Emperor Taizong of Song
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| Emperor Taizong of Song | |||||||||||||||||
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| Emperor of the Song Dynasty | |||||||||||||||||
| Reign | 15 November 976 – 8 May 997 | ||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Emperor Taizu | ||||||||||||||||
| Successor | Emperor Zhenzong | ||||||||||||||||
| Born | 20 November 939 Kaifeng, Henan | ||||||||||||||||
| Died | 8 May 997 (aged 57) Kaifeng, Henan | ||||||||||||||||
| Burial | |||||||||||||||||
| Empress / Wife | Lady Yin (尹夫人) Princess Fu (符夫人) Empress Li | ||||||||||||||||
| Imperial Concubine | Consort Sun (孫貴妃) Consort Zang (臧昭容) Consort Gao (高昭容) Consort Zhu (朱修容) Consort Li (李尚宮) Consort Wu (吳美人) Consort Shao (邵夫人) Consort Li (李夫人) Consort Fang (方郡君) Consort Wang (王郡君) | ||||||||||||||||
| Issue 2 others died young |
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| House | House of Zhao | ||||||||||||||||
| Father | Zhao Hongyin | ||||||||||||||||
| Mother | Empress Dowager Du | ||||||||||||||||
Zhao Guangyi (趙光義) (939–997), born Zhao Kuangyi (趙匡乂), also known by his temple name Taizong (太宗), was the 2nd emperor of ancient China's Song Dynasty, reigning from 976 until his death. He succeeded his elder brother Emperor Taizu.
Emperor Taizong is remembered as a hardworking and diligent emperor. He paid great attention to the welfare of his people and made his empire more prosperous. He adopted the policies previously enacted by Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou, which include increasing agricultural production, broadening the imperial examination system, compiling encyclopedias, expanding the civil service and further limiting the power of Jiedushis. He also reunified China proper by conquering Northern Han, the last kingdom in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.
Popular legends believe he killed Emperor Taizu for the throne, also forcing Emperor Taizu's son Zhao Dezhao to commit suicide.
Succeeding the throne: foul play involved?
Emperor Taizong succeeded the throne in 976 after the death of his brother Emperor Taizu, who was 49 and had no recorded illness. It is rather unusual in Chinese history for a brother rather than the son to succeed the throne, so the event fueled popular belief that foul play was involved.
According to official history, Empress Dowager Du before her death in 961 asked the 34-year-old Emperor Taizu to promise that his brother will succeed him so as to ensure the continuation of the Song Dynasty. She reportedly asked Emperor Taizu: "Do you know why you came to power? It was because Later Zhou had a 7-year-old emperor!" The so-called "Golden Shelf Promise" (金匱誓書) was also allegedly recorded and sealed, by secretary Zhao Pu and reopened after Emperor Taizong's succession to prove the latter's legitimacy.
Emperor Taizu's eldest son Zhao Dezhao was already 25 years old in 976, certainly old enough to handle an emperor's duties. Also suspicious is that Zhao Pu, banished in 973 by Emepror Taizu for allegations of bribery, returned to the capital in 976 and was made the chancellor in 977.
Wen Ying, a Buddhist monk who lived in the era of Emperor Taizong's grandson Emperor Renzong, wrote an eerie account about the last night of Emperor Taizu.[2] According to this account, he was dining and drinking with Emperor Taizong, then still the Prince of Kaifeng, besides some candles. Eunuchs and imperial maids standing in a distance saw that Emperor Taizong's shadow on the window moved a lot and appeared antsy. It was getting late and several inches of snow have fallen on the inside of the hall. Then they heard an axe chopping the snow, with Emperor Taizu saying, "Do it right! Do it right!" Soon enough Taizu was heard snoring. Several hours later, he was pronounced dead by his brother, who spent the night in his palace. This legend has been referred to as "sound of the axe in the shadow of the flickering candle" and proved to be popular to this day.
Modern historians were unable to find any concrete evidence suggesting murder; however they generally accept that the "Golden Shelf Promise" as fraud fabricated by Emperor Taizong and Zhao Pu.
Also worth mentioning is the suicide of Zhao Dezhao, Emperor Taizu's eldest son, 3 years after his father's death. During Taizong's first campaign against Liao, Zhao Dezhao was leading an army when rumors spread that Empero Taizong had disappeared, and that Zhao Dezhao should be the new emperor.[3] Upon hearing that, Taizong did not award the troops when they returned. When Zhao Dezhao asked him, Taizong barked back: "You do that when you become the new emperor!" According to this account, Zhao Dezhao immediately went to his palace and killed himself.
