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Overview Names Identity Roles Life and dates Family Career and standing Places and affiliations Events and relationships Source notes References in the histories
Overview The translated histories identify Emperor Taizu as a general, royal family member, and ruler. This record brings together 23 passages from 3 chapters across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.
Names Type English Chinese Pinyin
Personal
Emperor Taizu
太祖
Tàizǔ
Posthumous name
Emperor Dasheng Wuyuan
大聖武元皇帝
Temple
Emperor Taizu
太祖皇帝
Tàizǔ
Temple
Emperor Taizu
太祖
Posthumous name
Emperor Yingqian Xingyun Zhaode Dinggong Ruishen Zhuangxiao Renming Dasheng Wuyuan
應乾興運昭德定功睿神莊孝仁明大聖武元皇帝
Epithet
founding ancestor
藝祖
Temple name
Grand Ancestor
太祖
Title
Great Sage Emperor
先大聖皇帝
Temple
Great Sage Emperor
大聖皇帝
Dàshèng huángdì
Temple name
Martial Origin Emperor
武元皇帝
Title
Martial Primary Emperor
武元皇帝
Temple name
Taizu
太祖
Tàizǔ
Title
Taizu Emperor Wuyuan
太祖武元皇帝
Identity
Historicity Historical
Identification Named
Sex Male Roles General Royal Family Member Ruler Life and dates Attested activity Source Date: Text: 大定二十五年Western Year: AD 1185
Source Date: Text: 大定五年Western Year: AD 1165
Source Date: Text: 大定十二年Western Year: AD 1172
Source Date: Text: 天會三年六月Western Year: AD 1125
Source Date: Text: 天會三年十二月二十五日Western Year: AD 1125
Source Date: Text: 天會十四年八月庚戌Western Year: AD 1136
Source Date: Text: 太宗天會二年Western Year: AD 1124
Source Date: Text: 熙宗天眷二年九月Western Year: AD 1139
Source Date: Text: 皇統五年Western Year: AD 1145
Family
Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.
Career and standing Title: Emperor Yingqian Xingyun Zhaode Dinggong Ruishen Zhuangxiao Renming Dasheng Wuyuan / 應乾興運昭德定功睿神莊孝仁明大聖武元皇帝Action: augmented
Title: Emperor Dasheng Wuyuan / 大聖武元皇帝Action: posthumously-conferred
Events and relationships Kind: militaryRole: commanderAction: campaigned-against-Liao
Kind: militaryRole: commanderAction: crossed-without-boatsPlace: Hun Tong River / 混同江
Kind: ritualRole: honoreeAction: original-shrine-designatedPlace: Qingyuan Palace, Upper Capital / 上京慶元宮Date Context: Source Date: Text: 熙宗天眷二年九月Western Year: AD 1139
Kind: ritualRole: honoreeAction: temple-erectedPlace: Western Capital / 西京Date Context: Source Date: Text: 太宗天會二年Western Year: AD 1124
References in the histories Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.
History of Jin, Chapter 32 Volume 32 Treatises 13: Rites 5: Conferring of Posthumous Titles · 8 passages
天會三年六月，諳班勃極烈杲等表請追冊先大聖皇帝。
In the sixth month of Tianhui 3, Wanyan Guo and other senior councilors memorialized the throne, asking that the late Great Sage Emperor receive posthumous enshrinement.
十二月二十五日，奉玉冊、玉寶，恭上尊諡曰大聖武元皇帝，廟號太祖。
On the twenty-fifth of the twelfth month they presented jade registers and seals and reverently bestowed the posthumous title Emperor Dasheng Wuyuan, with the temple name Taizu.
十四年八月庚戌，文武百僚、太師宗磐等上議曰：「國家肇造區夏，四征弗庭，太祖武元皇帝受命撥亂，光啟大業。
On the gengxu day of the eighth month of year 14, the civil and military officials, led by Grand Preceptor Zong Pan, memorialized: 'From the founding of the realm within the Central Lands, with expeditions on every side bringing distant lords to court, Emperor Taizu, the Martial Primary Emperor, took Heaven's mandate to quell chaos and brilliantly opened the great enterprise.
