Song Dynasty

• They had a failed appeasement with the Jin/Liao Empire, thus resulting losing the northern part of their lands.
• The social structure goes like this:

Empire

Imperial Household

Landlords (power is gained by inheritance)

Gentry

Scholars, Bureaucrats, Generals, and Government officials

Peasants, Laborers, and Soldiers (can move up one class by taking the examinations)

Merchants

Women (status falling)

• There was an attempt in meritocracy, rule of the worthy.
• Their art and architecture was heavily influenced by Daoism. Daoism is a philosophy that applies the habits of nature to society, and paintings in the Song dynasty usually involve lofting mountains and natural landscapes. Poets like Li Bo and Du Fu rose to fame.
• Due to champa rice, there is now twice as much food, leading to a population explosion. And due to the fact that a larger population gets work done faster, it leaves people sitting around idle, thus leading to creative ideas and inventions. Such accomplishments are porcelain, mechanical clocks, gun powdered cannons, paper money, and magnetic compasses.