Emperor Duanzong

Emperor Duanzong – Song Dynasty

Emperor Duanzong of Song was born in the year 1268 and lived until 1278. He was the 17th Song Dynasty emperor and the 8th, as well as the penultimate emperor of the Southern Song.

He was Emperor Duzong’s 5th son and the older brother of Emperor Gong, his predecessor.

Reign of Emperor Duanzong

In early 1276, Mongol armies reached the area of Lin’an. The next month, they were able to capture and conquer the area.

After the invasion, the Song empress dowager and nominal Emperor Gong were captured. Duanzong and Zhao Bing, his younger brother, fled to Fujian to establish the government’s seat.

The sons of Emperor Duzong were taken care of by Lu. He was assisted by admiral Zhang Shijie, chancellor Chen Yizhong, and Consort Yang.

Later in the same year, Zhao Shi was enthroned then called Emperor Duanzong. He started ruling under the period called Jingyan.

The Song Dynasty emperor then appointed Lu as the military advisor. He was tasked with continuing the resistance and defense against the Mongols.

In the year 1278, the Mongols attacked and broke through the last defenses of the Song, forcing the Song Dynasty emperor to flee.

Mongol Invasion

From 1267 onward, the Mongols attacked several fronts with the aid of a few Chinese auxiliary troops. They also had technical specialists with them, which made the assault easier on their part.

Areas they targeted included Xiangyang and a key fortress on the Han River, which blocked access to the Yangtze River. The Mongols were able to capture it for about five years.

In 1273, the Chinese commander surrendered after the Mongols promised to spare his people. He then took office with the enemy.

Luckily, Kublai Khan’s men heeded his warning to an extent. They didn’t join indiscriminate slaughter, which kept the Song people safe.

Despite this, national resistance commenced, and loyalists fled to the southern province of Fujian. From there, they headed to the Guangzhou region, then escaped the mainland via boat.

End of Emperor Duanzong’s Rule

While being accompanied by ministers, the Song Dynasty emperor left for the province of Guangdong.

From there, Emperor Duanzong of Song temporarily stayed in Hong Kong. During that period, the area was still known as a little fishing village.

Today’s Kowloon, Hong Kong, is where Sung Wong Toi takes place to commemorate the escape of Emperor Duanzong of Song.

Sung Wong Toi translates to Terrace of the Sung Kings. Originally, it was a 45-meter tall boulder located at the peak of Sacred Hill in Ma Tau Chung. This was specifically above Kowloon Bay.

Death of Emperor Duanzong

Around the end of 1278’s first quarter, Emperor Duanzong fell from their boat while escaping the Mongols. He almost drowned but was rescued by his men.

As time passed, he fell ill and then died a couple of months after, when he was 10. After his death, the Song forces’ morale started to drop, and their soldiers began withdrawing from the army.

He was then succeeded by Emperor Huaizong, his younger brother, who was called Emperor Bing. Huaizong was the last Song Dynasty emperor.

During his reign, Consort Yang became the Empress Dowager Yang and effectively directed the court from behind the scenes. As for Lu Xiufu, he became the Left Chancellor with the task of running the government with Zhang Shijie.

Zhang Shijie was known as a 13th-century government official and admiral of China. He was active during the Mongol Invasion of the country.

Lu Xiufu, on the other hand, was a military commander and statesman. He lived during the last few years of the Song Dynasty. They were among the few people who were regarded as the Loyal Princess of the Dynasty.

Under the reign of Huaizong, the Song Dynasty ended up in total defeat. They were captured and taken over by the Yuan Dynasty during the epic Battle of Yamen.