''Huangdi'' (), translated into English as Emperor, was the superlative title held by monarchs of China who ruled various imperial regimes in Chinese history. In traditional Chinese political theory, the emperor was considered the

Son of Heaven Son of Heaven, or ''Tianzi'' (), was the sacred monarchical title of the Chinese sovereign. It originated with the Zhou dynasty and was founded on the political and spiritual doctrine of the Mandate of Heaven. Since the Qin dynasty, the secula ...

and the

autocrat Autocracy is a system of government in which absolute power over a state is concentrated in the hands of one person, whose decisions are subject neither to external legal restraints nor to regularized mechanisms of popular control (except perh ...

of all under Heaven. Under the Han dynasty, Confucianism replaced Legalism as the official political theory and

succession Succession is the act or process of following in order or sequence. Governance and politics *Order of succession, in politics, the ascension to power by one ruler, official, or monarch after the death, resignation, or removal from office of ...

in most cases theoretically followed agnatic primogeniture. The lineage of emperors descended from a paternal family line constituted a dynasty. The absolute authority of the emperor came with a variety of governing duties and moral obligations; failure to uphold these was thought to remove the dynasty's

Mandate of Heaven The Mandate of Heaven () is a Chinese political philosophy that was used in ancient and imperial China to legitimize the rule of the King or Emperor of China. According to this doctrine, heaven (天, ''Tian'') – which embodies the natural ...

and to justify its overthrow. In practice, emperors sometimes avoided the strict rules of succession and dynasties' ostensible "failures" were detailed in official histories written by their successful replacements. The power of the emperor was also limited by the imperial bureaucracy, which was staffed by scholar-officials and in some dynasties

eunuchs A eunuch ( ) is a male who has been castrated. Throughout history, castration often served a specific social function. The earliest records for intentional castration to produce eunuchs are from the Sumerian city of Lagash in the 2nd millennium ...

. An emperor was also constrained by filial obligations to his ancestors' policies and dynastic traditions, such as those first detailed in the Ming dynasty's '' Ancestral Instructions''.

Origin and history

During the Zhou dynasty (c. 1046 BC – 256 BC), Chinese feudal rulers with power over their particular fiefdoms were called '' gong'' () but, as the power of the

Shang The Shang dynasty (), also known as the Yin dynasty (), was a Chinese royal dynasty founded by Tang of Shang (Cheng Tang) that ruled in the Yellow River valley in the second millennium BC, traditionally succeeding the Xia dynasty and f ...

and Zhou kings (,Baxter, William & al.
Baxter–Sagart Old Chinese Reconstruction
''. 2011. Accessed 22 Dec 2013. mod. ''wang'') waned, the dukes began to usurp that title for themselves. In 221 BCE, after the then-king of Qin completed the conquest of the various kingdoms of the Warring States period, he adopted a new title to reflect his prestige as a ruler greater than the rulers before him. He called himself '' Shi Huangdi'', the First Emperor. Before this, ''Huang'' () and ''Di'' () were the nominal "titles" of eight rulers of Chinese mythology or prehistory: The three ''

Huang Huang or Hwang may refer to: Location * Huang County, former county in Shandong, China, current Longkou City * Yellow River, or Huang River, in China * Huangshan, mountain range in Anhui, China * Huang (state), state in ancient China. * Hwang Riv ...

'' (, "august, sovereign") were godly rulers credited with feats like ordering the sky and forming the first humans out of clay; the five '' Di'' (, , also often translated as "emperor" but also meaning "the God of

Heaven Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...

") were

cultural hero A culture hero is a mythological hero specific to some group (cultural, ethnic, religious, etc.) who changes the world through invention or discovery. Although many culture heroes help with the creation of the world, most culture heroes are import ...

es credited with the invention of agriculture, clothing, astrology, music, etc. In the 3rd century BCE, the two titles had not previously been used together. Because of the god-like powers of the ''Huang'', the folk worship of the ''Di'', and the latter's use in the name of the God of Heaven Shangdi, however, the First Emperor's title would have been understood as implying "The August Ancestor", "The Holy Ruler", or "The Divine Lord". On that account, some modern scholars translate the title as "

thearch Theocracy is a form of government in which one or more deities are recognized as supreme ruling authorities, giving divine guidance to human intermediaries who manage the government's daily affairs. Etymology The word theocracy originates fr ...

