Emperor Renzong of Song
宋仁宗
“Forty-one years of letting people argue with him”
The longest Song reign and the one the later dynasties held up as the model: Ouyang Xiu, Fan Zhongyan, Bao Zheng and Wang Anshi all served in it, the reform debates were conducted in the open, and an emperor who was famously mild let them happen. The world's first government-issued paper money was printed under him.
He had no surviving son, which is why the throne passed sideways and the reform argument he had allowed turned, under his successors, into a factional war.
Two of his empresses have paintings of their own: Empress Guo, deposed in 1033 after striking him by accident during a quarrel, and Empress Cao, who held the palace during a night mutiny and later served as regent.
The empresses of this reign
Painted on silk in gemstone mineral pigments by Xiang Li.
About this page
Written for this site to place Renzong's reign around the paintings. For the full biography, the dynastic histories and the scholarship behind them, start at Wikipedia.
Every Song emperor
Northern Song
北宋 960 – 1127| Reign | Emperor | Painted empresses |
|---|---|---|
| 960 – 976 | Taizu 宋太祖 Zhao Kuangyin 趙匡胤 / 赵匡胤 | |
| 976 – 997 | Taizong 宋太宗 Zhao Kuangyi 趙光義 / 赵光义 | |
| 997 – 1022 | Zhenzong 宋真宗 Zhao Heng 趙恆 / 赵恒 | |
| 1022 – 1063 | Renzong 宋仁宗 Zhao Zhen 趙禎 / 赵祯 | |
| 1063 – 1067 | Yingzong 宋英宗 Zhao Shu 趙曙 / 赵曙 | |
| 1067 – 1085 | Shenzong 宋神宗 Zhao Xu 趙頊 / 赵顼 | |
| 1085 – 1100 | Zhezong 宋哲宗 Zhao Xu 趙煦 / 赵煦 | |
| 1100 – 1126 | Huizong 宋徽宗 Zhao Ji 趙佶 / 赵佶 | |
| 1126 – 1127 | Qinzong 宋欽宗 / 宋钦宗 Zhao Huan 趙桓 / 赵桓 |
Southern Song
南宋 1127 – 1279| Reign | Emperor | Painted empresses |
|---|---|---|
| 1127 – 1162 | Gaozong 宋高宗 Zhao Gou 趙構 / 赵构 | |
| 1162 – 1189 | Xiaozong 宋孝宗 Zhao Shen 趙昚 / 赵昚 | |
| 1189 – 1194 | Guangzong 宋光宗 Zhao Dun 趙惇 / 赵惇 | |
| 1194 – 1224 | Ningzong 宋寧宗 / 宋宁宗 Zhao Kuo 趙擴 / 赵扩 | |
| 1224 – 1264 | Lizong 宋理宗 Zhao Yun 趙昀 / 赵昀 | |
| 1264 – 1274 | Duzong 宋度宗 Zhao Qi 趙禥 / 赵禥 | |
| 1274 – 1276 | Gong 宋恭帝 Zhao Xian 趙㬎 / 赵㬎 | |
| 1276 – 1278 | Duanzong 宋端宗 Zhao Shi 趙昰 / 赵昰 | — |
| 1278 – 1279 | Bing 宋末帝 Zhao Bing 趙昺 / 赵昺 |