Emperor Zhangzong of Jin

Emperor Zhangzong of Jin (31 August 1168 – 29 December 1208), personal name Madage, sinicized name Wanyan Jing, was the sixth emperor of the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty of China. He reigned from 20 January 1189 to 29 December 1208.

Emperor Zhangzong of Jin 金きむ章あきら宗むね
Emperor of the Jin dynasty
Reign	20 January 1189 – 29 December 1208
Predecessor	Emperor Shizong
Successor	Wanyan Yongji
Born	31 August 1168
Died	29 December 1208(1208-12-29) (aged 40)
Burial	Dao Mausoleum (道みち陵りょう, in present-day Fangshan District, Beijing)
Spouse	Empress Qinhuai Li Shi'er others
Issue	See § Family
Names Sinicized name: Wanyan Jing (完かん顏がお璟) Jurchen name: Madage (麻あさ達たち葛かずら) Era dates Mingchang (明あきら昌あきら): 1190—1196 Cheng'an (承うけたまわ安やす): 1196—1200 Taihe (泰和やすかず): 1201—1208 Posthumous name Emperor Xiantian Guangyun Renwen Yiwu Shensheng Yingxiao (憲けん天てん光こう運うん仁じん文義ふみよし武神ぶしん聖ひじり英孝ひでたか皇帝こうてい) Temple name Zhangzong (章あきら宗むね)
House	Wanyan
Dynasty	Jin
Father	Wanyan Yungong
Mother	Empress Xiaoyi

Emperor Zhangzong of Jin
Chinese	金きむ章あきら宗むね
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Jīn Zhāngzōng
Madage
Traditional Chinese	麻あさ達たち葛かずら
Simplified Chinese	麻あさ达葛
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Mádágé
Wanyan Jing
Traditional Chinese	完かん顏がお璟
Simplified Chinese	完かん颜璟
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Wányán Jǐng

During his rule, he is credited for ordering the construction of the beautiful Taiye Lake, an artificial lake in Beijing, that remains to this day. He also established many Confucian temples throughout Northeast China and was tolerant of both Han and Jurchen cultures and customs. However, the Jin dynasty began to decline as he started neglecting governmental affairs and showing favoritism to one of his concubines Li Shi'er and her family members in political office. The Tatar confederation who once allied with the Jin dynasty rebelled and joined the rising Mongol Empire. The Southern Song chancellor Han Tuozhou tried to take advantage of Madage's incompetency by launching an attack on the Jin. However the Jin dynasty defeated the Southern Song, and the Southern Song was forced to pay retribution and execute Han Tuozhou for the Jin.

Madage died shortly after the Song's failed invasion and was succeeded by yet another incompetent ruler. Seeing the declining state of the Jin dynasty under Madage and his successor, Genghis Khan launched an invasion on the Jin shortly after Madage's death. The Yuan dynasty would ultimately conquer both the Jin and Southern Song dynasties, reunifying China after centuries of war between the various empires.

Life

Early life

Emperor Zhangzong was the sixth emperor of the Jin dynasty. He inherited the throne from his grandfather, Emperor Shizong and was succeeded by Wanyan Yongji.

To some extent, Emperor Zhangzong continued his grandfather's policy of encouraging intensive use of the Jurchen language and promotion of Jurchen customs. He forbade wearing of Han Chinese clothes and required his subjects to perform the Jurchen kowtow ceremony. He required his meng'an and mouke (Jurchen hereditary feudal nobility) to take an archery test if they wanted to sit for a jinshi examination. On the other hand, he permitted Jurchens to follow Han Chinese funeral practices, and Tang and Song dynasty rituals are known to have been performed at his court in 1194.

Resuming one of the projects of the Prince of Hailing, Emperor Zhangzong established Confucian temples in all prefectures and counties of his empire.

Emperor Zhangzong ordered the construction of the Taiye Lake in Beijing for him to go fishing. Unlike his grandfather, Emperor Zhangzong did not consider hunting as a natural and necessary way of military training but viewed it as recreation.

One of Emperor Zhangzong's concubines was Li Shi'er (李り師し兒じ). Zhangzong once romanced Concubine Li on Qiong Island (瓊島), where Concubine Li said that the emperor was like the sun (日)にち, while she was the moon (月)げつ. Together, they make the character for "bright" (明あきら). Emperor Zhangzong in his later years began to spoil Concubine Li and gave her family members positions in the government, while ignoring his duties as the emperor. As such, the Jin Empire began to decline during his reign.

