Xingzong (興宗) | 24 Histories

Overview

Xingzong was an emperor of Liao.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Posthumous name	Sacred Filial Zhang Emperor	神聖孝章皇帝	Shen Sheng Xiao Zhang Huangdi

Life and dates

Death

AD 1055 二十四年八月己丑
At mobile palace 行宮
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 249

Age

16
AD 1031 to AD 1031 即位，年十有六矣 · Reckoning Sui · Statement age at accession
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 252
40
AD 1055 二十四年八月己丑 · Reckoning Sui
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 249

Attested activity

AD 1055 清寧元年十月庚子
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 251
AD 1054 二十三年三月丁亥
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 212
AD 1054 二十三年五月己巳
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 215
AD 1054 二十三年十一月壬申
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 232
AD 1054 二十三年十一月甲申
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 235
AD 1054 二十三年春正月己巳
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 207

Show 4 more source-backed claims

AD 1055 二十四年三月癸亥
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 243
AD 1055 二十四年八月丁亥
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 247
AD 1055 二十四年八月己丑
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 249
AD 1055 二十四年春正月癸亥
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 237

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Sibling of Chongyuan (重元)
Emperor's younger brother 皇太弟 · Uncertain siblings
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passages 212, 243
Child of Qitian (齊天)
Empress Mother 母后 · Step parentage
Strongly inferred · History of Liao 20, passage 252
Spouse of Empress Xiao (皇后蕭氏)
Empress 皇后 · Primary marriage
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 235
Child of Empress Dowager (皇太后)
his own mother 其母 · maternal line
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 252
Child of Shengzong (聖宗)
Shengzong 聖宗 · paternal line
Strongly inferred · History of Liao 20, passages 253, 258
Parent of Emperor Daozong of Liao (遼道宗)
successor 嗣
Strongly inferred · History of Liao 20, passages 247, 250

Career and standing

Sacred Filial Zhang Emperor 神聖孝章皇帝
AD 1055 清寧元年十月庚子 · Bestowed
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 251
Revering Heaven, Upholding the Way, Protecting the Age, Raising the Calendar, Martially Settling, Literarily Accomplished, Sagely, Spiritually Benevolent, Filial Emperor 欽天奉道佑世興歷武定文成聖神仁孝皇帝
AD 1054 二十三年十一月甲申 · Bestowed
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 235
great amnesty 大赦
AD 1054 二十三年十一月壬申 · Proclaimed
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 232
great amnesty 大赦
AD 1055 二十四年八月戊子 · Proclaimed
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 248
AD 1031 to AD 1031 興宗即位，年十有六矣
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 252

Places and affiliations

Polity Id liao · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passages 207, 251
AD 1054 二十三年七月甲戌
At autumn mountains 秋山 · Relation Traveled to
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 223
AD 1054 二十三年乙亥
At Qing Mausoleum 慶陵 · Relation Paid respects at
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 219
AD 1054 二十三年五月庚寅
At Yongan Mountain 永安山 · Relation Halted at
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 216
AD 1054 二十三年六月丙申
At Qing Prefecture 慶州 · Relation Traveled to
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 218
AD 1054 二十三年冬十月丁酉
At Central Capital 中京 · Relation Halted at
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 226

Show 12 more source-backed claims

AD 1054 二十三年十二月丙申
At Zhonghuichuan 中會川 · Relation Traveled to
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 236
AD 1054 二十三年十月戊戌
At Directorate of the Imperial Library 秘書監 · Relation Visited
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 227
AD 1054 二十三年四月癸丑
At Hezhihuli 合只忽裏 · Relation Hunted at
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 214
AD 1054 二十三年春正月己巳
At Huntong River 混同江 · Relation Traveled to
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 207
AD 1054 二十三年正月壬辰
At spring waters 春水 · Relation Traveled to
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 210
AD 1054 二十三年正月甲午
At Panzhipo 盤直坡 · Relation Hunted at
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 211
AD 1054 二十三年正月癸酉
At Shuangzi Marsh 雙子澱 · Relation Hunted at
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 208
AD 1055 二十四年
At northern ravine of Nanya 南崖之北峪 · Relation Halted at
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 246
AD 1055 二十四年二月癸巳
At Changchun River 長春河 · Relation Traveled to
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 241
AD 1055 二十四年夏五月
At Nanya 南崖 · Relation Halted at
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 244
AD 1055 二十四年春正月癸亥
At Huntong River 混同江 · Relation Traveled to
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 237
AD 1055 二十四年秋七月壬午
At autumn mountains 秋山 · Relation Traveled to
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 20, passage 245

Works and attributed material

Ordered hongji to succeed
AD 1055 二十四年八月己丑 · Testamentary edict · Author · With Emperor Daozong of Liao (遼道宗)
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 250
Ordered yearly tribute of horses and camels
AD 1054 二十三年五月己巳 · Edict · Issuer · With Li Liangzuo (李諒祚)
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 215
Eulogy · Subject · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passages 252-258

Events and relationships

Audience with empress dowager
AD 1055 二十四年正月戊辰 · Ritual · Visitor · With Empress Dowager (皇太后)
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 238
Captured three tigers with dogs
AD 1054 二十三年九月庚寅 · Hunt · Hunter
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 225
Drank and played cuju while late emperor lay in state
AD 1031 to AD 1031 大行在殯 · Personal · Actor · With Shengzong (聖宗) · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 253
Fell ill
AD 1055 二十四年 · Medical · Patient · At northern ravine of Nanya 南崖之北峪
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 246
Illness grew grave
AD 1055 二十四年八月丁亥 · Medical · Patient
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 247
Instructed on governance
AD 1055 二十四年八月丁亥 · Political · Instructor · With Emperor Daozong of Liao (遼道宗)
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 247

