How did sending taxes directly to the national treasury strengthen the Song central government?

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Taizu The Taizu emperor, founder of the Song dynasty, detail of a portrait; in the National Palace Museum, Taipei

By mandating that taxes be remitted directly to the national treasury starting in 965, the Taizu emperor effectively curtailed the financial autonomy of local authorities. This policy was part of a broader effort to consolidate power within the central government and reduce the influence of regional military leaders, who had previously posed a threat to the state's integrity.

By centralizing fiscal control, Taizu ensured that the resources necessary for governance and defense were managed by the imperial court rather than being diverted by local officials or military commanders. This shift, combined with the appointment of fiscal intendants to supervise local functionaries, helped strengthen the central government's oversight of the prefectures and laid the groundwork for the Song dynasty's stable political order.1