How did General Zhao Kuangyin of the Later Zhou Dynasty launch a mutiny in Chenqiaoyi and establish the Northern Song Dynasty?

The Chenqiao Mutiny took place on February 3, 960 AD. It supported Zhao Kuangyin as emperor and aimed to replace the military coup of the later Zhou Dynasty. The mutiny ultimately led to the fall of the Later Zhou Dynasty and the establishment of the Song Dynasty.

In 959 AD, Zhou Shizong Chai Rong died. At that time, Zhao Kuangyin, who was in charge of inspection in front of the palace and returned to the German army as military governor, held real power. Zhao Kuangyin, under the planning of Zhao Pu, Shi Shouxin and others, in the spring of 960 AD, Zhenzhou (now Zhengding, Hebei Province) and Dingzhou (now Dingxian County, Hebei Province) reported that the armies of the Northern Han Dynasty and the Liao Kingdom jointly went south to attack the Later Zhou Dynasty with great momentum. , requesting the dispatch of troops for assistance. Later, the Zhou Dynasty ordered Zhao Kuangyin to lead his troops north to fight against the enemy. On February 3, when the army arrived at Chenqiaoyi (now Chenqiao Town, southeast of Fengqiu, Henan), they launched a mutiny and ordered the soldiers to wear yellow robes for him. They rebelled against the Later Zhou Dynasty and supported Zhao Kuangyin as emperor. Afterwards, Zhao led his troops back to Kaifeng, and then Emperor Gong of Zhou abdicated to the throne, and Zhao took over the throne. After Zhao came to the throne, he changed the name of the country to Song Dynasty, and in the first year of Jianlong of Yuan Dynasty, Kaifeng was established as the capital. It was known as the "Chenqiao Mutiny" in history. Zhao Kuangyin was also called Song Taizu because of the establishment of the Song Dynasty.

In the official history books of the Song Dynasty, it is claimed that Zhao Kuangyin had no premeditation before Chenqiao's mutiny. However, many historians in modern times believe that there was no need to go on another expedition after Zhao Kuangyin came to the throne, that the Liao soldiers "escaped on their own", that there is no record of "the year of the Southern invaders" in the "History of the Liao", and that there were rumors in the capital not long before the mutiny that "the enemy invaded" Judging from the historical facts such as preparations for the ready-made yellow robe, the drafting of the Zen throne edict, and the Tai Fu's words: "My son has always had great ambitions, and now he has become the emperor," the Chenqiao mutiny should have been premeditated. Military coup.

The Chenqiao Mutiny was a mutiny launched by Zhao Kuangyin to replace the Later Zhou Dynasty and establish the Song Dynasty.

In the sixth year of Xiande of the Later Zhou Dynasty (959), Shizong Chai Rong suddenly died of an illness. Prime Minister Fan Zhi was ordered by Gu to help Chai Rong's youngest son Chai Zongxun succeed him as Emperor Gong. At this time, Emperor Gong was only 7 years old (some say 5 years old). In the later weeks, an unstable situation arose where "the master of the young country is suspected". Zhao Kuangyin, who was inspected in front of the palace and returned to the German Army Jiedushi, and Shi Shouxin, a senior general of the Forbidden Army, A military coup plan planned by Wang Shenqi, Wang Shenqi and others is brewing.

On the first day of the first lunar month of the following year, it was heard that the Khitan and the Northern Han Dynasty were sending troops southward. Fan Zhi, the ruling minister of the Later Zhou Dynasty, and others did not distinguish between the true and false, and hurriedly sent Zhao Kuangyin to lead the troops to the north to resist. On the third day of the first lunar month, Zhao Kuangyin led the army to leave the capital and stayed overnight in Chenqiaoyi (now Chenqiao Town southeast of Fengqiu, Henan), 20 kilometers northeast of Kaifeng. The mutiny plan was put into practice. That night, some of Zhao Kuangyin's cronies spread rumors among the soldiers, saying, "The emperor is young and weak and cannot govern personally. We are working for the country to defeat the enemy. Who knows? Why not support Zhao Kuangyin as emperor first, and then set off for the Northern Expedition?" .