Southern Song

State · 1028–1278 CE · at its largest around 1056 CE

Driven south by the Jurchen, the Song made Hangzhou perhaps the largest and richest city on earth, full of teahouses, theatres and markets. Its age saw paper money in wide use, Zhu Xi's Neo-Confucianism, refined landscape painting and booming sea trade across Asia.

On its lands while it lasted

Imperial examination system (605–1905 CE): The Sui formalised civil service examinations for selecting officials, a system that lasted until its abolition in 1905.
Hanlin Academy (738–1911 CE): Emperor Xuanzong of Tang founded the Hanlin Academy in Chang’an as a body of scholars who drafted imperial documents. Under later dynasties it became an elite institution of top examination graduates, lasting until 1911.
Song dynasty (960–1279 CE): Founded by Zhao Kuangyin with its capital at Kaifeng, the Song saw a commercial revolution, paper money and advances in printing and science.
Shen Kuo (1031 CE – 1095 CE): Chinese polymath and Song dynasty official whose Dream Pool Essays (1088) describe the magnetic compass needle, Bi Sheng’s movable type, and observations in astronomy, geology and mathematics.
Yinchuan (c. 1038 CE): Capital of Western Xia (1038–1226).
Movable type (Bi Sheng) (c. 1040 CE): The artisan Bi Sheng invented movable type made of fired clay, as described by Shen Kuo.
Supernova of 1054 (1054 CE): Song astronomers recorded a "guest star" visible in daylight for weeks; its remnant is the Crab Nebula.
Magnetic compass (c. 1088 CE): Shen Kuo gave the earliest clear description of a magnetic needle compass; by the early 12th century it was recorded in use for navigation at sea.
Su Song's astronomical clock tower (c. 1094 CE): The Song official Su Song built a water-driven astronomical clock tower at Kaifeng with an escapement mechanism and a chain drive.
The Qingming scroll (c. 1100 CE): Handscroll by Zhang Zeduan depicting daily life in and around the Song capital Kaifeng.
Yue Fei (1103 CE – 1142 CE): Southern Song general who fought the Jurchen Jin; his execution on false charges made him a lasting symbol of loyalty.
Jingkang incident (1127 CE): Jin forces sacked Kaifeng and captured two Song emperors; the court fled south, beginning the Southern Song.
Zhu Xi (1130 CE – 1200 CE): Song philosopher whose synthesis of Neo-Confucianism became the orthodoxy of the imperial examinations.
Fire lance (1132 CE): Song defenders at the siege of De'an used fire lances, gunpowder-filled tubes on spears and ancestors of the gun.
Siege of Xiangyang (1267–1273 CE): Six-year Mongol siege of the twin Song cities of Xiangyang and Fancheng, ended with counterweight trebuchets.