Episode 33: The Industrial Revolution of the Song

Foundations of Eastern Civilization

Dr Craig Benjamin (2013)

Film Review

In 960 AD the Song Dynasty came to power by way of a palace coup. This followed fifty three years (907 – 960 AD) of great instability known as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.

By 978 AD the Song had claimed control rule over most of China. The Northern Song Dynasty (960 – 1126 AD) ended when China was invaded and occupied by Jurchen nomads from the steppes. After the Jurchens declared themselves the Jin Dynasty, the Song declared the Southern Song Dynasty in Southern China and paid tribute to the Jurchens.

In 1279 AD, Mongol invasion of China ended both dynasties.

Significantly expanding trade across the Indian Ocean, as well as the Silk Road, the Southern Song Dynasty was extremely prosperous. Benjamin attributes its phenomenal economic development to new strains of fast growing rice that enabled Song farmers to increase from one to three harvests a year.*

The growing food surplus enabled farmers to grow more fruits and vegetables, as well as luxury items such as lychee nuts and sugar came. It also enabled some to abandon agriculture altogether for the porcelain industry (now exporting to remote cities in Southeast Asia, Africa and Persia) and the burgeoning iron and steel industry, as well as stimulating the appearance of taverns and specialty shops in city centers.

Under the Song, steel production experienced a technological innovation that wouldn’t appear in England for another 500 years. By using coke instead of coal,** The Song substantially improved both the quantity and quality of steel they produced. It would be used in weapons, agricultural implements, pagodas and the first iron bridges in the world.

During this period, the Chinese also invented gunpowder, which they used in bamboo fire lances; reusable moveable type printing (which led to an explosion in printed books and literacy); the magnetic compass; the first true market economy; the first modern banking system (creating the first letters of credit, promissory notes, checks and paper money; and iron nails.

*In 600 AD, the total population of China was 15 million; by 1200 AD it had increased to 150 million (when London had a population of 80,000 and Paris 250,000). The Song capitol Hangzhou had 2 million people, several cities had 1 million and scores of cities had 100,000. According to Benjamin, the 18th century British industrial revolution also followed a revolution in agricultural production and a steep population increase.

**Coke is made by heating carbon in the absence of air to remove impurities.

Film can be viewed free on Kanopy.

https://www.kanopy.com/en/pukeariki/watch/video/5808608/5808675