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In 450 AD, Liu Yilong, the second emperor of the Liu and Song dynasties of the Southern Dynasty, had been in power for twenty-seven years; During this period, social stability, economic recovery, and improvement of people's livelihood were known in history as the rule of Yuanjia. However, Liu Song's relationship with Northern Wei remained tense. The Northern Wei Taiwu Emperor Tuoba Tao repeatedly violated the border of Liu and Song, but Liu Song always adopted a defensive strategy. However, in 450, Tuoba Tao led a large Northern Wei army across the Yellow River and launched an attack on Liu and Song.
Discussions began within the Liu and Song imperial courts, with some supporting a counterattack against Northern Wei and others believing that the gains of the Northern Expedition outweighed the losses. At this critical juncture, Liu Yilong decided to take offensive action, claiming to show Northern Wei the strength of Liu and Song. However, after many years of peacetime, the Liu and Song armies suffered from low morale, reduced combat readiness, and inadequate preparation. In addition, the imperial court had to borrow money from wealthy merchants and monks and nuns to support the war, increasing domestic financial pressure. This decision was opposed by many ministers, who feared that the war would lead to domestic instability and economic hardship.
Liu Yilong's arrogant attitude also caused internal dissatisfaction. He ignored the objections and even executed a minister with a high status in the court, Tan Doji. This decision deprived Liu Song of a talented politician and greatly weakened the country's ability to govern.
On the Northern Wei side, Taiwu Emperor Tuoba Tao did not put Liu Song in his eyes. His arrogance and contempt were evident in his letters to Liu Yilong, in which Tuoba Tao mocked Liu Yilong's age and incompetence and sent some poison and horses to show that he did not see Liu Song as a real threat. This attitude made Liu Yilong even more angry.
However, the Liu and Song armies did not perform well in the Northern Expedition. They lacked adequate preparation, commanded confusion, and eventually failed and retreated. Although the Northern Wei Dynasty also suffered from food and grass shortages, their strategies and decisions were significantly wiser. This Northern Expedition caused Liu Song to lose many resources, low morale, and domestic turmoil, which seriously weakened Liu Song's national strength.
In the end, this risky Northern Expedition did not achieve any tangible results, but only exacerbated the domestic economic difficulties. Liu Yilong's judgment and leadership were questioned, and the impulsiveness and arrogance he showed during the war caused the country to suffer great losses. The arrogant attitude and wise decisions of the Northern Wei Taiwu Emperor Tuoba Tao won the battle. The war revealed the critical importance of leadership, decision-making, and domestic preparedness. For Liu and Song, this was an expensive lesson and marked a further tilt in the balance of power between the Southern and Northern Dynasties, with Northern Wei becoming a more powerful state.