In 1196, the Tatar confederation who were originally part of the Jin dynasty revolted and allied with the Mongols. Seeing that the Jin dynasty was declining, the Southern Song chancellor Han Tuozhou sought to capitalize on the opportunity to launch an attack on the Jin. Han Tuozhou ultimately failed and was executed.

Failed Song invasion of the Jin

Main article: Jin–Song Wars § Song revanchism

When, in 1206, the troops of the Southern Song chancellor Han Tuozhou invaded the Jin dynasty, trying to reunify China from the south, Emperor Zhangzong's armies defeated the invaders.

The conflict began when the Song were informed of Jurchen troubles with the rising Mongols and natural disasters. The Song began provoking Emperor Zhangzong in 1204 and onward by orchestrating raids on Jin settlements. The fighting continued to escalate, partly aggravated by Song officials in support of revanchism, and war against the Jin dynasty was officially declared on June 14, 1206.

The Song advance was impeded by Jin military successes and declining soldier morale that forced many to desert. By the fall of 1206, multiple towns and military bases had been captured by the Jurchens. Neither side was willing to continue fighting, and a peace treaty was signed on November 2, 1208. To obtain peace, the Song dynasty had to yield territory, pay an indemnity, and execute the hawkish Han Tuozhou. The Song dynasty was obligated to pay an annual tribute of 50,000 taels of silver and 50,000 packs of fabric. They also delivered the severed head Han Tuozhou and Su Shidan (蘇そ師し旦だん) for instigating the war to the Jurchens.

Late life

In December 29, 1208, Jin Zhangzong died. All six of his sons died before the age of three. Without any heirs, he was succeeded by his uncle Wanyan Yongji instead. After Yongji ascended the throne, Genghis Khan knew that Wanyan Yongji was incompetent, so he immediately sent his army south to invade the Jin Dynasty in the following year.

Jin Zhangzong's posthumous title was Xiantian Guangyun Renwen Yiwu Shensheng Yingxiao Emperor (憲けん天てん光こう運うん仁じん文義ふみよし武神ぶしん聖ひじり英孝ひでたか皇帝こうてい). He was buried in Daoling (道みち陵りょう).

Family

Parents

• Father: Hutuwa (胡えびす土ど瓦かわら), sinicized name Wanyan Yungong (完かん顏がお允まこと恭きょう), Emperor Shizong's second son and heir apparent, posthumously honored as Emperor Xianzong (金きむ顯宗けんそう)
• Mother: Lady Tudan (徒と單たん氏し), posthumously honored as Empress Xiaoyi (孝こう懿皇后こうごう)

Consort and issue(s):

• Empress Qinhuai, of the Pucha clan (欽懷皇后こうごう 蒲がま察氏; d.1189)
  • Wanyan Hongyu, Prince of Jiang (絳王 完かん顏がお洪ひろし裕ひろし, 1186 — 25 October 1188), 1st son
• First Consort, of the Li clan (元もと妃ひ 李り氏し, d. 1209), personal name Shi'er (師し兒じ)
  • Wanyan Telin, Prince of Ge (葛かずら王おう 完かん颜忒邻, 1202 – 1203 ), 6th son
• Zhaoyi, of the Jiagu clan (昭あきら儀ぎ 夾谷氏し), Jiagu Qingchen's (夾谷清きよし臣しん) daughter
• Furen Ziming, of the Lin clan (資し明あかり夫人ふじん 林りん氏し)
  • Wanyan Hongjing, Prince of Jing (荊王 完かん顏がお洪ひろし靖やすし, 1192 – 1193), 2nd son
• Chengyu, of the Jia (承うけたまわ御ご賈氏)
  • misscariage (1208)
• Chengyu, of the Fan clan (承うけたまわ御ご范氏)
  • Princess of Shun (順じゅん國こく公主こうしゅ), 3rd daughter
• Unknown:
  • Wanyan Hongxi, Prince of Rong (榮さかえ王おう 完かん顏がお洪ひろし熙, 1192 – 1193), 3rd son
  • Wanyan Hongyan, Prince of Ying (英えい王おう 完かん顏がお洪ひろし衍, 1193 – 1193), 4th son
  • Wanyan Honghui, Prince of Shou (壽ことぶき王おう 完かん顏がお洪ひろし輝てる, 3 June 1197 – 28 November 1197), 5th son

References

• Tao Jingshen. The Jurchen in Twelfth-Century China. Univ. of Washington Press, 1976. ISBN 0-295-95514-7.