Is there a better novel than "The Sixteen Prefectures of the World"?

The Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun were of great significance during the Song Dynasty. The sixteen states of Yanyun were roughly located in the north of the Haihe River in present-day Beijing and Tianjin, as well as in the north of Shanxi and Hebei. Since the Five Dynasties period, the Song Dynasty had been trying to recover the Liao Kingdom. Song Taizu had planned to take it back with the "peace and purchase policy", but it was put on hold with his death. Song Taizong had organized two northern expeditions, both of which ended in failure. This caused Song Liao's offensive and defensive momentum to reverse, and Liao soldiers began to frequently head south. In the second year of Xuanhe (1120), Song and Jin signed the "Sea Alliance" and agreed to jointly destroy Liao and return the sixteen states to the Song Dynasty. However, the Song army failed to conquer Yanjing as promised, and the Jin Dynasty refused to return it. In the end, the Song Dynasty could only use 1 million yuan to redeem Yanjing and Ji, Jing, Tan, Yi, Zhuo, and Shun. However, not long after, the Jin army went south, and the Northern Song Dynasty was destroyed. The sixteen prefectures fell under the rule of the Jin Dynasty. The sixteen states of Yanyun were of great strategic importance. They were the natural defensive positions on the northern border of the Central Plains Dynasty. They had natural and man-made defense lines such as mountains, rivers, the Great Wall, and the Five Passages. Their terrain was easy to defend but difficult to attack. The gains and losses of this region affected the ability of the Central Plains Dynasty to resist the nomads in the north. After the Song Dynasty lost the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun, the northern plains were no longer dangerous, and the agricultural civilization was exposed to the nomadic cavalry. At the same time, the warm and humid environment of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun was conducive to agricultural production. There were basins and plains suitable for farming, developed water systems, and grasslands suitable for grazing. The population was relatively dense, which could provide financial support and military supplies.

The sixteen states of Yanyun belonged to the feudal dynasty of the Central Plains. Shi Jingtang was once Li Siyuan's confidant and was loyal to him. After the death of Li Siyuan in 933 AD, the succession of the throne was frequent. After Li Congke seized the throne, he regarded Shi Jingtang as a threat and wanted to weaken his power. In 936 AD, Li Congke sent troops to encircle and suppress Shi Jingtang. Shi Jingtang was forced into a desperate situation. In order to get out of the predicament, Shi Jingtang decided to borrow the power of the Khitan. Since the Khitan had no direct enmity with Li Congke, Shi Jingtang offered the conditions of ceding sixteen states of Yanyun in order to urge the Khitan to send troops. In September, the Khitan army defeated the Tang army in the south. In November, Shi Jingtang was conferred the title of "Emperor of Great Jin" by the Khitan. He recognized the Khitan Lord Yelu Deguang as his father and called himself "Emperor of Children". He also offered the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun to the Khitan according to the agreement. The ceding of the sixteen states of Yanyun expanded the territory of Liao to the Great Wall. The Central Plains lost the sixteen states of Yanyun and had no danger to defend, which made it easy for the cavalry of the northern minority to invade. The Later Tang and Song Dynasties were greatly affected by this. Many figures such as Zhao Kuangyin, Chai Rong, Old Linggong of the Yang family, Yue Fei, etc. all had the desire to recover the sixteen states of Yanyun. The poet of the Southern Song Dynasty, Lu You, also expressed his regret that he did not recover the lost land in his life in his last poem,"Show Children." It was not until the Hongwu Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, sent Xu Da and Chang Yuchun to lead 250,000 troops that they successfully recovered, ending the non-Han rule of the sixteen states of Yanyun for more than 400 years.

