Song, Liao, and Jin · Ruler

Taizu 太祖

Attested AD 960 - AD 976

Passages: 7
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Taizu was a ruler.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 960 太祖受命之初
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passage 143
AD 960 to AD 976 太祖皇帝功德卓然
Strongly inferred · History of Song 106, passage 152

Family

Descendant of Xizu (僖祖)
great-great-grandfather 高祖 · paternal line · 4 generations
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passage 153

Career and standing

Song Grand Ancestor 宋太祖
Held
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passage 152

Places and affiliations

Polity Song 宋 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passages 143, 152

Events and relationships

Named emperor ancestor by Jingyou edict
AD 1034 to AD 1038 景祐之詔 · Ritual · Designated imperial ancestor
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passage 172
Received the Mandate and established direct line temples
AD 960 太祖受命之初 · Political · Sovereign
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passage 143

Assessments and attributes

Assessment merit and virtue outstanding; undisputed as Song Grand Ancestor · Mode named-source-report Speaker Han Wei (韓維)
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passage 152

References in the histories

History of Song, Chapter 106Volume 106 Treatises 59: Rites 9 · 7 passages

今太祖受命之初，立親廟，自僖祖以上世次，既不可知，則僖祖之為始祖無疑矣。 When Taizu first received the Mandate and established direct-line temples, generations above Xizu could not be known—Xizu as founding ancestor is beyond doubt.

今遷僖祖之主，藏於太祖之室，則是四祖袷祭之日，皆降而合食也。 Moving Xizu's tablet into Taizu's chamber means that on the four ancestors' xia sacrifice day, all descend and share food together.

太祖皇帝功德卓然，為宋太祖，無少議者。 Taizu Emperor's merit and virtue were outstanding; as Song's Grand Ancestor, none dispute this.

天章閣待制孫固請：「特為僖祖立室，由太祖而上，親盡迭毀之主皆藏之。 Awaited Gentleman Sun Gu of the Hall of Heavenly Patterns proposed: "Set up a special chamber for Xizu, storing from Taizu upward all tablets whose affection is exhausted through successive destruction.

當禘袷時，以僖祖權居東向之位，太祖順昭穆之列而從之，取毀廟之主而合食，則僖祖之尊自有所申。 At di and xia sacrifices, let Xizu provisionally face east while Taizu follows the zhao-mu ranks; combine food from destroyed temples—then Xizu's honor is naturally expressed.

又安石以尊僖祖為始祖，則郊祀當以配天，若宗祀明堂，則太祖、太宗當迭配帝。 Wang Anshi also held that honoring Xizu as founding ancestor meant border sacrifice should pair him with Heaven, and that at the Bright Hall Taizu and Taizong should alternate as God's consorts.

國家以僖祖親盡而祧之，奉景祐之詔，以太祖為帝者之祖，是合於禮矣。 The state moved Xizu to distant-line status when affection was exhausted, following the Jingyou edict making Taizu the emperor's ancestor—in full accord with ritual.