SONG (SUNG) DYNASTY 960-1279 A.D.

The fall of the Tang Dynasty (681-907) and the disintegration of the Empire did not break China away from its past. The remnants of the Tang Dynasty’s ruling elite and civil service remained unaltered and continued the routine tasks of government with no serious disruption. With the emergence of the Five Dynasties from the ashes of the Tang Dynasty these smaller empires sought to reunify China and by 959 the later descendants of the Zhou had brought much of China back together under a single ruler. When Zhao Kuangyin seized power by a coup in Chenqiaoyi in 960 he was able to consolidate and extend his control in a restrained and methodical manner without causing social chaos. The Song Dynasty that he founded is historically divided into two periods. Firstly, the Northern Song when the capital was in Dongjing (present day Kaifeng City in Henna Province) from 960 to 1127. Secondly, the Southern Song, with their capital in present day Hangzhou from 1127 to 1279.

The founders of the Song Dynasty were centralists who built an effective centralized government bureaucracy staffed with civilian scholar-officials. The power of the regional military generals and governors were replaced by centrally appointed civilian officials that adhered to a strict code of conduct to prevent corruption. This centralized system of civilian rule gave a greater concentration of power to the Emperor who still ruled by the mandate of Heaven.

The Song Dynasty expanded trade and consolidated the Chinese control of the Silk Road whose trade had been disrupted by civil wars and barbarian conquest. Great cultural centers developed that became centers of trade, industry, and maritime commerce. The emergence of an influent class of  scholars, officials, shopkeepers, artisans, and merchants grew rapidly and fueled a new artistic renaissance for China. These privileged classes comprised of wealthy commoners, scholars and merchants flourished as did the arts. An emphasis on education and Confucian scholastic studies arose as printing and education spread, private trade grew, and a market economy shifted to the coastal provinces to the inland Empire.

Artistically and culturally, the Song Dynasty was driven by a phenomena of  self-refinement that pivoted on the teachings of Confucian but adhered to the principles of Taoist Buddhism. This cultural era of China is often referred to as Neo-Confucian because the foundation of the belief system was Confucian. Of great interest was the reemergence of Zhou Confucian social and spiritual beliefs that fueled not only a belief in the obtainment for immortality but also inspired a new era of Chinese mysticism. What is noted during this era of Chinese history is the embrace of the past with the need to refine and seek the wisdom of the ancestors. These refinements were not centered only on the Tang ideal of the middle Kingdom, universal man, Buddha, and Immortality but rather a vast search of knowledge from the lost past. The Song adapted the qualities of  poetry, painting, statesmanship and scholastic study with historical writings, painting, calligraphy, Jade , Bronze and Porcelain works. Song scholars and intellectuals sought to answer the philosophical, political and mystical  questions embraced the Confucian Classics but extended these into Taoism. This rejuvenated interest in the Confucian ideals about Chinese society of ancient times. This adoption of ancient Confucian ways led to a decline of Buddhism, which the Song Chinese considered as foreign and not practical for the solution of political, economic or social problems of the times.

The Song Neo-Confucian philosophers, sought purity and clarity in the interpretation of the original ancient classical works. The most influential of these philosophers was Zhu Xi, whose synthesis of Confucian thought with Buddhist, Taoist, and other spiritual and intellectual teachings became the official imperial ideology from the Southern Song period to the late nineteenth century. Zhu Xi's philosophy became a tool for Imperial centralized government and it embraced a rigid official creed, which stressed total obedience and compliance of subject to ruler, child to father, wife to husband, and younger brother to elder brother. These teachings effectively inhibited the development of pre-modern China, resulting in many generations of political, social, and spiritual stability that in turn created the conditions for the Mongolian invasion and conquest.

The Song Dynasty ranks alongside the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 A.D.) and the Tang Dynasty (618 - 906 A.D.) in importance of fine Jade and Bronze Treasures. For a little under three and a quarter centuries under its rule, China enjoyed a period of economic growth coupled with great artistic and intellectual achievement. It is for this reason that the period is referred to as the Chinese Renaissance, comparing it with the Renaissance that spread through Europe.

Ancient Jades created during this glorious period of Chinese history are remarkable. What is evident is the fineness of the lapidary work with a bold approach of embracing the ancient with the modern. It is of particular interest to note the abundance of Jade workshops that arose during this era. Not only did the Emperor have Imperial Jade workshops but almost all business and trade centers had small and large independently owned Jade workshops. What I have found so mysterious about Song Dynasty Jades is the influence of the Neolithic jades with particular emphasis on Black magnetic Jades. The study of Song Dynasty jades is incomplete without an understanding of this phenomena and its mysterious manifestation in the Jade arts of the time.

Authentic Song Dynasty Jades are difficult to acquire because of their popularity and scarcity. I occasional offer Song Jade specimens from my 30-year collection so please check my Ebay auctions while I have them available. -ian (Fung Gen Qua)