Emperor Taizong of Song
Encyclopedia
Emperor Taizong born Zhao Kuangyi, was the second emperor of the Song Dynasty
of China
from 976 to 997. He was the younger brother of Emperor Taizu. His temple name
Taizong means "Grand Ancestor".
. He 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 (劉繼元) was forced to surrender.
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 encyclopedia
s, expanding the civil service and further limiting the power of Jiedushi
s.
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.
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, the 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.
) 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
.
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
from 976 to 997. He was the younger brother of Emperor Taizu. His temple name
Temple name
Temple names are commonly used when naming most Chinese, Korean , and Vietnamese royalty. They should not be confused with era names. Compared to posthumous names, the use of temple names is more exclusive...
Taizong means "Grand Ancestor".
Overview
Emperor Taizong was remembered as a hardworking and diligent emperor. His most notable achievement was the reunification of China through the conquest of Northern HanNorthern Han
The Northern Han kingdom is a state of the Ten Kingdoms in the Period of Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. It was founded by Liu Min , formerly known as Liu Chong , and lasted from 951 – 979.-Founding of the Northern Han:...
. He 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 (劉繼元) was forced to surrender.
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
Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou
Shizong of the Later Zhou Dynasty , born Chai Rong and later renamed Guo Rong , was the second emperor of the Later Zhou Dynasty and ruled from 954 to 959.-Family:...
, which include increasing agricultural production, broadening the imperial examination
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
system, compiling encyclopedia
Encyclopedia
An encyclopedia is a type of reference work, a compendium holding a summary of information from either all branches of knowledge or a particular branch of knowledge....
s, expanding the civil service and further limiting the power of Jiedushi
Jiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...
s.
First campaign
Having conquered Northern HanNorthern Han
The Northern Han kingdom is a state of the Ten Kingdoms in the Period of Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. It was founded by Liu Min , formerly known as Liu Chong , and lasted from 951 – 979.-Founding of the Northern Han:...
in 979, Emperor Taizong took advantage of the momentum and launched another military campaign against the Liao Dynasty
Liao Dynasty
The Liao Dynasty , also known as the Khitan Empire was an empire in East Asia that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper between 9071125...
. In May 979, Taizong embarked on his campaign from Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Taiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River...
and took the Zhuo and Yi prefectures easily. He besieged Yanjing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
(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
Emperor Taizu of Song
Emperor Tàizǔ , born Zhao Kuangyin , was the founder of the Song Dynasty of China, reigning from 960 to 976.-Ancestry and early life:...
'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
After the death of Emperor Jingzong of LiaoEmperor Jingzong of Liao
The Emperor Jingzong of Liao , born as Yelü Xian , was an emperor of the Liao Dynasty and reigned from 13 March 969 to 13 October 982....
in 982, the 12-year-old Emperor Shengzong of Liao
Emperor Shengzong of Liao
Emperor Shengzong of Liao , born as Yelü Longxu , succeeded Emperor Jingzong as Emperor of the Liao Dynasty at the age of 12 in 982. As he was too young to actually rule, his mother, Empress Dowager Xiao, effectively ruled the kingdom...
ascended to the throne of the Liao Dynasty
Liao Dynasty
The Liao Dynasty , also known as the Khitan Empire was an empire in East Asia that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper between 9071125...
. As Emperor Shenzong was too young to rule the kingdom, the Empress Dowager Xiao became the regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
. Emperor Taizong decided to launch the second campaign against Liao in 986, following the advice of his subjects.
Emperor Taizong remained in Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
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
Northern Han
The Northern Han kingdom is a state of the Ten Kingdoms in the Period of Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. It was founded by Liu Min , formerly known as Liu Chong , and lasted from 951 – 979.-Founding of the 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 TaizuEmperor Taizu of Song
Emperor Tàizǔ , born Zhao Kuangyin , was the founder of the Song Dynasty of China, reigning from 960 to 976.-Ancestry and early life:...
) 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
Emperor Zhenzong of Song
Emperor Zhenzong was the third emperor of the Song Dynasty of China. He reigned from 997 to 1022. Zhenzong was the third son of Emperor Taizong. His personal name was Zhao Heng and his temple name Zhenzong means "True Ancestor".Zhenzong's reign was noted for the consolidation of power and the...
.
Personal information
- Father
- Zhao Hongyin, posthumously honored as Emperor Xuanzu
- Mother
- Lady 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 ChuzhouChuzhouChuzhou is a prefecture-level city in eastern Anhui Province, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Hefei to the southwest, Huainan to the west, Bengbu to the northwest, Chaohu to the south, and the province of Jiangsu to the east...
; 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 LiEmpress Li (Taizong)Empress Li was a Chinese Empress consort of the Song Dynasty, married to Emperor Taizong of Song.- Sources :...
(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)
- Empress Yin, daughter of Yin Tingxun (尹廷勛), Provincial Governor of Chuzhou
- 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 ZhenzongEmperor Zhenzong of SongEmperor Zhenzong was the third emperor of the Song Dynasty of China. He reigned from 997 to 1022. Zhenzong was the third son of Emperor Taizong. His personal name was Zhao Heng and his temple name Zhenzong means "True Ancestor".Zhenzong's reign was noted for the consolidation of power and the...
- 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
See also
- List of Song Emperors
- Architecture of the Song DynastyArchitecture of the Song DynastyThe architecture of the Song Dynasty was noted for its towering Buddhist pagodas, enormous stone and wooden bridges, lavish tombs, and palaces. Although literary works on architecture existed beforehand, architectural writing blossomed during the Song Dynasty, maturing into a more professional...
- Culture of the Song DynastyCulture of the Song DynastyThe Song Dynasty was a culturally rich and sophisticated age for China. There was blossoming of and advancements in the visual arts, music, literature, and philosophy...
- Economy of the Song DynastyEconomy of the Song DynastyThe economy of China under the Song Dynasty of China was marked by commercial expansion, financial prosperity, increased international trade-contacts, and a revolution in agricultural productivity. Private finance grew, stimulating the development of a country-wide market network which linked the...
- History of the Song DynastyHistory of the Song DynastyThe Song Dynasty of China was a ruling dynasty that controlled China proper and southern China from the middle of the 10th century into the last quarter of the 13th century...
- Society of the Song DynastySociety of the Song DynastyChinese society during the Song Dynasty was marked by political and legal reforms, a philosophical revival of Confucianism, and the development of cities beyond administrative purposes into centers of trade, industry, and maritime commerce...
- Technology of the Song DynastyTechnology of the Song DynastyThe Song Dynasty provided some of the most significant technological advances in Chinese history, many of which came from talented statesmen drafted by the government through imperial examinations....