Reforming the Song

The protagonist, Zhao Jiaren, is a modern psychotherapist who transmigrates into a scion of the Zhao imperial clan. He initially follows the conventional path of study, civil examinations, and official service, only to suffer a crushing defeat amid the Mongol cavalry's southward advance—and then receives a second chance at rebirth. Scarred by his previous life, he stops pinning his future on the beleaguered Lin'an court. Passing the provincial examination at twelve and the metropolitan examination at thirteen, he begins as a low-ranking county sheriff and rises through practical achievements and administrative results. He builds a base in Fujian, accumulates wealth through maritime trade, and becomes entangled in contests with maritime powers such as the Pu family of Quanzhou. When the Lin'an court surrenders to the Mongols, he seizes the moment, proclaiming a young emperor to command the realm. While maneuvering against the Mongols and using war to force a favorable peace, he sets about rebuilding institutions from the grassroots, promoting technological improvement and industrial and commercial enterprise, and attempting to set the impoverished and weakened Song house on an entirely different path.

The work is known for its relatively well-researched social-historical detail, its calm and rational protagonist, and a narrative oriented toward "construction" rather than mere conquest. Reception is sharply divided: admirers appreciate its intellectual depth and contemporary concerns, while critics find it overly discursive, slow-paced, and reliant on certain premises that do not withstand scrutiny.