The Met dates the Song dynasties to 960–1279 CE, separating Northern and Southern Song.
Chronological context#
Its Northern Song range is 960–1127 and Southern Song range is 1127–1279. The chronology also shows other states alongside Song.
A reading exercise#
Use a dated map when reading about a location. Do not interpret one dynasty label as proof of uniform control across every region at that moment. For an artwork, retain the specific attribution given by its catalogue.
Using the dates#
The exercise is editorial guidance for evaluating evidence. Retain the named reference and its dating convention when comparing another account; this short introduction is not an exhaustive political history.