".Nadeau, Randall L. ''The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Chinese Religions''
pp. 54 ff.
John Wiley & Sons (Chichester), 2012. Accessed 22 December 2013. On occasion, the father of the ascended emperor was still alive. Such an emperor was titled the '' Taishang Huang'' (), the "Grand Imperial Sire". The practice was initiated by the First Emperor, who gave the title as a posthumous name to his own father. Liu Bang, who established the Han dynasty, was the first to become emperor while his father yet lived. It was said he granted the title during his father's life because he would not be done obeisance to by his own father, a commoner. Owing to political fragmentation, over the centuries, it has not been uncommon to have numerous claimants to the title of "Emperor of All China". The Chinese political concept of the

essentially legitimized those claimants who emerged victorious. The proper list was considered those made by the official dynastic histories; the compilation of a history of the preceding dynasty was considered one of the hallmarks of legitimacy, along with symbols such as the Nine Ding or the Heirloom Seal of the Realm. As with the First Emperor, it was very common also to retroactively grant posthumous titles to the ancestors of the victors; even in Chinese historiography, however, such grants were not considered to elevate emperors prior to the successful declaration of a new dynasty. The Yuan and

Qing The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speaki ...

dynasties were founded by successful invaders; as part of their rule over

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

, however, they also went through the rituals of formally declaring a new dynasty and taking on the Chinese title of ''Huangdi'', in addition to the titles of their respective people. Thus,

Kublai Khan Kublai ; Mongolian script: ; (23 September 1215 – 18 February 1294), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Shizu of Yuan and his regnal name Setsen Khan, was the founder of the Yuan dynasty of China and the fifth khagan-emperor of th ...

was simultaneously

khagan Khagan or Qaghan (Mongolian:; or ''Khagan''; otk, 𐰴𐰍𐰣 ), or , tr, Kağan or ; ug, قاغان, Qaghan, Mongolian Script: ; or ; fa, خاقان ''Khāqān'', alternatively spelled Kağan, Kagan, Khaghan, Kaghan, Khakan, Khakhan ...

of the Mongols and emperor of China.

End of the imperial system

In 1911, the title of Prime Minister of the Imperial Cabinet was created to rule alongside the emperor, as part of an attempt to turn China into a constitutional monarchy. The

Xuantong Emperor Aisin-Gioro Puyi (; 7 February 1906 – 17 October 1967), courtesy name Yaozhi (曜之), was the last emperor of China as the eleventh and final Qing dynasty monarch. He became emperor at the age of two in 1908, but was forced to abdicate on 1 ...

(Puyi) of the Qing dynasty was the de jure last emperor of China, abdicated on 12 February 1912, thus ending the imperial tradition after more than 2,100 years. YuanShikaiPresidente1915

Yuan Shikai, former

President of the Republic of China The president of the Republic of China, now often referred to as the president of Taiwan, is the head of state of the Republic of China (ROC), as well as the commander-in-chief of the Republic of China Armed Forces. The position once had aut ...

, attempted to restore a monarchy with himself as the Hongxian Emperor, however his reign as emperor ended on 22 March 1916. Puyi was briefly restored for almost two weeks during a coup in 1917 but was overthrown again shortly after. He later became the emperor of

Manchukuo Manchukuo, officially the State of Manchuria prior to 1934 and the Empire of (Great) Manchuria after 1934, was a puppet state of the Empire of Japan in Northeast China, Manchuria from 1932 until 1945. It was founded as a republic in 1932 afte ...

, a Japanese puppet state, and was captured by the Red Army as a prisoner of war after World War II and held in Chita, Soviet Union. He was returned to China and imprisoned in Fushun War Criminals Management Centre, and after he was released lived until 1967. The current head of the family of the ex-Qing dynasty is Jin Yuzhang, who has worked for various local councils on China and makes no claim to the imperial throne.

