Emperor Zhezong facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Emperor Zhezong of Song 宋哲宗
Palace portrait on a hanging scroll, kept in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
Emperor of the Song dynasty
Reign	1 April 1085 – 23 February 1100
Coronation	1 April 1085
Predecessor	Emperor Shenzong
Successor	Emperor Huizong
Born	Zhao Yong (1077–1085) Zhao Xu (1085–1100) 4 January 1077
Died	23 February 1100(1100-02-23) (aged 23) Kaifeng, Henan, Song China
Burial	Yongtai Mausoleum (永泰陵, in present-day Gongyi, Henan)
Consorts	Empress Zhaoci ​ ​ (m. 1088; dep. 1096)​ Empress Zhaohuai ​ (before 1100)​
Issue	Princess Shuhe Princess Shushen
Era dates Yuanyou (元祐; 1086–1094) Shaosheng (紹聖; 1094–1098) Yuanfu (元符; 1098–1100) Posthumous name Emperor Xianyuan Jidao Shide Yanggong Qinwen Ruiwu Qisheng Zhaoxiao (憲元繼道世德揚功欽文睿武齊聖昭孝皇帝) (conferred in 1113) Temple name Zhezong (哲宗)
House	Zhao
Dynasty	Song (Northern Song)
Father	Emperor Shenzong
Mother	Empress Qincheng
Signature

Emperor Zhezong of Song (born January 4, 1077 – died February 23, 1100) was the seventh emperor of the Song dynasty in China. His real name was Zhao Xu. He was first named Zhao Yong, but changed it to Zhao Xu when he became emperor.

He ruled from 1085 until he died in 1100. His younger half-brother, Emperor Huizong, took over because Zhezong's own son died young. Zhezong was the sixth son of Emperor Shenzong. He became emperor at just nine years old. His grandmother, Grand Empress Dowager Gao, helped him rule at first.

Emperor Zhezong's Rule

During Emperor Zhezong's time, he made some big changes. He lowered taxes, which helped the people. He also stopped talking peacefully with the Tangut-led Western Xia state. Instead, he started fighting them again. This fighting eventually made Western Xia agree to be more peaceful with the Song Empire.

However, Zhezong couldn't stop the arguments within his own government. There were two main groups: conservatives and liberals. The liberals supported the reforms of Wang Anshi. These arguments got even worse during Zhezong's rule. This big split in the government later helped cause the end of the Northern Song dynasty in the 12th century.

How Empress Gao Ruled

Empress Gao might have planned for 8-year-old Zhezong to become emperor so she could rule for him. As the ruler, she chose conservative leaders like Sima Guang to be the main advisor, called a Chancellor. Sima Guang stopped the New Policies that Wang Anshi had started. Sima Guang died in 1086, but the conservatives managed to undo some of the reforms.

Emperor Zhezong didn't have much power during this time. He couldn't make his own decisions until his grandmother, Grand Empress Dowager Gao, died in 1093. After her death, Zhezong was able to bring back Wang Anshi's reforms. He also reduced the influence of the late Sima Guang. By then, the fighting between the two groups was a bigger problem than the reforms themselves. Both the conservatives and the reformists argued a lot.

Cheng Yi, a thinker who helped start Neo-confucianism, was one of Zhezong's teachers. He taught that "Li" (principle) was something people were born with. He believed it could guide them to make good moral choices.

Continuing Reforms: The Shaosheng Era (1094-1098)

In 1094, Emperor Zhezong changed the name of his ruling period to Shaosheng. This name means "continuing sagacity," showing he wanted to keep his father Shenzong's reforms going. He did this partly because he felt it was his duty to his father.

He quickly made the reformist leader Zhang Dun the new main advisor. This led to very strong disagreements about policies and people in the government. Zhang Dun removed conservatives from their jobs and stopped anyone who disagreed with him. He also brought back the New Policies in a practical way.

The reformists got revenge on the conservatives. Earlier, a reformist named Cai Que had been sent away to Lingnan. Now, the reformists used their power to send many conservatives to the same area. They also made a list of 37 conservatives. These people and their families were not allowed to work in the government.

Emperor Zhezong's Beliefs

Emperor Zhezong changed the imperial examinations, which were tests to get government jobs. Now, people taking the tests had to support the reformist ideas. He believed that his grandmother Empress Gao's conservative rule had hurt the people and the government. Zhezong liked the wise rulers from ancient times, like Yao and Shun. He didn't like the ways of ruling from the Han dynasty and Tang dynasty.

Fighting the Western Xia

During this time, the Song dynasty fought another war against the Western Xia. The Song army made their borders stronger and built forts. They slowly took land from the Xia. This successful plan helped the Song dynasty reach its largest size ever.

Emperor Zhezong's Final Years (1098-1100)

On May 18, 1099, Zhezong became sick. He coughed a lot and had trouble going to the bathroom. He didn't get better even after taking many medicines. He asked his advisors to suggest doctors. A doctor named Geng Yu gave him advice, but Zhezong still didn't improve.

In July, his constipation turned into severe diarrhea. Zhezong was too weak to get out of bed for medicine. Doctor Geng suggested pills to warm his spleen, and Zhezong's mother agreed.

The cooler weather helped Zhezong feel a bit better. He was well enough to go to a party for his son Zhao Mao on August 8. But then he got sick again and canceled his meetings for two days. When he met his advisors on August 14, he said Geng gave him medicine that made him throw up. He felt a little better, but he had no appetite and his stomach hurt.

Zhezong went to a special dinner for his son. He was in a good mood, and his younger brother Zhao Ji was also there. However, Zhao Mao, his son, soon became sick. Zhezong was sad about his son's illness and told his advisors that the royal doctors were treating Zhao Mao. On September 26, Zhao Mao seemed to be getting better, but then he died. Zhezong canceled all his meetings for three days.

His birthday was a big celebration, but it ended quickly. After the party, he became sick again and threw up all day. He also got laryngitis, which made it very hard for him to speak. By December 21, Zhezong was very close to death. His pulse was weak.

Emperor Zhezong died on February 23, 1100, in Kaifeng. He was only 23 years old. His younger brother, Emperor Huizong, became the next emperor. Huizong's mother, Empress Xiang, brought back conservative ideas to the court.

Emperor Zhezong's Family

Emperor Zhezong had several wives and children:

• Empress Zhaoci, from the Meng family (1073–1131)
  • Princess Xunmei (1094–1096), his first daughter.
• Empress Zhaohuai, from the Liu family (1078–1113)
  • Princess Shushen (1096–1164), his third daughter.
    • She married Pan Zhengfu in 1112 and had three sons.
  • Princess Chunmei (1097–1099), his fourth daughter.
  • Zhao Mao, Crown Prince Xianmin (1099), his first son.
• Jieyu, from the Zhang family
• Jieyu, from the Hu family
• Beauty, from the Han family
• Unknown mother
  • Princess Shuhe (died 1117), his second daughter.
    • She married Shi Duanli in 1110.

See also

In Spanish: Song Zhezong para niños

• Chinese emperors family tree (middle)
• List of emperors of the Song dynasty
• 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
• Wang Anshi
• Sima Guang