During the Song dynasty, groups like merchants and artisans were drawn to cities mainly to:

escape the hard work of farming.

find new jobs and business opportunities.

receive a free education from the government.

live closer to the emperor's court.

A visitor to a large Song dynasty city like Hangzhou would have most likely found:

small, isolated villages with very few people or buildings.

a bustling environment filled with markets and social venues.

a quiet settlement focused exclusively on agricultural production.

an area where all trade had been officially forbidden.

The population of China decreased significantly.

Trade with other countries completely stopped.

Cities became lively centers for culture and business.

Most people decided to return to farming in the countryside.

It led to a complete stop in the creation of new art and music.

It helped culture to thrive by supporting artists.

It caused most people to abandon traditional social customs.

It isolated artists from the public, making their work difficult.