Why is the Song and Yuan Dynasties called the turning point of China's ancient history?

The Song and Yuan Dynasties (960- 1368) is an important period in the history of China, which is called the turning point in the ancient history of China for the following reasons:

1. Changes in the political system. The imperial examination system was adopted in Song Dynasty to replace the Shi Qing Shi Lu system in Tang Dynasty, which increased social mobility, broke the old situation of Shi Qing Shi Lu system, and enabled more outstanding talents to give full play to their talents.

2. Economic development and trade prosperity. Song Dynasty was a prosperous period in the history of China. Especially in the Southern Song Dynasty, urban economy and commerce flourished, overseas trade was active, and farming, handicrafts, metallurgy and shipbuilding developed rapidly, making the Song Dynasty a very important economic period in the history of China.

3. Cultural prosperity. There are various forms of culture and art in Song Dynasty, and great achievements have been made in poetry, painting, opera, classical Chinese and vernacular Chinese. The thought, culture and art of the Song Dynasty also had a far-reaching influence on the history of China, such as the popularization of Confucius' ideas such as "Use courtesy and harmony" and "Don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you".

4. Significant progress in literary achievements. Compared with the Tang Dynasty, the literary achievements of the Song Dynasty have reached a new level. Poetry, Ci and Fu are the main literature in Song Dynasty. Li Qingzhao and Su Shi are the representatives of poetry, and Xin Qiji is the representative of ci, leaving many classic works for people.

5. Scientific and technological progress. Great progress has been made in science and technology in the Song Dynasty, and great progress has been made in mechanical technology, firearms technology and metallurgical technology.

To sum up, the Song and Yuan Dynasties represented an important period in the history of China, and its appearance marked the arrival of a new era, which also explained the historical development and changes of China.