Overview
Emperor Taizong was a ruler.
IdentityHistorical · Male
Life and dates
Attested activity
AD 991 冬
AD 992 淳化三年春
AD 986 登極十年
AD 988 親耕籍田
Places and affiliations
- Polity Song 宋 · Relation Ruled
- Polity Id liao · Relation Opposed
Works and attributed material
Events and relationships
Granted audience
Visited sickbed
- Relation Relied upon · Person Zhao Pu (趙普)
References in the histories
No matching passages.
History of Song, Chapter 256Volume 256 Biographies 15: Zhao Pudi and Younger Brother: Anyi · 15 passages
陛下特鑒衷誠，親紆宸翰，密諭聖謀。
Your Majesty saw my sincere intent, personally wrote in your own hand, and confided your sacred strategy to me.
況陛下登極十年，坐隆大業，無一物之失所，見萬國之咸寧。
Moreover, Your Majesty has reigned ten years and presided over a flourishing empire—nothing lost from its place, all lands at peace.
上惻然謂宰相曰：「普開國元臣，朕所尊禮，宜從其請。」
Moved, the emperor said to the chief ministers, "Pu is a founding minister of the dynasty, whom I honor and esteem. His request should be granted."
既至，慰撫數四，普嗚咽流涕。
When Pu arrived, the Emperor comforted him again and again; Pu sobbed with streaming tears.
今陛下君臨萬方，焦勞庶政，宵衣旰食，以民為心。
Your Majesty now rules all under Heaven, laboring over every affair, rising before dawn and dining after dusk, with the people's welfare always at heart.
歷考前王，誠無所讓，而輔相之重，未偕曩賢。
Compared with the kings of old, Your Majesty yields to none—yet the weight borne by your chief ministers falls short of those former worthies.
蓋慮陛下之再用普也。
Because they fear Your Majesty will restore Pu to power.
然公讜之人，咸願陛下復委以政，啟沃君心，羽翼聖化。
Yet honorable men everywhere wish Your Majesty would restore him to office—to nourish your judgment and strengthen your sage rule.
伏望陛下旁采群議，俯察物情，苟用不失，實邦國大幸。」
I beg Your Majesty to heed counsel from every quarter and discern the people's wishes. If you appoint him, the state will be greatly fortunate."
耤田禮畢，太宗欲相呂蒙正，以其新進，藉普舊德為之表率，冊拜太保兼侍中。
When the plowing rites concluded, Taizong wished to appoint Lü Mengzheng chief minister. Because Lü was newly risen, he drew on Pu's established stature as a model and invested Pu as Grand Guardian and concurrently Palace Secretariat Director.
帝謂之曰：「卿國之勳舊，朕所毗倚，古人恥其君不及堯、舜，卿其念哉。」
The emperor said to him, "You are an old servant of merit on whom I rely. The ancients were shamed if their ruler fell short of Yao and Shun; bear this in mind."
冬，被疾請告，車駕屢幸其第省之，賜予加等。
That winter he fell ill and requested leave. The Emperor repeatedly visited his home to inquire after him, granting gifts of extra rank.
普遂稱疾篤，三上表求致仕，上勉從之，以普為西京留守、河南尹，依前守太保兼中書令。
Pu declared his illness grave and thrice memorialized to retire. The Emperor reluctantly agreed, appointing him Administrator of the Western Capital and Intendant of Henan while retaining his titles of Grand Guardian and Director of the Secretariat.
普捧詔涕泣，因力疾請對，賜坐移晷，頗言及國家事，上嘉納之。
Pu received the edict with streaming tears and, despite his illness, requested audience. Granted a seat until the sundial moved, he spoke at length of state affairs, and the Emperor praised and accepted his counsel.
普將發，車駕幸其第。
When Pu was about to depart, the Emperor visited his home.