On National Security Problems Of North-Song Dynasty

China did have national security problems in ancient times, whose contents and forms were fundamentally different from those of contemporary nontraditional national security, or even from those of traditional national security shaped in modern times. They had their unique forms and features.Among all the dynasties that reined the Central Plain before the Qing Dynasty, the Northern Song Dynasty had been faced with the most prominent and typical threats against national security. That is why this paper takes it as an example to analyze ancient national security problems existed in Chinese history.The Northern Song Dynasty was not founded at the right time. Since its establishment, it had to face a severe geopolitical environment. It lost the Youyun Area in the north, which resulted in a breakdown of the Great Wall defense system. The Gansu Corridor in the northwest was also out of control. Then, on its north there was the mighty Liao Dynasty, which was of equal weight. On its northwest, the Tanguts' military infringes never stop. And on the south, the Jiaozi kept nibbling its border areas. The domestic politics were unstable with frequent outbursts of rebels by common people and soldiers, and of endless combats among clans. Further more, the Northern Song government was unable to improve the situation. With poverty and weakness, the whole dynasty had never ceased the alarms from its borders. Thus, the Northern Song governors and those insightful people from all walks of life had extremely strong sense of hardship.Because of this reason, abundant strategic and constructive concepts on national security came into being during this period. The Northern Song Central Authorities had implemented many policies to protect and guarantee national security, including highly centralization of power and maintenance of unified territory. The government never gave up the attempts to enrich the country and strengthen its military power through political reforms, to withstand invasions outside its frontiers through border defense construction, to consolidate its reign and national security through covert battles and methods, and etc.