Background of the Development of Maritime Silk Road in the Song Dynasty
公元960年，自經歷唐滅、五代時期後，後周殿前都點檢趙匡胤的部下發動陳橋兵變，立趙為帝。自始，中國建立一個歷時319年的統一政權。宋代重文人、扶植商業發展的國策令富民階層崛起，這亦使兩宋成為中國史上其中一個文藝、經濟皆有輝煌發展的朝代，不止史學家陳寅恪言：「華夏民族之文化，歷數千載之演進，造極於趙宋之世」，亦有不少國外史學家亦將兩宋視為中國史上的「文藝復興」時期。
兩宋在藝術、文學、哲學、科技各方面都有諸多成就：如科舉廢除公卷制、以彌封謄錄制代之；發明冶金學及活字印刷術，除了推動錢幣及紙幣的流通，亦促進知識普及和文藝發展，這亦間接推進宋代手工藝業發展。此外，有關海港運作、商船運輸、海外貿易的著作亦數量繁多，側面印證兩宋海上貿易的繁盛狀況。
Maritime Silk Road
During the Song Dynasty , nomadic peoples dominated the north, leading to the interruption of the Silk Road. As a result, the focus of China's foreign trade shifted from land to sea, and maritime trade experienced unprecedented development.
As the most important trade route in the world at the time , the Song Dynasty's maritime routes mainly included two routes: the first was the South China Sea route, which departed from ports such as Guangzhou, Quanzhou, and Ningbo and led to Southeast Asia, South Asia, and even West Asia and Northeast Africa; the second was the East China Sea route, which departed from ports such as Mingzhou, Hangzhou, and Dengzhou and led to Japan, North Korea, and Ryukyu.
The rise of the Maritime Silk Road transformed the economic structure of Song Dynasty society and impacted the entire world. First, it spurred the Song Dynasty's transformation from a traditional agricultural society to one centered on small-scale commerce and industry, fostering a flourishing craft industry and significantly elevating the status of merchants compared to previous dynasties. Second, many foreign countries opened their ports to trade with Song merchant ships, promoting cultural dissemination. This cultural exchange, accompanied by large-scale trade, not only enriched the material lives of people in various countries but also broadened their spiritual horizons.
Shipping Industry Overview
The Song Dynasty saw advanced technology, and shipbuilding technology experienced a "qualitative leap" compared to previous dynasties. On the one hand, this technological advancement encouraged merchants to use sea routes for trade; on the other hand, the considerable profits brought by the Maritime Silk Road also prompted more merchants to engage in maritime trade, which in turn promoted the development of the shipbuilding industry.
Scholarly research indicates that the shipbuilding industry during the Song Dynasty boasted significant output, with shipbuilding sites primarily located in the south, primarily along the waterways southeast of the Yangtze River. Because the south boasted numerous commercial ports and waterways, and because wood varieties were more suitable for shipbuilding than those in the north, many shipyards were located southeast of the Yangtze River.
Guo Zhongshu: "Traveling on the River in the Snow"
Image source: National Palace Museum
Song Dynasty porcelain
Through the porcelain trade, the Song Dynasty influenced the entire world, allowing Chinese civilization to spread to every corner of the world. Although there were many kilns in the Song Dynasty, the number of Song Dynasty porcelains that have survived is very small.
The Song Dynasty was the heyday of Chinese porcelain, with the emergence of the five renowned kilns: Ding, Jun, Guan, Ge, and Ru. Among ancient Chinese porcelains, Song porcelain stands out in the history of Chinese ceramics for its elegant shapes, pure glazes, and refined designs.