Emperor Xizong of Jin (28 February 1119 – 9 January 1150), personal name Hela, sinicised name Wanyan Dan, was the third

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

of the

Jurchen Jurchen may refer to: * Jurchen people, Tungusic people who inhabited the region of Manchuria until the 17th century ** Haixi Jurchens, a grouping of the Jurchens as identified by the Chinese of the Ming Dynasty ** Jianzhou Jurchens, a grouping of ...

-led Jin dynasty of China. He reigned for about 15 years from 1135 to 1150. During his reign, the Jin dynasty launched several military campaigns against the Han-led

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 res ...

in southern China.

Early life

Hela was the eldest son of Shengguo (繩果; also known as Wanyan Zongjun 完顏宗峻), the eldest son of Aguda (Emperor Taizu), the founder and first emperor of the Jin dynasty. His mother was Lady Pucha (蒲察氏), whom he posthumously honoured as "Empress Huizhao" (惠昭皇后). When Emperor Taizu died in 1123, the throne was passed on to his younger brother, Wuqimai (Emperor Taizong). Wanyan Zonghan and

Wanyan Xiyin The Wanyan (; Manchu: ''Wanggiyan''; Jurchen script: ) clan was among the clans of the Heishui Mohe tribe living in the drainage region of the Heilong River during the time of the Khitan-led Liao dynasty. Of the Heishui Mohe, the clan was coun ...

, who used to be Emperor Taizu's chief advisers, convinced Emperor Taizong to designate Hela as his heir apparent (''anban bojilie''; 諳班勃極烈) in 1132, so Hela became the new emperor in 1135 when Emperor Taizong died.Tao (1976), p. 37

Wars against the Southern Song dynasty

In 1137, Emperor Xizong abolished the Qi kingdom, a vassal state of the Jin dynasty ruled by Liu Yu (劉豫), a former Song dynasty official. The Jin dynasty started peace negotiations with the Southern Song dynasty. In 1139, the Jin and Song dynasties arrived at a treaty, with the latter agreeing to be a tributary vassal state under the former. In return, the Jin dynasty returned control of

Henan Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is a ...

and

Shaanxi Shaanxi (alternatively Shensi, see § Name) is a landlocked province of China. Officially part of Northwest China, it borders the province-level divisions of Shanxi (NE, E), Henan (E), Hubei (SE), Chongqing (S), Sichuan (SW), Gansu (W), N ...

provinces to the Song dynasty. However, in 1140, Emperor Xizong decided to wage war against the Song dynasty so he ordered the general Wanyan Zongbi to lead Jin forces to attack and seize back Henan and Shaanxi. In 1141, Wanyan Zongbi and his army were defeated by Song forces led by

Yue Fei Yue Fei ( zh, t=岳飛; March 24, 1103 – January 28, 1142), courtesy name Pengju (), was a Chinese military general who lived during the Southern Song dynasty and a national hero of China, known for leading Southern Song forces in the wa ...

and

Han Shizhong Han Shizhong () (1089–1151) was a Chinese military general, poet, and politician of the late Northern Song Dynasty and the early Southern Song Dynasty. He dedicated his whole life to serving the Song Dynasty, and performed many legendary dee ...

; the Jin dynasty agreed to negotiate for peace again with the Song dynasty.

Internal politics

Emperor Xizong was very fond of

Han Chinese 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 v ...

culture because of the influence of his adoptive father,

Wanyan Zonggan Wanyan Zonggan (完顏宗幹; died 1141), personal name Woben, formally known as Prince of Liao (遼王), was an imperial prince of the Jurchen Jurchen may refer to: * Jurchen people, Tungusic people who inhabited the region of Manchuria until th ...

(完顏宗幹), so he reformed the political institutions and modelled them after Han Chinese ones, while at the same time encouraging talented Han Chinese to serve in his government. In 1136, Emperor Xizong ordered Wanyan Zonggan,

Wanyan Zongpan The Wanyan (; Manchu: ''Wanggiyan''; Jurchen script: ) clan was among the clans of the Heishui Mohe tribe living in the drainage region of the Heilong River during the time of the Khitan-led Liao dynasty. Of the Heishui Mohe, the clan was coun ...

