Northern Song (960–1127) in the context of "Battle of Yamen"

Zhou, known as the Later Zhou (/dʒoʊ/; simplified Chinese: 后周; traditional Chinese: 後周; pinyin: Hòu Zhōu) in historiography, was a short-lived Chinese imperial dynasty and the last of the Five Dynasties that controlled most of northern China during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Founded by Guo Wei (Emperor Taizu), it was preceded by the Later Han dynasty and succeeded by the Northern Song dynasty.

The Chanyuan Treaty (simplified Chinese: 澶渊之盟; traditional Chinese: 澶淵之盟; pinyin: Chányuān Zhī Méng) was signed between the Northern Song dynasty and the Liao dynasty in 1005, and marked a pivotal point in Chinese history and in the relations between the two dynasties. The treaty laid the foundation for approximately a century of relative peace between the two major powers, which lasted until the Alliance Conducted at Sea was formed between the Northern Song dynasty and the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty in the early 12th century. The diplomatic framework itself which set the peace would continue to be emulated throughout East Asia until the establishment of the Mongol Empire in the 13th century.

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 the imperial palaces in Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng), the capital of the Han-led Northern Song dynasty. The Jin forces captured the Northern Song ruler, Emperor Qinzong, along with his father, the retired Emperor Huizong, and many members of the imperial family of Emperor Taizong's bloodline and officials of the Song imperial court. The ordinary Song civilians of Bianjing living in the non-imperial quarter were left alone after being forced to pay huge ransoms to the Jin.

This event marked the collapse of the Northern Song dynasty that originally controlled most of China proper. Many 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) in the new capital, Lin'an (present-day Hangzhou). 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; Emperor Gaozong himself failed to produce an heir as well. This event is known as the "Jingkang Incident" because it took place during the Jingkang era of the reign of Emperor Qinzong.

Guiyi Prefecture (AD 848–1036), also known as the Jinshan Kingdom of the Western Han (909–911) and the Dunhuang Kingdom of the Western Han (911–914), was a Chinese military district that was usually de facto independent but nominally subordinate to the Tang dynasty, the successive Five Dynasties, and the Northern Song dynasty. Guiyi Prefecture was controlled by the Zhang family from the second half of the 9th century to the 10th century and then the Cao family during the 10th and 11th century. Guiyi Prefecture was usually headquartered in Shazhou (沙州), modern-day Dunhuang.