Goryeo and Southern Song Diplomacy

Timeline

1. 1131–1132Lin'an · Southern SongAfter the fall of the Northern Song, the Southern Song's Emperor Gaozong took the throne at Lin'an, and Goryeo faced an entirely new diplomatic environment with both Song and Jin as major powers, requiring a reassessment of its relations with each.
2. 1133–1136Gaegyeong · GoryeoKing Uijong sent envoys on tribute missions to the Southern Song, which reciprocated with investiture and gifts, maintaining tributary etiquette and documentary exchanges. Goryeo envoys brought back Confucian classics and Buddhist artifacts, promoting cultural exchange.
3. 1137–1140Gaegyeong · GoryeoWhile nominally honoring Song, Goryeo adopted cautious diplomacy toward the Jin dynasty to avoid provoking its powerful northern neighbor. Song–Goryeo relations centered on cultural affinity and ritual exchange, with the military-alliance dimension downplayed.