Song, Liao, and Jin · Ruler

Song Taizong 太宗

Taizong

Attested AD 976 - AD 997

Passages: 6
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Song Taizong was a ruler.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 976 to AD 997 享祀太祖二十有二載
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passage 83
AD 976 to AD 997 太宗纘承大寶
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passage 55

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Spouse of Consort of Taizong (太宗后)
consort 妣 · Primary marriage
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passage 51
Sibling of Song Taizu (太祖)
elder brother 兄 · Full siblings · paternal line
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passages 51, 83
Spouse of Empress Dowager Mingde, Lady Li (明德皇太后李氏)
empress dowager 皇太后 · Primary marriage
Strongly inferred · songshi:106:s0085a
Child of Xuanzu (宣祖)
father 父 · paternal line
Strongly inferred · History of Song 106, passages 50-51
Parent of The Emperor (皇帝)
father 父 · paternal line
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passage 51

Career and standing

zong; shrine never displaced for a hundred generations 宗；百世不祧之主
Proposed
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passages 55, 58-59

Places and affiliations

Polity Song 宋 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passage 55

Events and relationships

Continued the great inheritance
Political · Successor
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passage 55
Sacrificed to Taizu for twenty two years as filial younger brother
AD 976 to AD 997 二十有二載 · Ritual · Sacrificer · With Song Taizu (太祖)
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passage 83

References in the histories

History of Song, Chapter 106Volume 106 Treatises 59: Rites 9 · 6 passages

太祖室曰皇伯考妣，太宗室曰皇考妣。 The Taizu shrine as Imperial Elder Uncle and Consort; the Taizong shrine as Imperial Father and Mother.

每大祭，太祖、太宗昭、穆同位，祝文並稱孝子。 At each great sacrifice, Taizu and Taizong share zhao and mu in the same position, with prayer texts uniformly styled Filial Son.

今太祖受命開基，太宗纘承大寶，則百世不祧之廟矣。 Taizu received the Mandate and founded the dynasty; Taizong continued the great inheritance—they are shrines never to be displaced for a hundred generations.

必若同為一代，則太宗不得自為世數，而何以得為宗乎？ If they count as one generation, Taizong cannot constitute his own generation—how then can he be a zong?

又按太宗享祀太祖二十有二載，稱曰『孝弟』，此不易之制，又安可追改乎？ Moreover, Taizong sacrificed to Taizu for twenty-two years as 'Filial Younger Brother'—an established institution that cannot be retroactively altered.

臣等參議：自今合祭日，太祖、太宗依典禮同位異坐，皇帝於太祖仍稱孝子，餘並遵舊制。」 We jointly recommend: at combined sacrifices from this day forward, Taizu and Taizong shall share the same position with separate seats per canonical ritual; the emperor before Taizu shall still be styled Filial Son; all else shall follow former regulations."