Show 15 more source-backed claims

Ordered eight house clans to wear headcloths
AD 1054 二十三年七月己卯 · Administrative · Issuer
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 224
Ordered yearly tribute
AD 1054 二十三年五月己巳 · Diplomatic · Ruler · With Li Liangzuo (李諒祚)
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 215
Partial amnesty for birth celebration
AD 1055 二十四年三月癸亥 · Legal · Issuer
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 243
Partial amnesty for silver buddha casting
AD 1054 二十三年十月癸丑 · Legal · Issuer · At Kaitai Temple 開泰寺
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 229
Permitted liangzuo treaty and stood down western xia forces
AD 1048 to AD 1055 許諒祚之盟而罷西夏之兵 · Diplomatic · Ruler · With Li Liangzuo (李諒祚) · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 256
Personally examined jinshi revised statutes allowed commoners to present expedients
AD 1031 to AD 1055 親策進士，大修條制 · Scholarly · Examiner · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 256
Presented honorific to empress dowager
AD 1054 二十三年十一月壬申 · Ritual · Presenter · With Empress Dowager (皇太后)
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 232
Received honorific title
AD 1054 二十三年十一月甲申 · Ritual · Recipient
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 235
Released hawks and burned fishing gear
AD 1055 二十四年八月戊子 · Ritual · Issuer
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 248
Renewed friendship with southern song responding to fu bi
AD 1042 to AD 1055 感富弼之言而申南宋之好 · Diplomatic · Ruler · With Fu Bi (富弼) · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 256
Reviewed prisoners
AD 1054 二十三年十一月癸未 · Legal · Judge
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 234
Rites at ancestral temple
AD 1054 二十三年十月辛丑 · Ritual · Officiant
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 228
Summoned song envoys to fish and compose poetry
AD 1055 二十四年二月己丑朔 · Diplomatic · Host
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 240
Visited tent
AD 1054 二十三年三月丁亥 · Ritual · Visitor · With Chongyuan (重元) · At Chongyuan's tent 重元帳
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 212
Wailed before departed image and wore mourning for song condolences
AD 1031 to AD 1032 謁遺像而哀慟，受宋吊而衰绖 · Ritual · Mourner · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 254

Assessments and attributes

Assessment among side ministers none heard of a worthy advanced or a matter remonstrated · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 257
Assessment breached princely filial piety by elevating his own mother over the Empress Mother and failing to remonstrate, allowing Qitian's death by regicide · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 252
Assessment desire for good order was earnest · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 256
Assessment from Shengzong downward may be called a worthy ruler · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 258

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 251
AD 1055 清寧元年十月庚子
To Xingzong 興宗
Directly stated · History of Liao 20, passage 251

References in the histories

History of Liao, Chapter 20Volume 20 Annals 20: Xingzong 3 · 7 passages

Open chapter

三月丁亥，幸皇太弟重元帳。 On dinghai day of the third month the court visited the Emperor's younger brother Chongyuan's tent.

壬申，帝率群臣上皇太后尊號曰仁慈聖善欽孝廣德安靜貞純懿和寬厚崇覺儀天皇太后，大赦。 On renshen day the Emperor led the ministers in presenting the Empress Dowager the honorific title Benevolent, Sagely, Pious, Filial, Broadly Virtuous, Tranquil, Pure, Gracious, Harmonious, Generous, Reverent, Awakened, Ceremonious, Heavenly Empress Dowager, and proclaimed a great amnesty.

甲申，群臣上皇帝尊號曰欽天奉道佑世興歷武定文成聖神仁孝皇帝，冊皇后蕭氏曰貞懿慈和文惠孝敬廣愛崇聖皇后。 On jiashen day, the ministers conferred on the emperor the honorific title 'Emperor Who Reveres Heaven, Upholds the Way, Aids the Age, Revives the Calendar, Pacifies by Martial Power, Achieves through Culture, and Is Sage, Divine, Benevolent, and Filial.' Empress Xiao was invested as 'Empress Chaste and Gracious, Kind and Harmonious, Cultured and Beneficent, Filial and Reverent, Broadly Loving, and Exalting the Sage.'

三月癸亥，皇太弟重元生子，曲赦行在及長春、鎮北二州徒以下罪。 On guihai day of the third month the Emperor's younger brother Chongyuan had a son; a partial amnesty was granted for offenses at or below convict labor in the travel palace and in Changchun and Zhenbei prefectures.

己丑，帝崩於行宮，年四十。 On jichou day the Emperor died at the mobile palace at age forty.

清寧元年十月庚子，上尊謚為神聖孝章皇帝，廟號興宗。 In the first year of Qingning, on gengzi day of the tenth month, the posthumous title Sacred Filial Zhang Emperor was elevated and the temple name Xingzong was granted.

贊曰：興宗即位，年十有六矣，不能先尊母后而尊其母，以致臨朝專政，賊殺不辜，又不能以禮幾諫，使齊天死於弒逆，有虧王者之孝，惜哉！ The eulogy says: When Xingzong took the throne he was already sixteen; he could not first honor the Empress Mother but instead exalted his own mother, with the result that she monopolized court power, unjustly killed the innocent, and again he could not remonstrate by proper ritual, allowing Qitian to die by regicide — a breach of princely filial piety. Alas!