Emperor Taizu's second son, Zhao Defang died in 981 from an unidentified illness. Just 22, he was unusually young. During the same year, Taizong and Taizu's younger brother Zhao Tingmei (previously known as Zhao Guangmei and Zhao Kuangmei) was also stripped of the title of King of Qi and sent to the Western Capital. He died 3 years later. Moreover, when Taizu's widow Empress Song died, her body was not buried with her late husband and not given the recognition according to tradition.[4]
Military campaigns
Conquering Northern Han
Emperor Taizong personally led the campaign against Northern Han in 979 and ordered the flooding of enemy cities by releasing the Fen River. The Northern Han ruler Liu Jiyuan was forced to surrender, thus ending all the kingdoms and dynasties in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.
First campaign against Liao Dynasty
Having conquered Northern Han in 979, Emperor Taizong took advantage of the momentum and launched another military campaign against the Liao Dynasty. In May 979, Taizong embarked on his campaign from Taiyuan and took the Zhuo and Yi prefectures easily. He besieged Yanjing (present-day Beijing) after the success. However, the siege failed when the Liao defending general Yelü Xuegu defended the fortress firmly.
Concurrently, Liao reinforcements led by Yelü Xiuge arrived from the Gaoliang River region, west of Yanjing. Taizong ordered his army to attack the reinforcements. Initially, he received reports that the Liao army was suffering heavy casualties. He ordered a full assault on the Liao army as he thought that the whole battle was under his control. Just then, Yelü Xiuge and Yelü Xiezhen's armies attacked from two sides. Yelü Xiuge concentrated on attacking Taizong's main camp. Taizong was shocked and evacuated from the battlefield. During the evacuation, the Song army was divided and obliterated by the Liao cavalry.
Amidst the onslaught, Taizong fled towards Yi Prefecture and arrived there safely with his generals protecting him. He sustained an injury from an arrow and was unable to ride on his horse and had to travel by carriage back to Ding Prefecture. Taizong ordered a retreat after that. The Song army was without a commander as Taizong was separated from his troops. The troops suggested that Emperor Taizu's eldest son Zhao Dezhao (Emperor Taizong's nephew) be the new emperor. Taizong's suspicions were raised when he heard that and eventually he ordered Zhao Dezhao to commit suicide.
The Battle of Gaoliang River was significant as it was one of the major contributing factors to the Song Dynasty's decision to adopt a defensive stance. The early Song army suffered its first major defeat in battle. Meanwhile, Taizong was also troubled by the possibility that Zhao Dezhao would launch a coup. After the battle, Taizong personally inspected and focused more on the development and strengthening of his military forces. He ignored his subjects' advice and regarded state affairs as of lower importance. He also limited the power and control that the imperial family and military officers had over the army.
Second campaign against Liao Dynasty
After the death of Emperor Jingzong of Liao in 982, the 12-year-old Emperor Shengzong of Liao ascended to the throne of the Liao Dynasty. As Emperor Shenzong was too young to rule the kingdom, Empress Dowager Xiao became the regent. Emperor Taizong decided to launch the second campaign against Liao in 986, following the advice of his subjects.
Emperor Taizong remained in Kaifeng and directed the war there without personally entering the battlefield. He split the army into three sections – East, Central and West. The East Army was led by Cao Bin, the Central Army by Tian Zhongjin and the West Army by Pan Mei and Yang Ye. All the three armies would attack Yanjing from three sides and capture it. The campaign was termed as the Yongxi Northern Campaign as it took place in the third year of the Yongxi reign of Emperor Taizong.
The three armies scored some victories initially but they became more divided later as they acted individually without co-operation. Cao Bin took the risk by attacking without the support of the other two armies. He succeeded in taking Zhuo Prefecture but the lack of food supplies forced him to retreat. As there was miscommunication between the three armies, the East Army attacked Zhuo again. However, this time, Empress Dowager Xiao and Yelü Xiuge each led an army to support Zhuo. The East Army was inflicted with a crushing defeat and almost completely destroyed.
Emperor Taizong was aware that the failure of the East Army would affect the entire campaign and he ordered a retreat. He ordered the East Army to return, the Central Army to guard Ding Prefecture and the West Army to guard four prefectures near the border. Following the defeat of the East Army, the Liao army led by Yelü Xiezhen attacked them as they retreated. The West Army led by Pan Mei met Yelü Xiezhen's army at Dai Prefecture and faced another defeat at the hands of the Liao army. The two commanders of the West Army started to argue about retreating. Yang Ye proposed that they should retreat since the East and Central Armies had already lost the advantage following their defeats. However, the other generals on Pan Mei's side began to doubt Yang's loyalty to Song as Yang Ye used to serve Northern Han. Yang Ye led an army to face the Liao troops but they were trapped and Yang committed suicide eventually. Pan Mei was supposed to arrive with reinforcements to support Yang but he failed to do so.