Number of emperors

Confucian historiography holds that there can only be one legitimate Son of Heaven at any given time. However, identifying the "legitimate" emperor during times of division is not always uncontroversial, and therefore the exact number of legitimate emperors depends on where one stands on a number of succession disputes. The two most notable such controversies are whether Wei or Shu was the legitimate dynasty during the Three Kingdoms, and at what point the Song dynasty ceased to be the legitimate dynasty in favor of the Yuan dynasty. The Qing view, reported to Europe by the Jesuits, was that there had been 150 emperors from the First Emperor to the Kangxi Emperor. Adding the eight uncontroversial emperors that followed the Kangxi Emperor would give a grand total of 158 emperors from the First Emperor to Puyi. By one count, from the Qin dynasty to the Qing dynasty, there were a total 557 individuals who at one point or another claimed the title "emperor", several of them simultaneously. Some, such as Li Zicheng,

Huang Chao Huang Chao (835 – July 13, 884) was a Chinese smuggler, soldier, and rebel, and is most well known for being the leader of a major rebellion that severely weakened the Tang dynasty. Huang was a Salt in Chinese history, salt smuggler before ...

, and Yuan Shu, declared themselves the emperors,

and founded their own empires as a rival government to challenge the legitimacy of and overthrow the existing emperor. Among the most famous emperors were Qin Shi Huang of the Qin dynasty, the emperors Gaozu and Wu of the Han dynasty, Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty,

of the Yuan dynasty, the

Hongwu Emperor The Hongwu Emperor (21 October 1328 – 24 June 1398), personal name Zhu Yuanzhang (), courtesy name Guorui (), was the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty of China, reigning from 1368 to 1398. As famine, plagues and peasant revolts in ...

of the Ming dynasty, and the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing dynasty."看版圖學中國歷史", p.5, Publisher: Chung Hwa Book Company, Year: 2006, Author: 陸運高, .

Power

The emperor's words were considered sacred edicts () and his written proclamations "directives from above" (). In theory, the emperor's orders were to be obeyed immediately. He was elevated above all commoners, nobility and members of the Imperial family. Addresses to the emperor were always to be formal and self-deprecatory, even by the closest of family members. In practice, however, the power of the emperor varied between different emperors and different dynasties. Generally, in the Chinese dynastic cycle, emperors founding a dynasty usually consolidated the empire through absolute rule: examples include Qin Shi Huang of the Qin,

Emperor Gaozu of Han Emperor Gaozu of Han (256 – 1 June 195 BC), born Liu Bang () with courtesy name Ji (季), was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning in 202–195 BC. His temple name was "Taizu" while his posthumous name was Emper ...

, Emperor Guangwu of Han, Emperor Taizong of the Tang,

of the Yuan, and the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing. These emperors ruled as absolute monarchs throughout their reign, maintaining a centralized grip on the country. During the Song dynasty, the emperor's power was significantly overshadowed by the power of the

chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...

. The emperor's position, unless deposed in a rebellion, was always hereditary, usually by agnatic primogeniture. As a result, many emperors ascended the throne while still children. During minority reigns, the

Empress Dowager Empress dowager (also dowager empress or empress mother) () is the English language translation of the title given to the mother or widow of a Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese emperor in the Chinese cultural sphere. The title was also g ...

(i.e., the emperor's mother) would usually possess significant political power. In fact, the vast majority of female rulers throughout Chinese Imperial history came to power by ruling as regents on behalf of their sons; prominent examples include the Empress Lü of the Han dynasty, as well as Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Ci'an of the Qing dynasty, who for a time ruled jointly as co-regents. Where Empresses Dowager were too weak to assume power, court officials often seized control. Court eunuchs had a significant role in the power structure, as emperors often relied on a few of them as confidants, which gave them access to many court documents. In a few places, eunuchs wielded vast power; one of the most powerful eunuchs in Chinese history was Wei Zhongxian during the Ming dynasty. Occasionally, other nobles seized power as regents. The actual area ruled by the Emperor of China varied from dynasty to dynasty. In some cases, such as during the

Southern Song dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...

, political power in East Asia was effectively split among several governments; nonetheless, the political fiction that there was but one ruler was maintained.