During the Song Dynasty, the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun were located in present-day Beijing, Tianjin, Shanxi, and northern Hebei. Specifically, it included Youzhou (present-day Beijing City), Shunzhou (present-day Shunyi District of Beijing), Ruzhou (present-day Yanqing District of Beijing), Tanzhou (present-day Miyun District of Beijing), Jizhou (present-day Jizhou District of Tianjin), Zhuozhou (present-day Zhuozhou of Hebei), Yingzhou (present-day Hejian of Hebei), Mozhou (present-day North of Renqiu City of Hebei), and Xinzhou.(Zhuolu County, present-day Hebei Province, Zhang Jiakou Zhangjiakou City), Guizhou (present-day Huailai County, Zhang Zhangjiakou City Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province), Wuzhou (present-day Xuanhua District, Zhang Jiakou City, Hebei Province), Weizhou (present-day Yu County, Zhang Jiakou City, Hebei Province), Yingzhou (present-day Ying County, Shanxi Province), Huanzhou (present-day Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province), Shuozhou (present-day Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province), Yunzhou (present-day Yunzhou District, Datong City, Shanxi Province). During the Song Dynasty, the loss of the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun caused the Song Dynasty to lose an important barrier against the northern nomads. Its unique geographical location, such as spanning part of the Taihang Mountains and all of the Yanshan Mountains, made the northwest of the North China Plain defenseless. It also opened the door to the northern part of the Shanxi Highlands, allowing the nomadic cavalry to drive straight into the hinterland of the Central Plains, which had an extremely adverse impact on the national defense and security of the Song Dynasty.

The sixteen states of Yanyun had undergone many changes during the Song Dynasty. Song Taizu planned to take back the sixteen states of Yanyun with the policy of peace and purchase, but with his death, the plan was put on hold. Song Taizong had organized two northern expeditions, both of which failed. This caused the Song and Liao forces to turn around and the Liao troops frequently went south. In the second year of Xuanhe (1120), the Song and Jin signed the "Sea Alliance" and agreed to jointly destroy the Liao Dynasty and return the sixteen states to the Song Dynasty. However, the Song army failed to conquer Yanjing as promised, and the Jin Dynasty refused to return it on this grounds. In the end, the Song Dynasty could only use 1 million yuan of tax money to redeem Yanjing and Ji, Jing, Tan, Yi, Zhuo, and Shun. However, soon the Jin army went south, the Northern Song Dynasty perished, and the sixteen states entered the rule of the Jin Dynasty.

The Northern Song Dynasty had a complicated relationship with the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun. The sixteen prefectures of Yanyun were located in the north of the Haihe River in Beijing and Tianjin, as well as the north of Shanxi and Hebei. Their geographical location was very important. They were the natural defense positions on the northern border of the Central Plains Dynasty. Before the establishment of the Northern Song Dynasty, Shi Jingtang, the Hedong Jiedushi of the Later Tang Dynasty, ceded the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun to the Liao Kingdom in order to obtain the support of the Liao Kingdom and become emperor. This caused the territory of the Liao Kingdom to expand to the Great Wall. The Central Plains Dynasty lost its natural barrier against foreign invasions, and the large agricultural plains of the Northern Song Dynasty were no longer dangerous. After the establishment of the Northern Song Dynasty, Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty had planned to take back the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun with the policy of "peace and purchase", but he died before he could implement it. Song Taizong's two northern expeditions failed. Song Liao's offensive and defensive momentum was reversed, and Liao soldiers frequently went south. In the second year of Xuanhe (1120), the Song and Jin signed the "Sea Alliance" and agreed to jointly destroy the Liao Dynasty and return the sixteen states to the Song Dynasty. However, the Song army failed to conquer Yanjing as promised, and the Jin Dynasty refused to return it. The Song Dynasty could only redeem Yanjing and some states with 1 million yuan in taxes. Soon after, the Jin army went south to the Northern Song Dynasty and perished, and the sixteen states entered the Jin Dynasty's rule. Throughout the Northern Song Dynasty, the loss of the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun put them at a military disadvantage when facing the nomadic people in the north. This area also became the dream of the famous generals and literati of the Northern Song Dynasty to recover. The war and diplomatic relations between the Northern Song Dynasty and Liao and other political powers were deeply affected by the ownership of the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun.

