Emperor Yingzong

Emperor Yingzong – Song Dynasty

Emperor Yingzong was the 5th Song dynasty emperor of China. His given name was Zhao Zhongshi, but was changed in 1062 to Zhao Shu by imperial decree. He only reigned for four years, from 1063 to 1067.

This Chinese emperor was known as the 13th son of Zhao Yunrang. He was Emperor Renzong’s first cousin. But since Yingzong was adopted by Emperor Renzong, he was, in a sense, the emperor’s son.

With that, Yingzong was referred to as Prince Anyi of Pu.

How Emperor Yingzong Was Enthroned

In the year 1055, the predecessor of Emperor Yingzong, Emperor Renzong, fell critically ill. He began worrying about the situation since he didn’t have a successor to the throne. It was unfortunate for Renzong since his sons died prematurely.

To solve the issue, Emperor Renzong brought two of his male relatives to the palace. This was the advice of his trusted ministers. Among these relatives was Yingzong, who was soon selected as the empire’s crown prince.

In 1062, he was designated officially as the crown prince. During that time, the future Chinese emperor had his name changed to Zhao Shu.

Reign of Emperor Yingzong

Yingzong reigned briefly as the 5th Song Dynasty emperor. During these moments, he was faced with minor disputes and issues linked to some ceremonial matters. Despite the minority of the issues, these led the bureaucracy to bitter and mutual criticism.

The reign of Emperor Yingzong was known for being controversial. These were because of the correct and proper rituals he had to perform for his father.

Nominally, Emperor Renzong is Yingzong’s father due to being adopted. Yet biologically, Yingzong’s father was Zhao Yunrang.

Because of the confusion, some court officials suggested that the Chinese emperor honor Zhao Yunrang as the Imperial Uncle. However, he took the alternative suggestion and honored his biological father as a parent instead.

The Empress Dowager

The empress consort of Emperor Yingzong was Empress Gao, the niece of Empress Dowager Cao (widow of former Emperor Renzong). And since Yingzong was sickly while serving as the emperor, Empress Dowager Cao acted as his regent during his reign.

When the Chinese emperor Yingzong recovered, court officials had Empress Dowager Cao step down. However, she stubbornly held onto power even when Yingzong had fully recovered.

To have her step down, Prime Minister Han Qi had all the screens from the audience hall removed. This prevented Empress Dowager Cao from attending any meetings and gatherings in the area. At some point, she was also forced to give power back to Emperor Yingzong and retire as an agent.

The Reign from 1063 to 1065

In April of 1063, the 5th Song Dynasty emperor sent various gifts to Ly Thanh Tong, the Vietnamese King. These were precious gifts, including calligraphy created by Emperor Renzong.

Despite these, Than Thieu Thai (appointed prince of Lang Chau by King Ly) decided to raid the Guangnan West Circuit. This led local officials to seek aid from Yingzong, which he ignored entirely. He left the defenses to the local officials and branded Than Thieu Thai as mad and reckless.

In 1065, the Chinese emperor Yingzong ordered Sima Guang, a great historian, to compile a universal history of the country. He led the task together with the help of other scholars like Liu Ban, Liu Shu, and Fan Zuyu. Specifically, they were the chief assistants of the Sima Guang.

Death of Emperor Yingzong

Emperor Yingzong died in 1067 due to an illness he contracted in the previous year. Zhao Xu, his eldest son, was the successor to the throne and was named Emperor Shenzong during his rule.

Emperor Yingzong was always mentally ill. He was physically weak, often distracted, and was depressed. This somehow brought about more health issues, which contributed to his demise at a young age.