Imagine, if you were the leader of a country and encountered foreign aggression, would you choose to draw your sword or seek peace? However, when the iron-blooded monarch Song Zhezong met the equally iron-blooded prime minister Zhang Dun, what path did they choose to deal with the embattled situation? What kind of changes and heroic pride are hidden in the story of the Northern Song Dynasty? Is it really blindly weak, or does it have unknown strength and wisdom? Let us explore those historical details that you may not know and uncover the unknown side of the Northern Song Dynasty!
Speaking of the Northern Song Dynasty, many people may first think of the phrase "Wenzhi martial arts". Indeed, since Zhao Kuangyin launched the Chenqiao Mutiny in 980 and established the Song Dynasty, he implemented the "cup of wine to release the military power", which was intended to weaken the power of military generals to prevent them from rebelling.
The Northern Song Dynasty, which was in civilian power, advocated civil rule on the one hand, but also had to face frequent provocations from Western Xia and Great Liao. Located in the northwest, Western Xia had the ambition to seize the land of Hehuang, which was not only geographically important, but also a battleground for soldiers. The Great Liao posed a threat to the Song Dynasty from the northeast, and was attacked on both sides, and the Northern Song Dynasty could be described as internal and external troubles.
You see, in this case, if you simply ask for peace and concessions, you will only give the enemy an inch. This weak foreign policy of the Northern Song Dynasty undoubtedly invisibly encouraged the arrogance of the enemy. However, history is always changing and a new chapter is unfolding.
Speaking of which, I have to mention Song Zhezong Zhao Xu, this young emperor is different. He inherited not only the throne of the Song Dynasty, but also his passion and desire to restore the territory. In 1085, at the age of 11, he ascended the throne, facing the complicated domestic and foreign situation, his heart was extremely anxious.
At this time, Zhezong was no longer the ignorant little emperor, and his eyes were burning with the flame of changing his fate. Zhezong's determination was very strong, he wanted to use force to fight back against those enemies who were harassing the Northern Song Dynasty, and he wanted to show everyone that the Northern Song Dynasty was not powerless to fight back.
And beside him, there is such an iron-blooded prime minister - Zhang Dan. Zhang Dian was like-minded with Zhezong and also advocated the use of force to solve the problem of external troubles. Zhang Dian not only has a deep military background, but also has personal experience on the battlefield. Under his promotion, the Northern Song Dynasty began a series of military reforms, and it was no longer the situation of the past where only civilian officials were the first to look forward.
The cooperation between the two is undoubted, full of mutual trust and determination to move forward together. Their actions also made the Song Dynasty's military gradually tougher, especially in the confrontation between Western Xia and Daliao, and the Song army began to have more active attacks rather than passive defense.
This series of measures by Zhezong and Zhang Dian actually reflected the change in military policy within the Northern Song Dynasty. As the public began to shift from supporting civil society to emphasizing military armament, people realized that the security and dignity of the country could be maintained by more than peace and concessions. Rather, it needs to be guaranteed by sufficient force.
Although such a change did not completely change the situation of the Northern Song Dynasty at that time, it undoubtedly left an indelible mark for the later Song Dynasty in the long river of history. The iron-blooded policy of Zhezong and Zhangdun also became a side that people could not ignore in their later evaluation of the Northern Song Dynasty.
Although Zhezong had the intention of reviving the military, his early death prevented many plans from being sustained. Zhang Dian also left the government center due to political struggle. All these influenced the development of the late Northern Song Dynasty to a certain extent.
Here, we can't help but ask, if Zhezong and Zhang Dian had been given a longer time to carry out their policies, would the Northern Song Dynasty have a different ending? Historical assumptions, though unprovable, are enough to make people think deeply.
By looking back at those unknown iron-blooded moments of the Northern Song Dynasty, it is not difficult for us to find that the evaluation of history is often not static. Although the Northern Song Dynasty had its weak side, it also showed an indomitable fighting spirit in a specific historical period. In this way, we can understand the past more comprehensively and gain deeper insight into the future.