Emperor Shenzong (May 25, 1048 – April 1, 1085) was the sixth emperor of the Chinese
Song Dynasty. His personal name was
Zhao Xu. He reigned from 1067 to 1085.
The periods within his reign are Xining (熙寧;
xi1 ning2) 1068-1077 and
Yuanfeng (元豐;
yuan2 feng1) 1078-1085.
During his reign, Shenzong noticed
Wang Anshi's policy and appointed Wang as Chancellor. Wang implemented his famous reforms aimed at improving the situation for the
peasantry and unemployed, which some have seen as a forerunner of the modern
welfare state. These acts became the hallmark reform of Shenzong's reign.
Shenzong's other notable act as emperor included his attempts to rid the Song empire of the
Tangut Empire by invading and expelling the Xixia forces in
Gansu (today's
Gansu). Shenzong was initially quite successful at these campaigns but during the
City of Yongle battle of 1082, Shenzong's forces were defeated. As a result, the Xixia forces grew more powerful and would be a thorn on the side of the Song dynasty in the ensuing decades.
During Shenzong's reign
Sima Guang, a minister interested in history of the past 1000 years, wrote a widely praised history book "Zi Zhi Tong Jian"[资治通鉴]. This book records the historical events from the
Zhou Dynasty to the Song Dynasty.
Shenzong died in 1085 at the age of 36 and was succeeded by his son. His
temple name means "Divine Ancestor".
See also