仍請以始祖景元皇帝、景祖惠桓皇帝、世祖聖肅皇帝、太祖武元皇帝、太宗文烈皇帝為永永不祧之廟。
We further ask that the Founder Emperor Jingyuan, Jingzu Emperor Huihuan, Shizu Emperor Shengsu, Taizu Emperor Wuyuan, and Taizong Emperor Wenlie be designated as temples that shall never be removed from the main ancestral line.
皇統五年，增上太祖尊諡，禮官議：「自古辨祀，以南北郊、太社、太稷、太廟為序。
In Huangtong 5, when Taizu's posthumous title was augmented, the ritual officials deliberated: 'From antiquity, sacrifices have been distinguished in the order of the southern and northern suburban altars, the Grand Altars of Soil and Grain, and the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
舉冊官對舉冊，讀冊官中書令一拜起，跪，搢笏，讀冊文曰：「孝孫嗣皇帝臣某，謹拜手稽首奉玉冊玉寶，恭上尊諡曰應乾興運昭德定功睿神莊孝仁明大聖武元皇帝。」
The officials lifting the register held it between them; the reader, the Director of the Secretariat, bowed once, rose, knelt, inserted his tablet, and read the text of the register: 'The filial grandson, the succeeding emperor, your subject [name], reverently bows with joined hands and prostrates himself to present jade registers and jade seals, and reverently confers the posthumous title Emperor Yingqian Xingyun Zhaode Dinggong Ruishen Zhuangxiao Renming Dasheng Wuyuan.'
其日質明，太常寺官率所屬，于聖武殿設神禦床案，宣徽院排備茶酒果、時饌、茶食、香花等，並如太祖皇帝忌辰供備之數。
At dawn that day, officials of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices set up the spirit couch and table in Shengwu Hall; the Xuanhui Court arranged tea, wine, fruit, seasonal food, tea cakes, incense, and flowers in the same quantities as for Emperor Taizu's death anniversary.
元年十一月十六日，詔曰：「前君乃太祖之長孫，受太宗之遺命，嗣膺神器，十有五年。
On the sixteenth day of the eleventh month of the first year an edict stated: 'The former ruler was the eldest grandson of Emperor Taizu; he received Emperor Taizong's testamentary mandate, succeeded to the throne, and reigned for fifteen years.
History of Jin, Chapter 33 Volume 33 Treatises 14: Rites 6: Original Shrines, Invocation Ceremonies, Pilgrimages, Other Temples · 10 passages
太宗天會二年，立大聖皇帝廟于西京。
In Taizong's second Tianhui year, a temple to the Great Sage Emperor was erected in the Western Capital.
熙宗天眷二年九月，又以上京慶元宮為太祖皇帝原廟。
In the ninth month of Xizong's second Tianjuan year, the Qingyuan Palace in the Upper Capital was also designated as the original shrine of Emperor Taizu.
五年，會甯府太祖廟成，有司言宜以禦容安置。
In the fifth year, once the temple of Emperor Taizu at Huining was finished, the responsible offices advised that the imperial portrait should be installed there.
先是，衍慶宮藏太祖禦容十有二：法服一、立容一、戎衣一、佩弓矢一、坐容二、巾服一，舊在會寧府安置；
Earlier, Yansqing Palace held twelve imperial portraits of Emperor Taizu: one in court robes, one standing, one in military dress, one bearing bow and arrows, two seated, and one in cap and robe—all formerly kept at Huining;
臣等參詳衍慶宮即漢之原廟，每遇太祖皇帝忌辰，百官朝拜。
We find that Yansqing Palace is the Han-style original shrine; on each anniversary of Emperor Taizu's death all officials perform the court audience.
