Warships and Defense on the Yangtze River and the Sea in the Song Dynasty

   This chapter discusses the types of warships and ways of battles on the rivers and the sea, pedal wheel ships and their historical fate, the composition and functions of coastal defense system, piracy and measures for eradicating pirates, and the great convenience of water transportation and the rise and fall of the Southern Song Dynasty. The author of this book finds out that during the Southern Song Dynasty, river and coastal defenses became a priority for border security, leading to unprecedented development of warships. Inland river warships predominantly relied on wheel propulsion, such as pedal wheel ships, paddle-driven ships, and oar-powered vessels, like multi-paddle ships and multi-oar ships. Wind power was primarily utilized for larger warships at sea and had limited application in inland river vessels. Pedal wheel ships relied on individuals pedaling on wheels to propel them forward. The costs associated with pedal wheel ships were significantly higher than those of regular ships. The high costs associated with pedal wheel ships limited their application in social and economic activities, leading to their prohibition as commercial or grain-carrying vessels. On the one hand, river defense was viewed as the final and most important protection by the Southern Song rulers against the frontal aggression of the Jin Kingdom. On the other hand, internally, river defense effectively suppressed pirates. The Southern Song Dynasty developed separate coastal defense systems for the northern and southern regions. The northern one played a crucial role, primarily aimed at protecting Lin’an. The southern one was primarily designed to contain pirates and safeguard the security of the coastal areas and maritime trade. Strike by force was an important method used to suppress pirates in the Song Dynasty. Another method of containing pirates was adopting a strategy of recruiting surrendered pirates into the army to combat other pirates. In a word, the collapse of the Southern Song Dynasty can be attributed to various factors, and the control of water transportation played a crucial role in its survival or demise.