Opinion Piece

The Song Dynasty was the greatest time in Chinese history because it was a time of great inventions and prosperity in early Chinese history. During the Song Dynasty, three out of the four greatest inventions in all of Chinese history were invented. These inventions were the compass, gunpowder, and typography (printing). These three inventions contributed greatly to the Song Dynasty's daily life and culture. Also, many sources say that the Song Dynasty was considered one of the Golden Ages in Chinese history. A golden age in Chinese history means that it is a time of peace and prosperity. This time would be very similar to the time of Pax Romana in the Roman Empire. 

The Song Dynasty was a very prosperous time period. During this time, the study of art was greatly increased. Art such as pottery and ceramics were studied by most of the people living in the Chinese empire at the time. Ceramic pieces created in this time were beautiful and still look untouched in museums today. Further development in art meant less time quarreling over other unimportant issues. This led to better ruling among the people and a stronger government.

The invention of gunpowder was a very useful invention for the Song Dynasty because it helped the Song people fend off attacks from the Mongols. Gunpowder is a very explosive powder that was used to set off explosions. This was good for attacks from the Mongols because they were a very powerful force. They did push the Song people south, but they held on throughout the entire dynasty. Almost right after the Song Dynasty ended, the  Mongols completely took over all of China. The Song Dynasty held its own during Mongol invasions, showing its greatness, making it the greatest period in Chinese history. 

The invention of the compass improved daily life in 11th century China greatly. The compass was used in sailing very frequently by even expert sailors. The compass was used in navigation enabling sailors to travel much farther distances without getting lost. This helped with the Chinese exploration and increased the Chinese's trading capabilities greatly. Ships could haul goods over all the way from Europe without having to walk thousands of miles to get there. This shows how the Song Dynasty was the greatest time in all of Chinese history

By Alex Neamtu