On This Day In History: Most Unusual Emperor Renzong Of Song Dynasty Was Born – On May 30, 1010

AncientPages.com - On May 30, 1010, Emperor Renzong of Song was born.

Emperor's name was Zhao Zhen, and he was the fourth emperor of the Song dynasty in China. He was a very unusual person. He reigned for about 41 years, from 1022 to his death in 1063, and was the longest-reigning Song dynasty emperor.

Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty. Palace portrait on a hanging scroll, kept in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan. source; - Public Domain

Renzong was not particularly well-known. His reign marked the high point of Song's influence and power but also the beginning of Song's slow disintegration, which would persist over the next century and a half.

One possible reason for its weakness is its interpretation of its foreign policy. The official policy of the Song Empire at the time was pacifism, which caused the weakening of its military.

Emperor Renzong issued decrees to strengthen the military when he came to power. He paid massive bribes to the Khitan-led Liao dynasty, an adversary of Western Xia, hoping that this would ensure the safety of the Song Empire. Due to these new laws, the peasants lived in persistent poverty.

The situation caused serious organized rebellions throughout the country and the breakdown of the Song government.

According to the History of Song records, Renzong was considered merciful, tolerant, modest, and frugal and seldom revealed his feelings in expressions.

Renzong ordered that government officers be very cautious about using the death penalty. If an officer once wrongly sentenced an innocent person to death, he would never get promoted. Renzong once said to his near ministers, "I have never used the word 'death' to scold others; how dare I abuse the death penalty?"

During Emperor Renzong's reign, the culture of the Song Dynasty, especially literature, began to prosper. Many famous literateurs and poets in Chinese history lived or started their careers during his reigns, such as Fan Zhongyan, Ouyang Xiu, and Mei Yaochen. In the 2nd year of Jiayou, the Imperial Examination enrolled some students who became even world-famous in the future, including Su Xun, Su Shi, Su Zhe, Zeng Gong, etc.

They then became the most influential figures in Chinese history and literature;  a new era of Chinese literature began.

Emperor Renzong elevated the 46th-generation descendants of Confucius to the current title of Duke Yansheng. They were previously of lower noble ranks.

He died on April 30, 1063.

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