Emperor Taizong ordered another retreat following the Song armies' defeats by Liao's Yelü Xiuge and Yelü Xiezhen. The failure of the second campaign was attributed to the miscommunication between the three armies and their failures to operate together. Besides, Emperor Taizong had also restricted the decisions of his generals as he had arbitrarily planned the whole campaign on Liao and his generals had to adhere to his orders strictly. These failures led to internal rebellions which were crushed swiftly.
In 988, the Liao armies led by Empress Dowager Xiao attacked the Song border again. Emperor Taizong did not order a counter-attack and merely instructed the troops to defend firmly.
Later reign after 988
Emperor Taizong felt that he could not surpass his brother (Emperor Taizu) in terms of military conquests and achievements and decided to focus more on developing his dynasty internally and establish his legacy. He implemented a series of economic and literary reforms which were better than his brother's. He also initiated many construction projects and inducted new systems absent in Emperor Taizu's reign.
Emperor Taizong died in 997 after reigning for 21 years at the age of 57. He was succeeded by his third son, who became Emperor Zhenzong of Song.
Family
- Father
- Zhao Hongyin, posthumously honored as Emperor Xuanzu
- Mother
- Empress Dowager Du, Zhao Hongyin's wife, daughter of Grand Perceptor Du Shuang and Lady Fan, posthumously honored as Empress Dowager Zhaoxian
- Wife
- Empress Yin, daughter of Yin Tingxun (尹廷勛), Provincial Governor of Chuzhou; posthumously honored as Empress Shude (淑德皇后)
- Empress Fu (941–975), sixth daughter of Fu Yanqing, Prince of Wei; posthumously honored as Empress Yide (懿德皇后)
- Empress Li (960 – 15 March 1004), daughter of Li Chuyun (李處耘); formally Empress Mingde (明德皇后)
- Empress Li (943–977), daughter of Li Ying (李英); mother of Princes Yuanzuo and Heng and Princess Teng; posthumously honored as Empress Yuande (元德皇后)
- Concubine
- Consort Sun
- Consort Zang
- Consort Fang
- Consort Zhu
- Consort Gao
- Consort Shao
- Consort Li
- Consort Wu
- Sons
- Zhao Yuanzuo 趙元佐 (965–1027), Prince Xian of Hangong
- Zhao Yuanxi 趙元僖 (966 – November 992), Crown Prince Zhaocheng
- Zhao Heng 趙恆 (23 December 968 – 23 March 1022), Emperor Zhenzong
- Zhao Yuanfen 趙元份 (969–1005), Prince Gongjing of Shang
- Zhao Yuanjie 趙元傑, Prince Zhaowen of Hui
- Zhao Yuanwo 趙元偓, Prince Gongyi of Zhen
- Zhao Yuandai 趙元侢, Prince Chugong of Hui
- Zhao Yuanyan 趙元儼, Prince Gongsu of Zhou
- Zhao Yuanyi 趙元億, Prince of Chong
- Daughters
- Princess Teng (滕國公主), died young
- Princess Xu (徐國大長公主), married Left General Wu Yuanyi (左衛將軍吳元扆)
- Princess Bin (邠國大長公主)
- Princess Yang (揚國大長公主), married Left General Chai Zongqing (左衛將軍柴宗慶)
- Princess Ju (雍國大長公主), married Right General Wang Yiyong (右衛將軍王貽永)
- Princess Wei (衛國大長公主)
- Princess Qiao (荊國大長公主), married Li Zunxu (李遵勗)
Ancestry
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See also
- List of Song Emperors
- Architecture of the Song Dynasty
- Culture of the Song Dynasty
- Economy of the Song Dynasty
- History of the Song Dynasty
- Society of the Song Dynasty
- Technology of the Song Dynasty
Notes and references
- ^ Final version of the posthumous name given in 1017.
- ^ Template:Zh icon Wen Ying. (Northern Song Dynasty). Xiang Shan Ye Lu (湘山野錄), Addendum.
- ^ Template:Zh icon Sima Guang. (Northern Song Dynasty). Su Shui Ji Wen (涑水記聞), Volume 2.
- ^ Template:Zh icon Toktoghan. (Yuan Dynasty). History of Song, Volume 293.
Sources
- Template:Zh icon Toqto'a; et al. (1346). Song Shi (宋史).
{{cite book}}: Explicit use of et al. in:|last1=(help); Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - Chaffee, John W. (1999). Branches of Heaven: History of the Imperial Clan of Sung China. Harvard University Asia Center. ISBN 0674080491.
- Lau Nap-yin; Huang K’uan-chung (2009). "Founding and Consolidation of the Sung Dynasty under T'ai-tsu (960-976), T'ai-tsung (976-997), and Chen-tsung (997-1022)". In Twichett, Denis C.; Fairbank, John K. (eds.). The Cambridge History of China, Volume 5, Part One: The Sung Dynasty and Its Precursors, 907–1279. Cambridge University Press. pp. 206–278. ISBN 0521812488.