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About Emperor Gong
Lifespan: 1271 – 1323 A.D
Reign Years: 1275 A.D
Given Name: Zhao Xian
Reign Name: Gong
Emperor Gong
Emperor Gong – Song Dynasty
The sixteenth Emperor of Song was Emperor Gong. He was also the seventh emperor of the Southern Song and the son of his predecessor, Emperor Duzong.
He ascended the throne at the age of four and ruled for less than two years. The Song Emperor Gong was forced to abdicate in the year 1276 and was succeeded by Emperor Duanzong, his brother.
The Enthronement of Emperor Gong
Emperor Duzong died due to overindulging in wine. So, Zhao Xian, his sixth son, reigned as Emperor Gong at age four. Chancellor Jia Sidao assisted him during his reign.
In the following year, Empress Dowager Quan (Zhao Xian’s mother), and Grand Empress Dowager Xie (his grandmother) became his regents. Despite this setup, the state and military power remained under Jia Sidao’s management.
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When Gong, Emperor of Song, ascended the throne, the Mongols already took over the north and southwestern locations of China. They were able to cross the Yangtze River and were even able to capture the key strategic areas like Xiangyang. The Mongols were then headed straight towards the capital of Song at Lin’an.
The Grand Empress Dowager Xie aimed for a dual-strategy to the imminent destruction of the Song. She ordered the people to support the Song Emperor Gong and save their empire. Also, she attempted to make peace with the Mongol invaders.
Despite the efforts, the Mongol army marched further and captured the territories of the Song. They took control of different prefectures along the center of the Yangtze River.
In 1275, Jia Sidao commanded an army to battle with the Mongols at the Wuhu area. Despite having 30,000 troops, the Song lost. So, Grand Empress Dowager Xie ordered Sidao’s execution.
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By the middle of Song Emperor Gong’s rule, the Mongol army already captured most of the Jiangdong area.
In January 1276, General Bayan of the Mongols appeared with his troops outside Lin’an. Lu Xiufu attempted to make peace negotiations with the enemy but was forced to surrender instead. Later in the same year, the Grand Empress Dowager Xie, along with Song’s emperor, surrendered to the Mongols.
Eventually, Emperor Gong’s brother, Zhao Shi, was enthroned as the emperor of Duanzong. Emperor Gong died in 1278 due to some illness, which he acquired after escaping from the Mongols. Zhao Bing, his seventh brother, succeeded him.
Ennoblement by the Yuan Dynasty
When the Song fell, former Song Emperor Gong relocated to Dadu, the Mongol capital. After some time, he moved to Shangdu. His various journeys made him one of the well-traveled emperors throughout China’s history.
Zhao Xian in the Mongol Capital
After surrendering, General Bayan urged Emperor Gong to head north for an audience with Kublai Khan. As a result, he left Lin’an and headed for Shangdu accompanied by palace officials and privy council members. He was even assisted by Empress Dowager Quan and his grandfather, Zhao Yurui.
They were received by Kublai Khan in the Hall of Great Peace. Here, the emperor of Song was given the title Duke of Ying. For his Mongol Wife, Lady Borjigin, she was given a princess title.
Furthermore, Kublai Khan ordered that he and his wife be given a home in Dadu and receive favorable treatment. In 1298, the Song Emperor Gong was allowed to move to Shangdu.
Death of Emperor Gong
Based on the monastic succession records of Sakya, in April 1323, former Emperor Gong received a royal order to commit suicide. It was supposedly done at Hexi, which is today’s Zhangye at the Gansu Province.
A lot of Ming historians believe that this was done out of the Mongol ruler Yingzong’s displeasure over Gong’s poetry. Some other historians think that the Mongol emperor feared that the former Emperor of Song might lead a coup.