am fine. I am willing to pay the price.” How long will it be until the people of China are pushed off the edge?