Although the Song Dynasty had tried many times to recapture the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun, it had not been fully realized. Song Taizu had planned to take back the sixteen states with the policy of peace and purchase, but it was put on hold with his death. Song Taizong had organized two northern expeditions, both of which ended in failure. It also caused Song and Liao to reverse their offensive and defensive momentum, and Liao soldiers frequently went south. In the second year of Xuanhe (1120), the Song and Jin signed the "Sea Alliance" and agreed to jointly destroy Liao and return the sixteen states to the Song Dynasty. However, in the joint operation, the Song army failed to conquer Yanjing as promised, and the Jin Dynasty refused to return the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun. In the end, the Song Dynasty could only redeem Yanjing, Ji, Jing, Tan, Yi, Zhuo, and Shun with 1 million rouleaux tax money. However, soon the Jin army went south, the Northern Song Dynasty perished, and the sixteen states entered the Jin Dynasty's rule.

The Northern Song Dynasty had been trying to recover the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun. The sixteen prefectures of Yanyun were of great significance to the Northern Song Dynasty in military and economic aspects. In terms of military affairs, the sixteen states of Yanyun were located in the north of the North China Plain, facing the sea in the east, and the Yanshan Mountain Range and the Taihang Mountain Range in the north and west. They were the natural barriers for the North China Plain to resist the invasion of the nomadic regime in the north. During the pre-Qin period, the feudal lords used this terrain to build the Great Wall to defend against the northern minorities. The Qin Dynasty even used it to the extreme to build the Great Wall. Once the 16 prefectures of Yanyun were lost, the North China Plain would have no obstacles to block the nomadic cavalries from the north. From an economic point of view, the sixteen states of Yanyun were near the 400mm rainfall line. The climate in the south was warm and humid, which was suitable for planting and economic development. The Datong Basin and fertile plains were suitable for farming, and there were developed water systems. At the same time, it was close to the Inner Mongolia grasslands that were suitable for grazing. It was a densely populated area that could provide strong financial support and military supplies. However, since Shi Jingtang handed over the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun to the Khitans during the Five Dynasties, this place had been under the rule of the Liao Kingdom for a long time. The founding emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty once set up a " Fengzhuang Warehouse " in an attempt to redeem the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun. Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty also organized a Northern Expedition but failed. After that, the Song and Liao Dynasties fought endlessly until the Chanyuan Alliance was signed. The Song Dynasty used the annual coins to exchange for peace, but they still did not recover the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun until the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty.

The Northern Song Dynasty did not "lose" the 16 prefectures of Yanyun, but since the Five Dynasties, the 16 prefectures of Yanyun had been ceded to the Liao Kingdom by Shi Jingtang. After the establishment of the Northern Song Dynasty, they could not recover them. The sixteen prefectures of Yanyun were located in an important geographical position. They were the natural defense positions of the northern border of the Central Plains Dynasty. During the Five Dynasties period, Shi Jingtang, the Hedong Jiedushi of the Later Tang Dynasty, ceded the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun to the Liao Kingdom in order to obtain the Liao Kingdom's assistance to rebel against the Later Tang Dynasty. This action caused the Liao Kingdom's territory to expand along the Great Wall. The Central Plains Dynasty lost its natural barrier against foreign invasions, and the door to the north was wide open. After the establishment of the Northern Song Dynasty, they tried to recover the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun. Song Taizu planned to take them back with the "peace and purchase policy", but it was put on hold with his death. Song Taizong's two northern expeditions failed, and it also reversed the offensive and defensive situation of Song and Liao, causing Liao soldiers to frequently go south. In the second year of Xuanhe (1120), the Song and Jin signed the "Sea Alliance" and agreed to return the sixteen states to the Song Dynasty after jointly destroying the Liao Dynasty. However, the Song army failed to conquer Yanjing as promised, and the Jin Dynasty refused to return them. In the end, the Song Dynasty could only use 1 million yuan to redeem Yanjing and some states. Soon after, the Jin army went south, the Northern Song Dynasty perished, and the sixteen states entered the rule of the Jin Dynasty.

The Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun were regarded as the lifeline of the Central Plains, which was mainly reflected in the following aspects: ** 1. Military Defense ** 1. ** Natural defense line ** - The sixteen prefectures of Yanyun guard Yanshan and Taihang Mountains. These two mountain ranges were condescending and easy to defend but difficult to attack. They were the natural barrier for the Central Plains region to resist the nomads from the north. The terrain of the mountain range made it difficult for the cavalry of the northern nomads to drive straight in. In the era of cold weapons, the mobility and impact of cavalry in the plains were extremely strong, and the mountain range could effectively block the cavalry's attack route and limit their combat advantage. 2. ** Artificial defense line ** - There was a man-made defense line formed by the Great Wall and the five passes. The Great Wall itself was a large-scale defensive fortification built by the Central Plains Dynasty to resist the nomads in the north. The five passes further strengthened the key points of the defense. These man-made defensive lines worked together with natural defensive lines such as mountains and rivers to form a complete defensive system. Regardless of whether the northern nomads wanted to go south or the Central Plains Dynasty wanted to go north, the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun were key military strategic locations. Once they lost them, the Central Plains would be directly exposed to the northern cavalry and there would be no danger to defend. ** 2. Political and geographical aspects ** 1. ** Civilization Boundary ** - The Yan Mountain Range, where the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun were located, separated the two civilizations. To the south was the farming civilization, and to the north was the nomadic civilization. Politically, it was the dividing line between the dynasties of the Central Plains and the minority regime in the north. If the dynasty of the Central Plains controlled the 16 prefectures of Yanyun, it could maintain a certain deterrent force to the northern minority regime and maintain its political influence in the northern border areas. On the contrary, if the northern minority regime occupied it, the political prestige of the dynasty of the Central Plains would be affected and it would be at a disadvantage in the game of geography with the northern regime. ** 3. In terms of economic resources ** 1. ** population and labor force ** - The warm and humid environment of the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun was conducive to the development of agricultural production. At the same time, there were Datong Basin and fertile plains that were suitable for farming and providing wealth, developed water systems, and Inner Mongolia grasslands that were suitable for grazing. This diverse geographical environment made this area a densely populated area since ancient times, which could provide a sufficient labor force for the Central Plains Dynasty. In ancient times, population was an important resource for national development. Whether it was agricultural production, handicraft manufacturing, or military replenishment, it could not be separated from the support of population. 2. ** Troops and Financial Resources ** - The rich population resources could be converted into military supplies, providing manpower support for the military forces of the Central Plains Dynasty. At the same time, the development of agriculture and animal husbandry could produce a large amount of wealth, providing powerful financial support for the Central Plains Dynasty. Once they lost the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun, the Central Plains would suffer losses in economic resources. In the long-term confrontation with the northern regime, the weakening of economic strength would affect the military defense and the overall stability of the country.

During the Northern Song Dynasty, the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun were located in what is now Beijing, Tianjin, Shanxi, and Hebei. The details included: Youzhou (present-day Beijing City), Shunzhou (present-day Shunyi District, Beijing), Ruzhou (present-day Yanqing District, Beijing), Tanzhou (present-day Miyun District, Beijing), Jizhou (present-day Jizhou District, Tianjin), Zhuozhou (present-day Zhuozhou, Hebei), Yingzhou (present-day Hejian, Hebei), Mozhou (present-day North of Renqiu City, Hebei), Xinzhou (Zhuolu County, present-day Hebei Province, Zhang Jiakou Zhangjiakou City), Guizhou (present-day Huailai County, Zhang Zhangjiakou City Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province), Wuzhou (present-day Xuanhua District, Zhang Jiakou City, Hebei Province), Weizhou (present-day Yu County, Zhang Jiakou City, Hebei Province), Yingzhou (present-day Ying County, Shanxi Province), Huanzhou (present-day Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province), Shuozhou (present-day Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province), Yunzhou (present-day Yunzhou District, Datong City, Shanxi Province).