Why was Zhao Kuangyin’s proposal to move the capital to Luoyang, Xijing, eventually canceled?
We can guess some of the reasons why Zhao Kuangyin wanted to move the capital to Luoyang. Luoyang is one of the ancient capitals of the past dynasties and is the birthplace of Zhao Kuangyin. In March of the ninth year of Kaibao, Zhao Kuangyin came to his hometown for a tour. Soon after, he announced that he would move the capital to Luoyang. His proposal was opposed by the ministers. Finally, under the persuasion of his younger brother Zhao Guangyi, he returned to Kaifeng.
Zhao Kuangyin decided to move the capital to Luoyang not because of his love for his hometown, but after deep consideration. Later historians believe that Zhao Kuangyin's failed move to move the capital left the country with the potential for subjugation. If the capital could have been successfully moved to Luoyang at that time, the Northern Song Dynasty might not have perished so quickly.
When Zhao Kuangyin inspected Luoyang, the Song Dynasty had been founded for more than ten years. Zhao Kuangyin slowly discovered the shortcomings of Kaifeng. It was undefeable and easy to attack and difficult to defend. At that time, the powerful Liao Kingdom in the north was eyeing it. He kept an eye on the Song Dynasty and might send his troops south at any time, which would seriously threaten the safety of the Song Dynasty.
Out of consideration for national security, Zhao Kuangyin proposed to move the capital to Luoyang. Luoyang is located "among the world" and is "surrounded by mountains and rivers, and its situation is the best in the world." It is precisely because of this geographical advantage that Luoyang is often used as the capital.
Those ministers did not have such a long-term vision, and they opposed moving the capital to Luoyang for various reasons. Some ministers also said that Luoyang City is dilapidated, economically backward, and has inconvenient transportation, making it very unsuitable for a capital city. Some people said that Kaifeng's transportation is more convenient, and water transportation can reach various places in all directions, and food and materials from various places can be transported easily. Go here.
Moving the capital to another place will destabilize the country. In the end, the plan to move the capital was abandoned, and Zhao Guangyi also put forward the reason that "the one who secures the world must be moral but not dangerous." After the failure to move the capital, Zhao Kuangyin said worriedly: "In less than a hundred years, the people of the world will be in ruins!" Sure enough, it became a reality more than a hundred years later.