Although the Sungs ruled as Emperors of China for over three centuries (A.D. 960-1280), the Empire itself shrank steadily from the pressure of more vigorous border peoples, especially the Mongols on the north. Kaifeng was the Sung capital until the Court was forced to retreat first to the Yangtze and later out to the coast to reestablish the capital at Hangchow. An air view of the Imperial Palace at Kaifeng.
Caption from Harrison Forman's book Changing China. Dragon Pavilion Park(Long Ting) remains located northwest of Kaifeng City, the site of imperial Palaces of the Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties.
