The Jin Dynasty

The Jin Dynasty: A History of China, PART TWO, takes you into the empire's most dramatic years. It begins with Emperor Hailing (Wanyan Liang), whose bold march against the Southern Song drained his state and left scars that never healed. From that moment, the dynasty faced storms on all sides-enemies pressing in from beyond its borders and unrest spreading within its own court.

For a time, there was light. Emperor Shizong, honored as the "A Sage-like Ruler in the North," brought order, justice, and prosperity. But even his achievements could not erase the dangers waiting ahead. When power passed to his grandson, Emperor Zhangzong, the empire still looked strong from the outside, yet beneath the surface the slow slide from strength to weakness had already begun.

By the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, the threat could no longer be ignored. Mongol forces stood before the walls of Bianjing, and the emperor made the desperate choice to abandon the northern capital and lead his court south. That flight opened a new chapter of fear, mistrust, and broken defenses, pushing the dynasty toward the edge.

In the end, the burden fell on Emperor Aizong, who inherited a kingdom already collapsing. Surrounded by betrayal, bad counsel, and the relentless pressure of the Mongol armies, he fought to hold on to the last fragments of power. Each choice carried heavy costs, and with every passing season the walls closed in tighter.

This book tells the story of those final generations: emperors, generals, ministers, and the ordinary people caught between them.