既而複欲擇地建太宗殿於歸仁館，有司言：「山陵太祖、太宗、睿宗共一兆域，太廟世祖、太祖、太宗、睿宗亦同堂異室。
Later they again wished to build a hall for Emperor Taizong at Guiren Lodge. The responsible offices reported: "At the mountain tombs, Emperors Taizu, Taizong, and Ruizong share one burial precinct; in the Grand Ancestral Temple, Emperors Shizu, Taizu, Taizong, and Ruizong share one hall with separate chambers.
初，太祖忌辰，皇帝至褥位立，再拜。
Initially, on the anniversary of Emperor Taizu's death, the emperor came to the kneeling mat, stood, and bowed twice.
大定五年，奏旨：「太祖忌辰，衍慶宮薦享止用素食，諸京凡禦容所在皆同。
In Dading 5, a memorial to the throne stated: "On the anniversary of Emperor Taizu's death, offerings at Yansqing Palace should use only vegetarian food; all capitals where imperial portraits are kept should follow the same rule.
六年，有司奏：「太祖皇帝忌辰，車駕親奠，百官陪拜。
In the sixth year, the responsible offices memorialized: "On the anniversary of Emperor Taizu's death, the emperor presents offerings in person and all officials accompany the bows.
十八年八月，太祖忌辰 ，世祖、太宗同在一處致祭，有司言「歷代無一聖忌辰列聖預祭之典。」
In the eighth month of the eighteenth year, on the anniversary of Emperor Taizu's death, Emperors Shizu and Taizong were sacrificed to at the same site. The responsible offices stated: "Through the ages there is no precedent for other sage-emperors to receive preliminary sacrifice on one sage-emperor's anniversary."
History of Jin, Chapter 35 Volume 35 Treatises 16: Rites 8: Consecration of Shrines to a Sages; Temple to the Warrior King Cheng of Zhou; Monarchs of Past Ages; Halls to Various Spirits in Changbai Shan, Dafang Shan, Amur River, Jia Yin Hou; Spirits of the Lu River; Spirits of Zhao Yin Shun; Spirits of Zhen an Gong, Rui Shen Gongl; Worshipping, Sacrifices, Vists, and State Ceremonies at Zhen Xian Jun Wang Temple · 5 passages
列聖蕃衍熾昌，迄于太祖，神武征應，無敵於天下，爰作神主。
The successive sages multiplied and flourished brightly, reaching the Grand Ancestor, whose divine martial power responded in conquest, unmatched under Heaven—thus he became the divine sovereign.
大定二十五年，有司言：「昔太祖征遼，策馬徑渡，江神助順，靈應昭著，宜修祠宇，加賜封爵。」
In Dading 25, the responsible offices said: "In former days when the Grand Ancestor campaigned against Liao, he spurred his horse straight across; the river god aided his cause, and the spiritual response was manifest—a shrine should be repaired and enfeoffment bestowed."
其冊文雲：「昔我太祖武元皇帝，受天明命，掃遼季荒茀，成師以出，至於大江，浩浩洪流，不舟而濟，雖穆滿渡江面黿粱，光武濟河而水冰，自今觀之無足言矣！
The enfeoffment text reads: "In former days our Grand Ancestor, the Martial Origin Emperor, received Heaven's bright mandate, swept away the Liao dynasty's wild wasteland, and led his army forth to the great river—a vast torrent, yet he crossed without boats. Though King Mu of Zhou crossed the river on a turtle bridge and Emperor Guangwu crossed the Yellow River on ice, viewed from today these are hardly worth mentioning!
執徐之歲，四月孟夏，朕時邁舊邦，臨江永歎，仰藝祖之開基，佳江神之效靈，至止上都，議所以尊崇之典。
In the year of Zhixu, in early summer of the fourth month, I journeyed to the old domain, stood by the river and sighed long, looked up to the founding ancestor's establishment of the realm, and admired the river god's manifestation of spirit; arriving at the Upper Capital, I discussed the regulations by which to honor him.
舊名旺國崖，太祖伐遼嘗駐蹕於此。
Its former name was Wangguo Cliff; when the Grand Ancestor campaigned against Liao he once halted his carriage here.