The Development of Szuchuan in Northern Sung Dynasty (964-1126) Author: Ko Shao-Ouh(Department of History College of Liberal Arts)

Abstract：

This article deals mainly with the administrative achievement in Szuchuan area, with emphasis on its militaiy buildup, economy and politics, by Northern Sung Dynasty:
1. Military: At the end of 964, Emperor Chao Kuan-yin of the Sung Dynasty sent army and took over the Shu State (Szuchuan) in the short over sixty days easily. In the campaign of unification of China, Szuchuan played the most important role of the strategic military area to respond to the military actions in North and South China. Szuchuan gave the decisive effect on the later southward and northward campaigns and unification of China. Unfortunately, the improper actions made by the generals of the army provoked more than ten large or small riots for thirty years or so. The rebellions of the barbarians in South-west China continued from beginning to the end of the Northern Sung Dynasty. The duration of the campaigns of defeating the rebellions and subjugating the barbarians was believed to be varied. Although those campaigns cost Northern Sung government a lot of manpower and monies, they were significant. Thanks to the military actions which were helpful to the defeat of the barbarian rebellions kter, Northern Sung government controlled this area firmly.
2. Politics: To remedy the pressure and disturbances caused by military actions, Northern Sung Dynasty appreciated the selection and commissions of high ranking administrative officials. All of the commissioned officials such as Lu Yu-Ching, Chang Yung, and Jen Chung-Cheng were the ministers of virtue and ability. Knowing the situation of the inhabitants in the frontier, they adopted the policy and states-manship of benevolent administration through eliminating the disadvantages and creating the advantages of civil affairs in order to make the people there lead a peaceful life and do their business under desirable circumstances. It was not necessary to say that the culture, education and good social morals established by them greatly affected the people. The foregoing political measures and their development tell us the achievement of the administration adopted by Northern Sung government in that area.
3. Economy: Due to the close synchronization of military and civil measures, there was a stable social circumstances under which the development of the economy continued. Through the statistics, induction and analysis of the related source from the geographical books of' Northern Sung Dynasty, we know that Szuchuan's economic resource was very rich in time of Northern Sung Dynasty. Thanks to all those who devoted themselves to the economy, including rice, tea, salt, silk, cotton, linen, Pueraria Thunbergiana, sugar, paper, mine and corn. All of these were well developed. From the said items I would like to outline the picture of the whole economic development.
In short, the successful administration of Northern Sung Dynasty resulted in the economic development and recruiting of talents in Szuchuan where the people were loyal to the central government. Szuchuan was the key province in West China not only in the Northern Sung Dynasty but also in the Southern Sung Dynasty because it was the left front of Southern Sung Dynasty to attack lunguistic Dynasty of Chin and helpful to the political stability of the Southern Sung Dynasty.

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