Heredity and succession

The title of ''emperor'' was hereditary, traditionally passed on from father to son in each dynasty. There are also instances where the throne is assumed by a younger brother, should the deceased emperor have no male offspring. By convention in most dynasties, the eldest son born to the

Empress An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

() succeeded to the throne. In some cases when the empress did not bear any children, the emperor would have a child with another of his many wives (all children of the emperor were said also to be the children of the empress, regardless of birth mother). In some dynasties the succession of the empress' eldest son was disputed, and because many emperors had large numbers of progeny, there were wars of succession between rival sons. In an attempt to resolve after-death disputes, the emperor, while still living, often designated a Crown Prince (). Even such a clear designation, however, was often thwarted by jealousy and distrust, whether it was the crown prince plotting against the emperor, or brothers plotting against each other. Some emperors, like the Yongzheng Emperor, after abolishing the position of Crown Prince, placed the succession papers in a sealed box, only to be opened and announced after his death. Unlike, for example, the Japanese monarchy, Chinese political theory allowed for a change in the ruling house. This was based on the concept of the "

". The theory behind this was that the Chinese emperor acted as the "Son of Heaven" and held a mandate to rule over everyone else in the world; but only as long as he served the people well. If the quality of rule became questionable because of repeated natural disasters such as flood or famine, or for other reasons, then rebellion was justified. This important concept legitimized the dynastic cycle or the change of dynasties. This principle made it possible even for peasants to found new dynasties, as happened with the Han and Ming dynasties, and for the establishment of conquest dynasties such as the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty and Manchu-led Qing dynasty. It was moral integrity and benevolent leadership that determined the holder of the "Mandate of Heaven". There has been only one lawful female

reigning emperor or , according to protocol, is the honorific title used in Japan to refer to the current Emperor of Japan instead of using their personal name (e.g. Hirohito), as is done in the West. The only context where the personal name is used is when refer ...

in China, Empress Zetian, who briefly replaced the Tang dynasty with her own Zhou dynasty. Many women, however, did become '' de facto'' leaders, usually as

. Prominent examples include Empress Dowager Lü of the Han dynasty, Empress Dowager Liu of the Sung dynasty and Empress Dowager Cixi of the Qing dynasty.

Styles, names and forms of address

: ''To see naming conventions in detail, please refer to Chinese sovereign'' As the emperor had, by law, an absolute position not to be challenged by anyone else, his or her subjects were to show the utmost respect in his or her presence, whether in direct conversation or otherwise. When approaching the Imperial throne, one was expected to kowtow before the emperor. In a conversation with the emperor, it was considered a crime to compare oneself to the emperor in any way. It was taboo to refer to the emperor by his or her given name, even for the emperor's own mother, who instead was to use ''Huángdì'' (), or simply ''Ér'' (, "son", for male emperor). The emperor was never to be addressed as "you". Anyone who spoke to the emperor was to address him or her as ''Bìxià'' (, lit. the "Bottom of the Steps"), corresponding to "Your Imperial Majesty"; ''Huángshàng'' (, lit. ''Radiant Highness''); ''Shèngshàng'' (, lit. ''Holy Highness''); or ''Tiānzǐ'' (, lit. "Son of Heaven"). The emperor could also be alluded to indirectly through reference to the imperial dragon symbology. Servants often addressed the emperor as ''Wànsuìyé'' (, lit. ''Lord of Ten Thousand Years''). The emperor referred to himself or herself as ''zhèn'' (), the original Chinese first-person singular arrogated by the First Emperor, functioning as an equivalent to the " Royal We", or, self-deprecatingly, ''Guǎrén'' (, the "Morally-Deficient One") in front of his or her subjects. In contrast to the Western convention of referring to a sovereign using a regnal name (e.g. George V) or by a personal name (e.g. Queen Victoria), a governing emperor was to be referred to simply as ''Huángdì Bìxià'' (, ''Majesty, His/Her Majesty the Emperor'') or ''Dāngjīn Huángshàng'' (, ''The Present Emperor Above'') when spoken about in the third person. Under the Qing, the emperor was usually styled ''His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of the Great Qing Dynasty,

, Lord of Ten Thousand Years'' although this varied considerably. Generally, emperors also ruled with an era name (). Since the adoption of era name by

Emperor Wu of Han Emperor Wu of Han (156 – 29 March 87BC), formally enshrined as Emperor Wu the Filial (), born Liu Che (劉徹) and courtesy name Tong (通), was the seventh emperor of the Han dynasty of ancient China, ruling from 141 to 87 BC. His reign la ...

and up until the Ming dynasty, the sovereign conventionally changed the era name semi-regularly during his or her reign. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, emperors simply chose one era name for their entire reign, and people often referred to past emperors with that title. In earlier dynasties, the emperors were known with a temple name () given after their death. Most emperors were also given a posthumous name (, Shìhào), which was sometimes combined with the temple name (e.g. Emperor Shèngzǔ Rén for the Kangxi Emperor). The passing of an emperor was referred to as ''Jiàbēng'' (, lit. "collapse of the mperialchariot") and an emperor that had just died was referred to as ''Dàxíng Huángdì'' (), literally "the Emperor of the Great Journey."

