The Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE)

The Song Dynasty began in 960 after 50 years of infighting, corruption and coup d'etats among the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms while the populace was plagued by bandits, warlords, and corrupt officials (Fairbank and Goldman 84,86). This changed when the commander of the palace guard under the final of the Five Dynasties, Zhoa Kuangyin, was proclaimed the new emperor by his troops and founded the Song Dynasty (88). Zhao went on to gain control of more territory through a series of public relations campaigns as well as through military might. He consolidated his power by offering his military allies titles, estates, and other large settlements if they would retire from office. Zhao replaced these military men with scholars from the gentry class, building up the bureaucracy through the civil examination proce