Study On Fighting Of Song And Liao Dynasty For The Sixteen Prefectures

The sixteen Prefectures was an important problem in the study of relations between Song Dynasty and Liao Dynasty.It attracted academic attention.The Sixteen prefectures located in the the Great Wall area,including northern part of Hebei,most parts of the north of Shanxi,Beijing and Tianjinarea.It had always been the boundaries of nomadic civilization and farming civilization and it's geographical position was very important.The Sixteen Prefectures was the Central Plains nomads attack defense barrier which the military had always been a hotly contested spot.The Later Jin emperor Shi Jingtang ceded the Sixteen Prefectures to Liao for the throne as a condition.From then on,the Sixteen Prefectures had been incorporated into the territory of Liao Dynasty and the issue of the Sixteen Prefectures had formed.After the establishment of the Northern Song Dynasty,Liao and Song started a long-term struggle about the Sixteen Prefectures.Song Taizu established Fengzhuangku to fund for accumulation for recovering the Sixteen Prefectures.Song Taizu established a plan based on redemption and supplemented by the war policy.But he died before his plan implemented.Song Taizong made two wars to recover the Sixteen Prefectures with Liao,but unsuccessful.Song Zhenzong contract "Chanyuan Treaty" with Liao which made the pqssession of the Sixteen Prefectures of Liao has legalized.Song Renzong and Song Yingzong period,Song and Liao abided by the agreement "Chanyuan Treaty" to maintain peaceful.During the period of Song Shenzong,the national strength of Song has increased after Wang Anshi's reform.But because of the defeating with Xixia Song Shenzong gave up the plan of recovering the Sixteen Prefectures.At the end of Northern Song Dynasty,Song Huizong made a plan which made common cause with Jin to resisted Liao.He attempted to take the opportunity to recover the Sixteen Prefectures.Though the Northern Song Dynasty had recovered part of the Sixteen Prefectures temporarily,because of the inbreak of Jin the Northern Song Dynasty perished quickly.The Northern Song Dynasty has failed to recover the Sixteen Prefectures for many reasons.First of all,after Liao occupying the Sixteen Prefectures,Liao had occupied Yanmenguan natural barrier and the geographical position is superior,easily defensible.But the northern of the Northern Song Dynasty was Hebei plain which was disadvantaged.Secondly,after the establishment of the Northern Song,in order to successfully complete reunification,Song Taizu had made a covenant with Liao and kept peaceful.The thought also had a great influence on thelater rulers of the Northern Song Dynasty.Besides,Zhao Kuangyin established Song by capturing the regime of Houzhou.So Song Taizuin avoid to repeat the mistakes by laying stress on the cultural achievement while making light of the military exploits.therefore,the Song had few good generals and the army declined fighting force.Thirdly,after occupying the Sixteen Prefectures,Liao tried to operate it and the power of Liao increased.So Song who mainly had infantry couldn't resist Liao who mainly had cavalry.