Emperor Zhenzong (December 23,
968968 was a year in the 10th century.-Europe:* The Battle near Silistra occurs in the spring near the Bulgarian town of Silistra, but most probably on the modern territory of Romania.-Religion:* The Archbishopric of Magdeburg is founded....
- March 23, 1022) was the third emperor of the Song Dynasty of
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
. He reigned from 997 to 1022. Zhenzong was the third son of Emperor Taizong. His personal name was
Zhao Heng and his
temple nameTemple 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...
Zhenzong means "True Ancestor".
Zhenzong's reign was noted for the consolidation of power and the strengthening of the dynasty. The country prospered, and its military might was further reinforced.
Emperor Zhenzong (December 23,
968968 was a year in the 10th century.-Europe:* The Battle near Silistra occurs in the spring near the Bulgarian town of Silistra, but most probably on the modern territory of Romania.-Religion:* The Archbishopric of Magdeburg is founded....
- March 23, 1022) was the third emperor of the Song Dynasty of
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
. He reigned from 997 to 1022. Zhenzong was the third son of Emperor Taizong. His personal name was
Zhao Heng and his
temple nameTemple 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...
Zhenzong means "True Ancestor".
Zhenzong's reign was noted for the consolidation of power and the strengthening of the dynasty. The country prospered, and its military might was further reinforced. However, it would also mark the beginning of a foreign policy towards the
Khitan EmpireThe Liao Dynasty , 907-1125, 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...
(Liao Dynasty) in the north that would ultimately result in humiliation. In 1004, the Khitan waged war against the Song empire. Zhenzong, leading his army, struck back at the Khitan. Despite initial successes, in 1005 Zhenzong concluded the
Shanyuan TreatyThe Shanyuan Treaty in 1004/05 was the pivotal point in the relations between the Northern Song and the Liao Dynasties . The ruling class of the Liao were a people of nomadic origin known as the Khitan who rose in the northeast around present-day Heilongjiang Province...
. The treaty resulted in over a century of peace, but at the price of the Song dynasty agreeing to an inferior position to the Khitan, and also agreeing to pay an annual tribute of 100,000 ounces of silver and over 200,000 bolts of silk. The admission of inferiority would come to plague the foreign affairs of the Song dynasty, while the payments slowly depleted the empire's coffers.
Zhenzong founded the world's most celebrated
ceramic kilnKilns are thermally insulated chambers, or ovens, in which controlled temperature regimes are produced. They are used to harden, burn or dry materials...
at
JingdezhenJingdezhen , is a prefecture-level city, previously a town, in Jiangxi Province, China, with a total population of 1,554,000 . It is known as the "Porcelain Capital" because it has been producing quality pottery for 1700 years...
in 1004, which continued to produce
porcelainPorcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
for China's imperial use until the fall of the
Qing DynastyThe Qing Dynasty , also known as the Manchu Dynasty, was the last ruling dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912...
900 years later. He was also responsible for ordering the shipment of 30,000 bushels of quick-maturing rice seed from the
Fujian Province' is a province on the southeast coast of China. Fujian borders Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
to the lower
YangtzeThe Yangtze River, or Chang Jiang , Tibetan: Bri-chu, is the longest river in China and Asia, and the third-longest in the world, after the Nile in Africa and the Amazon....
basin in 1011-1012, improving agriculture.
Zhenzong stressed the importance of Daoism at Court. It was during his reign that the so-called Heavenly Texts, which glorified the Zhao family, were allegedly discovered. This was followed up by Imperial sacrifices carried out at
Mount TaiMount Tai is a mountain of historical and cultural significance located north of the city of Tai'an, in Shandong Province, China. The tallest peak is Jade Emperor Peak , which is commonly reported as 1545 metres tall, but is described by the Chinese government as 1532.7 metres .Mount Tai is one...
. From 1013-1015 he issued official decrees deifying the
Jade EmperorThe Jade Emperor , is the Taoist ruler of Heaven and all realms of existence below including that of Man and Hell according to a version of Taoist mythology...
as the highest ruler of Heaven.
See also
- List of Song Emperors
- Architecture of the Song Dynasty
The architecture of the Song Dynasty built upon the accomplishments of its predecessors, much like the subsequent dynastic periods of China. The hallmarks of Chinese architecture during the Song period were; its towering Buddhist pagodas, enormous stone and wooden bridges, its lavish tombs, and...
- Culture of the Song Dynasty
The 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 Dynasty
The Song Dynasty of China was a period of Chinese history marked by commercial expansion, economic prosperity, and revolutionary new economic concepts. Private trade grew and a market economy began to link the coastal provinces with the interior...
- History of the Song Dynasty
The 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 Dynasty
Chinese 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 Dynasty
The 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....