Jingkang incident

Jingkang Incident
Part of the Jin–Song wars
DateJanuary 1127
Location
Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng, Henan, China)
Result Jin victory
Territorial
changes
The Northern Song capital and territories north of the Huai River fell to Jin
Belligerents
Northern Song dynasty Jin dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Emperor Qinzong of Song Emperor Taizong of Jin
Wanyan Zonghan
Wanyan Zongwang
Strength
First siege: 200,000
Second siege: 70,000
First siege: 100,000
Second siege: 150,000

The Jingkang Incident (Chinese: 靖康事變; pinyin: Jìngkāng shì biàn), also known as the Humiliation of Jingkang (靖康之恥; Jìngkāng zhī chǐ) and the Disorders of the Jingkang Period (靖康之亂; Jìngkāng zhī luàn), was an episode of invasions and atrocities that took place in 1127 during the Jin–Song wars when the troops of the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty besieged and sacked Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng, Henan), the capital of the Han-led Northern Song dynasty. The Jin forces captured the Song ruler, Emperor Qinzong, along with his father, the retired Emperor Huizong, assorted members of the imperial family from Emperor Taizong's bloodline, and numerous officials of the Song imperial court. The ordinary civilians of Bianjing living in the non-imperial quarters were generally spared after being forced to hand over enormous amounts of their valuables.

This event marked the collapse of the Northern Song dynasty that originally controlled most of China proper. Some members of the Song imperial family, most notably Zhao Gou (later Emperor Gaozong), managed to escape to southern China, where they reestablished the Song dynasty (known in historiography as the Southern Song dynasty), with the new capital in Lin'an (present-day Hangzhou, Zhejiang). This event also greatly contributed to the return of the descendants of Emperor Taizu to the line of succession, as most of Emperor Taizong's descendants were abducted and Emperor Gaozong failed to produce an heir. This event is known as the "Jingkang Incident" because it took place during the Jingkang era of Emperor Qinzong's reign.