The Song and Yuan Dynasties in history refer to the Song Dynasty: 960-1279; Yuan: 1206- 1368. The Song and Yuan Dynasties was the peak of the development of ancient science and technology in China, and the science and technology in this period was the continuation of the high economic prosperity in Sui and Tang Dynasties.

After more than 50 years of disputes, the Northern Song Dynasty controlled most of China in 960, but after the defeat of the Northern Song Dynasty, sixteen states were ceded to the Liao Dynasty established by the northern Khitans, and the Hexi Corridor was occupied by Xixia established by the Tangut. In order to maintain the life of the country, the Northern Song Dynasty had to make war with the powerful Liao State and Xixia.

Party struggles led by Wang Anshi and Sima Guang occurred in the late Northern Song Dynasty, which aggravated social unrest. By 1 125, the Nuzhen nationality in the Songhua River basin, which was later Manchu, established the Daikin Kingdom and gradually became stronger. 1 125 years, the state of Jin destroyed Liao.

Xu Jin immediately began to attack the weak Northern Song Dynasty. 1 127 years, Xu Jin invaded Tokyo, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty (now Kaifeng, Henan Province), and captured more than 3,000 people of the royal family, including Song Qinzong, Emperor Tai Shang Song Huizong, etc. Because the title of Qin Zong was Jingkang at that time, it was called the change of Jingkang in history and the demise of the Northern Song Dynasty. In the same year, Song Qinzong's younger brother, Zhao Gou, ascended the throne in Nanjing (now Shangqiu, Henan Province), with its capital in Lin 'an (now Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province), which was known as the Southern Song Dynasty in history and was in the south of the Yangtze River.

Characteristics of Song and Yuan Dynasties:

1. Politics: From division to partial reunification, and then to national reunification, the centralization of absolutism has been further strengthened.

2. Economy: the economic center of gravity moved south, the commodity economy flourished (market segmentation was broken, night markets, tiles and paper money appeared), and overseas trade developed.

3. Ethnic relations: ethnic integration has been strengthened; Feudalization of ethnic minorities has accelerated, and ethnic minority regimes and Han regimes coexist.

4. Culture: The three major developments are epoch-making.

5. External relations: mainly through the sea.

After the establishment of the Yuan Dynasty, on the one hand, it absorbed many cultures of the Central Plains and the Han nationality, ruled the people with the ruling institutions and methods of the Central Plains, and vigorously promoted Zhu Theory (that is, Neo-Confucianism), making Neo-Confucianism the official thought of the Yuan Dynasty (and subsequent dynasties).

On the other hand, the national hierarchy system is implemented, with Mongolians as the first class; The second category is "Semu people", including the former Xixia ruling area and the population from the western regions and Central Asia; The third category is "Han people", including the Han people in the pre-Jin Dynasty, the Khitan, Nuzhen and other ethnic groups. The fourth category is "southerners", including the Han nationality and other ethnic groups before the Southern Song Dynasty.

This ethnic system has led to the dissatisfaction of the Han nationality. Many Han people regarded the Yuan Dynasty as an alien regime and launched many rebellions. In addition to traditional agriculture, the Yuan government paid more attention to commerce. Most of the Yuan Dynasty was very prosperous, and businessmen from all over the country gathered. In culture, Yuan Qu appeared, also known as Tang Poetry and Song Poetry, and famous composers such as Guan Hanqing, Ma Zhiyuan and Wang Shifu appeared.