Consorts and children

The imperial family was made up of the emperor and the empress () as the primary consort and Mother of the Nation (). In addition, the emperor would typically have several other consorts and concubines (), ranked by importance into a harem, in which the Empress was supreme. Every dynasty had its set of rules regarding the numerical composition of the harem. During the Qing dynasty, for example, imperial convention dictated that at any given time there should be one Empress, one ''Huang Guifei'', two ''Guifei'', four ''fei'' and six ''pin'', plus an unlimited number of other consorts and concubines. Although the emperor had the highest status by law, by tradition and precedent the mother of the emperor, ''i.e.'', the

empress dowager Empress dowager (also dowager empress or empress mother) () is the English language translation of the title given to the mother or widow of a Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese emperor in the Chinese cultural sphere. The title was also g ...

(), usually received the greatest respect in the palace and was the decision maker in most family affairs. At times, especially when a young emperor was on the throne, she was the '' de facto'' ruler. The emperor's children, the princes () and princesses (), were often referred to by their order of birth, ''e.g.'', Eldest Prince, Third Princess, etc. The princes were often given titles of peerage once they reached adulthood. The emperor's brothers and uncles served in court by law, and held equal status with other court officials (). The emperor was always elevated above all others despite any chronological or generational superiority.

Ethnicity

Recent scholarship is wary of applying present-day ethnic categories to historical situations. Most Chinese emperors have been considered members of the

Han ethnicity The Han Chinese () or Han people (), are an East Asian people, East Asian ethnic group native to China. They constitute the list of contemporary ethnic groups, world's largest ethnic group, making up about 18% of the World population, global ...

, but there were also many Chinese emperors who were of non-Han ethnic origins. The most successful of these were the Khitans ( Liao dynasty), Jurchens ( Jin dynasty), Mongols ( Yuan dynasty), and Manchus ( Qing dynasty). The orthodox historical view sees these as dynasties as sinicized polities as they adopted

Han culture The Han Chinese () or Han people (), are an East Asian ethnic group native to China. They constitute the world's largest ethnic group, making up about 18% of the global population and consisting of various subgroups speaking distinctive ...

, claimed the

, and performed the traditional imperial obligations such as annual sacrifices to Heaven (as Tian or Shangdi) for rain and prosperity. The revisionist New Qing History school, however, argues that the interaction between politics and ethnicity was far more complex and that elements of these dynasties differed from and altered "native Chinese" traditions concerning imperial rule.Sinicization vs. Manchuness: The Success of Manchu Rule
/ref>

Gallery

Han and earlier dynasties

File:Yellowemperor.jpg, Yellow Emperor File:EmperorZhuanxu.jpg, Zhuanxu File:Diku.jpg, Emperor Ku File:EmperorYao.jpg, Emperor Yao File:EmperorShun.jpg,

Emperor Shun Emperor Shun () was a legendary leader of ancient China, regarded by some sources as one of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors being the last of the Five Emperors. Tradition holds that he lived sometime between 2294 and 2184 BC. Tradition a ...

File:Assassination attempt on Qin Shi Huang.jpg, Qin Shi Huang escaping assassination (3rd c. AD)

''Thirteen Emperors Scroll''

Tang dynasty

File:TangGaozu.jpg,

Emperor Gaozu of Tang Emperor Gaozu of Tang (7 April 566 – 25 June 635, born Li Yuan, courtesy name Shude) was the founding emperor of the Tang dynasty of China, reigning from 618 to 626. Under the Sui dynasty, Li Yuan was the governor in the area of modern-day ...

