The seemingly cowardly Song Dynasty was praised as "the greatest dynasty in China" by American university textbooks. Why?

In the Song Dynasty, the humanities flourished, the economy developed, the GDP accounted for more than half of the world, and the people were relatively rich and free. Although the military was a little weak, it was also because Song Taizu formulated the "Yan Wu Wen Xiu" at the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and the Dasong Empire developed and expanded on this basis.

During the Song Dynasty, China occupied about five of the ten richest and most densely populated cities in the world. In the Song Dynasty, people in China invented movable type printing and began to use gunpowder on a large scale. Compasses are also widely used in ocean transportation. In the Song Dynasty, the magnetic industry was developed, and the porcelain of Ru kiln, Ding kiln, Ge kiln and Jun kiln sold well at home and abroad, and until now, it is recognized as an artistic treasure all over the world.

Song Dynasty is the only dynasty in China history that can rival the prosperous Tang Dynasty. There are many literary and artistic works, and a large number of great literary and artistic works emerge like a blowout. Song ci and song poetry can be compared with Tang poetry. Song painting is the best in ancient and modern times, with a series of resounding names.