Zhou Xingfeng

This article recounts Emperor Taizu (Zhao Kuangyin)’s unification wars of the early Song Dynasty. After centralizing power, he adopted the “First South, Then North” strategy proposed by Zhao Pu. Song forces successively conquered Jingnan, Hunan, Later Shu, Southern Han, and Southern Tang, defeating rulers like Meng Chang and Li Yu. The campaign laid the…