(566–635) File:TangTaizong.jpg, Emperor Taizong of Tang (598–649) File:Gaozong of Tang.jpg, Emperor Gaozong of Tang (628–683) File:Tang Zhongzong2.png, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang (656–710) File:Tang Ruizong.png,

Emperor Ruizong of Tang Emperor Ruizong of Tang (22 June 662 – 13 July 716), personal name Li Dan, also known at times during his life as Li Xulun, Li Lun, Wu Lun, and Wu Dan, was the fifth and ninth emperor of Tang Dynasty. He was the eighth son of Emperor Gaozong ...

(662–716) File:Tang XianZong.jpg,

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (; 8 September 685 – 3 May 762), personal name Li Longji, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756 CE. His reign of 44 years was the longest during the Tang dynasty. In the early ...

(685–762) File:TangSuzong.jpg, Emperor Suzong of Tang (711–762) File:Tang Daizong.jpg, Emperor Daizong of Tang (727–779) File:Tang Dezong.jpg, Emperor Dezong of Tang (742–805) File:TangXianzong.jpg, Emperor Xianzong of Tang (778–820) File:Muzong.jpg, Emperor Muzong of Tang (795–824) File:TangWenzongAlt.jpg, Emperor Wenzong of Tang (809–840) File:Tang Wuzong.jpg,

Emperor Wuzong of Tang Emperor Wuzong of Tang (July 2, 814 – April 22, 846), né Li Chan, later changed to Li Yan just before his death, was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, reigning from 840 to 846. Emperor Wuzong is mainly known in modern times for the r ...

(814–846) File:Tangxuanzong.jpg,

(810–859) File:TangYizong.jpg, Emperor Yizong of Tang (833–873) File:TangXizong.jpg, Emperor Xizong of Tang (862–888) File:Zhaozong.jpg, Emperor Zhaozong of Tang (867–904)

Five dynasties

File:Zhuangzong of Later Tang.jpg, Li Cunxu (Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang)

Northern Song dynasty

File:Song Xuanzu (1).jpg, Zhao Hongyin, posthumously made emperor by his son, the first emperor of the Song dynasty File:Song Taizu.jpg, Emperor Taizu of Song (927–976) File:Taizong of Song.jpg, Emperor Taizong of Song (939–997) File:Portrait assis de l'empereur Song Zhenzong.jpg,

Emperor Zhenzong of Song Emperor Zhenzong of Song (23 December 968 – 23 March 1022), personal name Zhao Heng, was the third emperor of the Song dynasty of China. He reigned from 997 to his death in 1022. His personal name was originally Zhao Dechang, but was changed ...

(968–1022) File:Renzong.jpg,

Emperor Renzong of Song Emperor Renzong of Song (30 May 1010 – 30 April 1063), personal name Zhao Zhen, was the fourth emperor of the Song dynasty of China. He reigned for about 41 years from 1022 to his death in 1063, and was the longest reigning Song dynasty empe ...

(1010–1063) File:Song Yingzong 1.jpg, Emperor Yingzong of Song (1032–1067) File:Shenzong.jpg, Emperor Shenzong of Song (1048–1085) File:Zhezong.jpg, Emperor Zhezong of Song (1077–1100) File:Huizong.jpg,

Emperor Huizong of Song Emperor Huizong of Song (7 June 1082 – 4 June 1135), personal name Zhao Ji, was the eighth emperor of the Northern Song dynasty of China. He was also a very well-known calligrapher. Born as the 11th son of Emperor Shenzong, he ascended the ...

(1082-1135) File:Songqinzong Chinghong.jpg, Emperor Qinzong of Song (1100-1161)

Southern Song dynasty

File:Song Gaozong.png, Emperor Gaozong of Song (1104-1187) File:Xiaozong.jpg, Emperor Xiaozong of Song (1127–1194) File:Guangzong.jpg, Emperor Guangzong of Song (1147–1200) File:Song Ningzong 1.png,

Emperor Ningzong of Song Emperor Ningzong of Song (19 November 1168 – 17 September 1224), personal name Zhao Kuo, was the 13th emperor of the Song dynasty of China and the fourth emperor of the Southern Song dynasty. He reigned from 1194 until his death in 1224. He ...

