The Rise and Suppression of Neo-Confucianism during the Early and Middle Southern Song Dynasty

Neo-Confucianism was extensively practiced in
the late Northern Song Dynasty, but it wasn't until the early
Southern Song Dynasty that it gained governmental recognition.
To clear Emperor Song Huizong ( 宋徽宗, 1082-1135) of
responsibility for the loss of the land, Emperor Song Gaozong (
宋高宗, 1107-1187) remade the history of the middle-late
Northern Song Dynasty. According to the newly created history,
Wang Anshi (王安石, 1021–1086) was viewed as a sly official
who deceived Emperor Song Shenzong (宋神宗, 1048–1085). In
that story, Emperor Shenzong wouldn't be blamed for the
reform, which is thought to have been the reason the Northern
Song Dynasty fell. The court used Neo-Confucianism to achieve
this political objective because the Neo-Confucianists excelled at
criticizing Wang Anshi's school. Later, however, the imperial
government also used Wang Anshi's school to lessen Neo-
Confucianism’s influence. This may explain why Wang Anshi's
canonization in the Confucian Temple wasn't revoked until
1244. During the reign of Emperor Song Xiaozong (宋孝宗,
1127–1194), there were numerous requests to let Neo-
Confucianists to take Wang Anshi's place in the Confucian
Temple, but they were all turned down. We can observe the
conflict between political forces and schools in imperial China
through the long history of Neo Confucianism's being
suppressed.