Emperador Ruizong de Tang
El hijo más joven de Wu Zetian, puesto en el trono cuando ella destituyó a su hermano y lo mantuvo allí como firma. Nunca se le permitió asistir a la corte. En 690 fue obligado a ceder la dinastía a su propia madre; restaurado en 710 por el golpe que su hijo lideró, abdicó nuevamente dos años después — el único emperador Tang que cedió voluntariamente el trono.
唐睿宗
“Emperor twice, and a figurehead both times”
Wu Zetian's youngest son, put on the throne when she deposed his brother and kept there as a signature. He was never allowed to attend court. In 690 he was made to yield the dynasty to his own mother; restored in 710 by the coup his son led, he abdicated again two years later — the only Tang emperor to give the throne away voluntarily.
Between the two reigns he survived by being unambitious in a court where ambition was fatal. His second reign was spent between his son Li Longji and his sister Princess Taiping, whose factions were preparing to destroy each other; he abdicated in 712 and left them to it.
In 693 his consort Empress Liu and Consort Dou — Li Longji's mother — went to the empress dowager's palace to pay the New Year respects and never came out. They were killed on Wu Zetian's order and their bodies were never found; when his son became emperor, the empty tombs built for them were the best that could be done. Xiang Li paints the two of them together.
The empress of this reign
Painted on silk in gemstone mineral pigments by Xiang Li.
About this page
Written for this site to place Ruizong's reign around the paintings. For the full biography, the dynastic histories and the scholarship behind them, start at Wikipedia.
Every Tang emperor
| Reign | Emperor | Painted empresses |
|---|---|---|
| 618 – 626 | Gaozu 唐高祖 Li Yuan 李淵 / 李渊 | |
| 626 – 649 | Taizong 唐太宗 Li Shimin 李世民 | |
| 649 – 683 | Gaozong 唐高宗 Li Zhi 李治 | |
| 690 – 705 | Wu Zetian 武則天 / 武则天 Wu Zhao 武曌 | |
| 684, and 705 – 710 | Zhongzong 唐中宗 Li Xian 李顯 / 李显 | |
| 684 – 690, and 710 – 712 | Ruizong 唐睿宗 Li Dan 李旦 | |
| 712 – 756 | Xuanzong (Li Longji) 唐玄宗 Li Longji 李隆基 | |
| 756 – 762 | Suzong 唐肅宗 / 唐肃宗 Li Heng 李亨 | |
| 762 – 779 | Daizong 唐代宗 Li Yu 李豫 | |
| 779 – 805 | Dezong 唐德宗 Li Kuo 李适 | |
| 805, for 186 days | Shunzong 唐順宗 / 唐顺宗 Li Song 李誦 / 李诵 | |
| 805 – 820 | Xianzong 唐憲宗 / 唐宪宗 Li Chun 李純 / 李纯 | |
| 820 – 824 | Muzong 唐穆宗 Li Heng 李恆 / 李恒 | |
| 824 – 826 | Jingzong 唐敬宗 Li Zhan 李湛 | |
| 826 – 840 | Wenzong 唐文宗 Li Ang 李昂 | |
| 840 – 846 | Wuzong 唐武宗 Li Yan 李炎 | |
| 846 – 859 | Xuanzong (Li Chen) 唐宣宗 Li Chen 李忱 | |
| 859 – 873 | Yizong 唐懿宗 Li Cui 李漼 | |
| 873 – 888 | Xizong 唐僖宗 Li Xuan 李儇 | — |
| 888 – 904 | Zhaozong 唐昭宗 Li Ye 李曄 / 李晔 | |
| 904 – 907 | Ai (Aidi) 唐哀帝 Li Zhu 李柷 | — |