"5,000 Years of China"
Chapter VIII Song Xia Xi Liaojin
Chapter 11: Li Gang Insists on Tokyo
In the late Northern Song Dynasty, the Liao state in the north declined, and the Jurchens rose rapidly. In 1115, the Jurchen leader Guanyan Akuta was officially proclaimed emperor at Huining (present-day Achengnan, Heilongjiang), with the state name Daijin.
Jurchen costumes (network picture)
"Defending The Capital"
The jin kingdom, which was gradually growing stronger, discovered more and more the corruption of the Northern Song Dynasty politics and the incompetence of the army, and had plans to go south to eliminate the Song Dynasty. They sent various righteous envoys to the Song Dynasty three times in succession to inquire about the road from the north to Tokyo and the defensive situation of the Song Dynasty, looking for opportunities.
In 1125, When Emperor Taizong of Jin saw that the time was ripe, he took in a general who had fled under the pretext of the Song Dynasty and attacked the Northern Song Dynasty in two ways. The western route led by Zong Han attacked Taiyuan, and the eastern route led by Zong Wang attacked Yanjing (present-day Beijing). Unfortunately, the Western Army was not moving smoothly and was resolutely resisted by the Taiyuan defenders. The Eastern Route Army was very smooth, and as soon as Yanjing was in Yanjing, the defender Guo Yaoshi surrendered. Under the guidance of Guo Yaoshi, Jin Bing drove straight to Tokyo.
When the news came, Emperor Huizong of Song fainted in fright, and when he woke up, he immediately wrote down the edict. Emperor Huizong of Song then fled Tokyo with 20,000 of his soldiers and took refuge in Bozhou (bozhou, in present-day Bo county, Anhui). Crown Prince Zhao Huan succeeded to the throne as Emperor Qinzong of Song, with the era name Jing Kang and Emperor Huizong of Song as Emperor Taishang. Who knows, Jin Bing soon crossed the Yellow River.
Song Qinzong had just taken the throne, and he was also very panicked and did not know what to do. He summoned his courtiers for consultation, and both the chancellor Bai Shizhong and Li Bangyan advised the emperor to abandon the capital and flee south. At this time, Li Gang, a military attendant, stepped forward and said, "When The Emperor Taishang entrusted the country to His Majesty, he hoped that His Majesty would stay in the capital. How could His Majesty leave it alone and just run away? Song Qinzong listened and did not say a word.
Bai Shizhong coaxed from the side: "The capital city can't be defended." ”
Li Gang said, "Of the cities and pools under the heavens, where is there such a strong city as the capital city?" Moreover, many officials and people are here, throwing away such a place, where will they go? Song Qinzong thought about it for a moment and felt that Li Gang was right, so he asked, "Who can lead the army to guard the capital city?" Li Gang replied, "This is the duty of Bai Shizhong and Li Bangyan." Although the prime minister does not necessarily understand the military, he should be responsible for defending the city. ”
Jin Yinghuihe (network picture)
"The Humiliating Golden Camp Peace"
Unexpectedly, the timid and fearful Bai Shizhong deliberately provoked: "I think Li Gang should be able to defend the city and fight." ”
After hearing this, Li Gang calmly said, "If you let me lead my troops to defend the city, I am willing to repay the country with my death." Seeing Li Gang's resolute attitude, Song Qinzong ordered Li Gang to lead soldiers and horses to guard the capital.
Early the next morning, Li Gang saw that Song Qinzong had prepared his vehicles and the Janissaries were ready to go. It turned out that Song Qinzong had thought about it for one night, but he still changed his mind and wanted to escape. Li Gang snapped at the Janissary generals who were about to leave: "Are you willing to die or are you willing to flee?" The Janissaries generals replied in unison, "Of course I am willing to die!" Li Gang was busy trying to persuade Song Qinzong again. Only then did Song Qinzong make up his mind and not leave again.
Li Gang personally led the army and the people, and in only 3 days, the defense of the defending city was prepared. By this time, the Golden Soldier had already reached the city of Tokyo and was in dozens of small boats down the river. Li Gang organized more than 2,000 daredevil soldiers to line up under the city, use long hooks to catch enemy ships, and throw stones at them. He also put some sticks in the river and moved the mountain stones from Cai Jing's home to block the main road. The Song army killed more than 100 Jin soldiers in the water.
Zong Wang saw that Tokyo was already on guard, and asked the Song Dynasty to send envoys to Jinying to negotiate peace.
As soon as Song Qinzong heard the peace, he immediately sent people to Jinying and accepted the humiliating conditions: he agreed to cede the three towns of Taiyuan, Hejian (present-day Hejian, Hebei), and Zhongshan (present-day Dingzhou, Hebei), paying 5 million taels of gold, 50 million taels of silver, 10,000 heads of cattle and horses, and millions of silk horses, and honoring the emperor of the Jin dynasty as "uncle".
Despite Li Gang's strenuous opposition, it did not help.
In order to pay the reparations, the Song Dynasty government desperately searched for gold, silver and treasure from the people in the capital, but it was still unable to make up this amount. Later, when Jin Bing saw that the Song Dynasty had strengthened its defenses, he couldn't help but get scared, and without waiting for the Song Dynasty to pay enough reparations, he hurriedly retreated back.
Historical Archives
Map of the Upper River of the Qingming Dynasty
Qingming River Map (Network Illustration)
In addition to figure paintings, landscape paintings, flowers and birds, there are many unprecedented social customs paintings depicting urban and rural life, of which Zhang Zeduan's "Qingming River Map" is the most famous. Zhang Zeduan was a native of Dongwu (present-day Zhucheng, Shandong), and he excelled at painting boats, markets, castles, and bridges. Now in the collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing, the painting is 25.5 centimeters high and 525 centimeters long, and with its magnificent and magnificent picture, it truly depicts the appearance of the Beihe River and its two banks during the Xuanhe Period of the Northern Song Dynasty during the Qingming Dynasty.