(1168–1224) File:Song Lizong.jpg, Emperor Lizong of Song (1205–1264) File:Duzong.jpg, Emperor Duzong of Song (1240–1274) File:Song Gongdi2.jpg, Emperor Gong of Song (1271–1323) File:ZhaoShiDuanzong.png, Emperor Duanzong (1270–1278) File:Song Modi.jpg, Zhao Bing (1272–1279) File:Refusing the Seat - Anonymous painter during the Song dynasty.jpg, Song dynasty portrayal of Emperor Wen of Han File:Ma Lin - Emperor Yao.jpg, Song depiction of Emperor Yao

Yuan dynasty

File:YuanEmperorAlbumKhubilaiPortrait.jpg,

(1215-1294) File:YuanEmperorAlbumTemurOljeituPortrait.jpg, Temür Khan (1265-1307) File:YuanEmperorAlbumQaishanKulugPortrait.jpg, Külüg Khan (1281-1311) File:YuanEmperorAlbumAyurbarvadaBuyantuPortrait.jpg, Ayurbarwada Buyantu Khan (1285-1320) File:YuanEmperorAlbumTughTemurPortrait.jpg, Jayaatu Khan Tugh Temür (1304-1332) File:YuanEmperorAlbumIrinchinbalPortrait.jpg, Rinchinbal Khan (1326-1332)

Ming dynasty

File:A Seated Portrait of Ming Emperor Taizu.jpg,

File:Jianwen Emperor.jpg, Jianwen Emperor File:Portrait assis de l'empereur Ming Chengzu.jpg, Yongle Emperor File:MingRenzongPortrait.jpg, Hongxi Emperor File:Portrait assis de l'empereur Ming Xuanzong.jpg, Xuande Emperor File:Portrait assis de l'empereur Ming Yingzong.jpg, Emperor Yingzong of Ming File:Jingtai.jpg, Jingtai Emperor File:Portrait assis de l'empereur Ming Xianzong.jpg, Chenghua Emperor File:Hongzhi1.jpg, Hongzhi Emperor File:Ming Wuzong.jpg, Zhengde Emperor File:Jiajing.jpg, Jiajing Emperor File:MingMuzong1.jpg, Longqing Emperor File:Ming_Shenzong_(1).jpg, Wanli Emperor File:Ming_Guangzong.jpg, Taichang Emperor File:TianqiZhe.jpg, Tianqi Emperor File:Ming Chongzhen.jpg, Chongzhen Emperor

Qing dynasty

File:清佚名《清太祖天命皇帝朝服像》.jpg, Nurhaci File:清佚名《清太宗崇德皇帝朝服像》.jpg,

Hong Taiji Hong Taiji (28 November 1592 – 21 September 1643), also rendered as Huang Taiji and sometimes referred to as Abahai in Western literature, also known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizong of Qing, was the second khan of the Later Jin ...

File:清佚名《清世祖顺治皇帝朝服像》.jpg,

Shunzhi Emperor The Shunzhi Emperor (15 March 1638 – 5 February 1661) was the second Emperor of China, emperor of the Qing dynasty of China, and the first Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1644 to 1661. A Deliberative Council of Prince ...

File:Portrait of the Kangxi Emperor in Court Dress.jpg, Kangxi Emperor File:Portrait of the Yongzheng Emperor in Court Dress.jpg, Yongzheng Emperor File:乾隆皇帝老年肖像.jpg,

Qianlong Emperor The Qianlong Emperor (25 September 17117 February 1799), also known by his temple name Emperor Gaozong of Qing, born Hongli, was the fifth Emperor of the Qing dynasty and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1735 t ...

File:清佚名《清仁宗嘉庆皇帝朝服像》.jpg, Jiaqing Emperor File:003-The Imperial Portrait of a Chinese Emperor called "Daoguang".JPG, Daoguang Emperor File:《咸丰皇帝朝服像》.jpg, Xianfeng Emperor File:清佚名《清穆宗同治皇帝朝服像》.jpg, Tongzhi Emperor File:Emperor_Guangxu.jpg, Guangxu Emperor File:Xuantong.jpg,

Notes

References

External links

PRC Qin Shi Huang site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Emperor Of China

Huangdi Huangdi () may refer to: *Yellow Emperor (黃帝), a legendary Chinese monarch who supposedly ruled before the Xia dynasty *Emperor of China (皇帝), the imperial title of Chinese monarchs; and the superlative monarchical title in the Sinosphere ...

Chinese monarchs Deified Chinese people Government of Imperial China Chinese royal titles