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The Chinese Emperors

Song Dynasty

 

Song Dynasty
 
The History of Song Dynasty

Northern Song (960-1126)
Southern Song(1127-1279)

After the Tang and Five Dynasties period, a time full of unrest and wars, the Song Dynasty was a time of consolidation for Chinese culture. The traditional state of civil administration fully developed and brought up a revival of Confucian thought - the so-called "Neo-Confucianism", with many scholars commenting the traditional books, but also developing a more metaphysical worldview of the rather state-oriented "old" Confucianism. The Song time is often called a "Chinese Renaissance" because - similar to the European renaissance - progress in technology and inventions, the upcoming of new philosophical interpretations of the old texts meant a renewal of the old and the creation of new streamings. The Song period is marked by a revival of old Confucian traditions after the Tang age of Buddhism, and the prevailing position of civil scholars over the military age of Tang and Five Dynasties. But Song culture was also a culmination of the heritage of two thousand years of culture, and from this point of crystallization on, Chinese thinking became orthodox, culture became sterile as if it had been unchanged since thousands of years.
A power balance with the northern empires of Liao and Jin made it possible for the Song rulers to peacefully develop a blooming urban economy with new technical instruments. Trade now oriented more to the sea because the traditional trade routes to Inner Asia had been cut off.

The Sovereigns of Song Dynasty
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Song dynasty 960-1279
Temple Names ( Miao Hao ) Posthumous Names ( Shi Hao ) Born Names Period of Reigns Era Names (Nian Hao and their according range of years
Convention: "Song" + temple name or posthumous name except last emperor who was revered as Song Di Bing
Bei (Northern) Song dynasty, 960- 1127
Taizu
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign
Zhao Kuangyin
960-976
Jianlong960-963

Qiande 963-968
Kaibao 968-976

Taizong
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign
Zhao Kuangyi or Zhao Guangyi
976-997
Taipingxingguo 976-984

Yongxi 984-987
Duangong 988-989
Chunhua 990-994
Zhidao 995-997

Zhenzong
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign
Zhao Heng
997-1022
Xianping 998-1003

Jingde) 1004-1007
Dazhongxiangfu 1008-1016
Tianxi 1017-1021
Qianxing 1022

Renzong
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign
Zhao Zhen
1022-1063
Tiansheng ) 1023-1032

Mingdao 1032-1033
Jingyou1034-1038
Baoyuan1038-1040
Kangding1040-1041
Qingli 1041-1048
Huangyou1049-1054
Zhihe 1054-1056
Jiayou 1056-1063

Yingzong
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign
Zhao Shu
1063-1067
Zhiping1064-1067
Shenzong
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign
Zhao Xu
1067-1085
Xining 1068-1077

Yuanfeng 1078-1085

Zhezong
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign
Zhao Xu
1085-1100
Yuanyou 1086-1094

Shaosheng 1094-1098
Yuanfu 1098-1100

Huizong
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign
Zhao Ji
1100-1125
Jianzhongjingguo 1101

Chongning 1102-1106
Daguan 1107-1110
Zhenghe 1111-1118
Chonghe 1118-1119
Xuanhe 1119-1125

Qinzong
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign
Zhao Huan
1126-1127
Jingkang 1125-1127
Nan (Southern) Song dynasty, 1127- 1279
Gaozong
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign
Zhao Gou
1127-1162
Jingyan

Shaoxing 1131-1162

Xiaozong
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign
Zhao Shen
1162-1189
Longxing 1163-1164

Qiandao 1165-1173
Chunxi 1174-1189

Guangzong
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign
Zhao Dun
1189-1194
Shaoxi 1190-1194
Ningzong
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign
Zhao Kuo
1194-1224
Qingyuan ) 1195-1200

Jiatai 1201-1204
Kaixi 1205-1207
Jiading 1208-1224

Lizong
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign
Zhao Yun
1224-1264
Baoqing1225-1227

Shaoding 1228-1233
Duanping 1234-1236
Jiaxi 1237-1240
Chunyou 1241-1252
Baoyou 1253-1258
Kaiqing 1259
Jingding 1260-1264

Duzong
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign
Zhao Qi
1264-1274
Xianchun 1265-1274
did not exist
Gong Di
Zhao Xian
1274-1276
Deyou 1275-1276
Duan Zong
too tedious; thus, not used when referring to this sovereign
Zhao Shi
1276-1278
Jingyan ) 1276-1278
did not exist
or Wei Wang
Zhao Bing
1278-1279
Xiangxing 1278-1279
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