(完顏宗磐) and Wanyan Zonghan to take charge of reforming the government and creating the Three Departments system. Emperor Xizong abolished the traditional ''bojilie'' (勃極烈) system that he inherited from his predecessors. The ''bojilie'' system allowed the Jurchen ruler to choose an heir apparent from among male relatives in the same generation as him, usually his brothers. However, Emperor Taizong, who succeeded his brother Emperor Taizu, made an exception when he chose Emperor Xizong (Emperor Taizu's grandson) as his heir apparent instead of choosing from among his sons. Wanyan Zongpan, the eldest son of Emperor Taizong, was very unhappy when the ''bojilie'' system was abolished because this meant that he would have no chance to become emperor. Between 1138 and 1139, Wanyan Zongpan tried to seize power and start a rebellion but was defeated and executed. Since then, the political arena was dominated by Wanyan Zonghan, Wanyan Zonggan and Wanyan Zongbi; Emperor Xizong had little or no say in politics. After Wanyan Zongbi died in 1148, Emperor Xizong gained an opportunity to participate in politics, but his wife, Empress Daoping, started to interfere in politics and she wielded significant influence. Emperor Xizong's two sons,

Wanyan Ji'an The Wanyan (; Manchu: ''Wanggiyan''; Jurchen script: ) clan was among the clans of the Heishui Mohe tribe living in the drainage region of the Heilong River during the time of the Khitan-led Liao dynasty. Of the Heishui Mohe, the clan was coun ...

(完顏濟安) and

Wanyan Daoji The Wanyan (; Manchu: ''Wanggiyan''; Jurchen script: ) clan was among the clans of the Heishui Mohe tribe living in the drainage region of the Heilong River during the time of the Khitan-led Liao dynasty. Of the Heishui Mohe, the clan was cou ...

(完顏道濟), died in 1143 and 1144 respectively. Emperor Xizong felt depressed by the loss of his sons that he developed an addiction to alcohol and started neglecting state affairs. He also became more violent and ruthless, and started killing people indiscriminately. One of his victims was

Ambaghai Ambaghai or Hambaqai Khan (; ) ( ? – died 1156) was a khan of the Khamag Mongol, one of the great grandsons of Khaidu Khan and the cousin and predecessor of Hotula Khan, he was the Leader of Taichud Clan one of sub-branch of Borjigid, and al ...

, a Mongol chieftain and great-granduncle of

Genghis Khan Genghis Khan (born Temüjin; ; xng, Temüjin, script=Latn; ., name=Temujin – August 25, 1227) was the founder and first Great Khan (Emperor) of the Mongol Empire, which became the List of largest empires, largest contiguous empire in history a ...

. Emperor Xizong was overthrown and murdered by his chancellor, Digunai, and other court officials in a ''

coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...

'' on 9 January 1150.

Family

Parents: * Father: Emperor Huizong of Jin (金徽宗) * Mother: Empress Huizhao of the Pucha clan (惠昭皇后蒲察氏) Wives: * Empress Daoping, of the Peiman clan (悼平皇后裴滿氏, d. 1149) **Wanyan Ji'an, Crown Prince Yingdao (英悼太子完顏濟安, 23 March 1142 – 13 January 1143), 1st son **Princess of Dai State (代國公主) ***Married Wogula (d.1150) (斡骨剌) *Consort Samao (妃撒卯), widow of Emperor Xizong's younger brother * Worthy Consort, of a certain clan (賢妃) **Wanyan Daoji, Prince of Wei (魏王完顏道濟, d. 1144), 2nd son * Consort De, of the Wugulungan (德妃烏古論氏) * Consort, of the Jiagu clan (妃夾谷氏) *Consort, of the Zhang clan (妃張氏) *Consort, of the Peiman clan (妃裴滿氏) *Consort, of

Zhao Zhao may refer to: * Zhao (surname) (赵), a Chinese surname ** commonly spelled Chao in Taiwan or up until the early 20th century in other regions ** Chiu, from the Cantonese pronunciation ** Cho (Korean surname), represent the Hanja 趙 (Chine ...

clan (妃趙氏), personal name Jingu (金姑) *Consort, of

clan (妃趙氏),personal name Saiyue (賽月) *Consort, of Zhao clan (妃趙氏), personal name Feiyan (飛燕), daughter of Zhao Yu (趙俁) *Consort, of Zhao clan (妃趙氏), personal name Yuqiang (玉嬙), daughter of Zhao Shu (趙樞) *Consort, of

clan (妃趙氏), personal name Yupan (玉盤) *Consort, of

clan (妃趙氏), personal name Jinnu (金奴) *Consort, of

clan (妃趙氏), personal name Chuanzhu (串珠) *Consort of

clan (妃趙氏), personal nane Jinyin (金印)Also known as Princess Lingfu (令福帝姬), 18th daughter of Emperor Huizong of Song *Consort of Zhao clan (妃趙氏), personal name Tanxiang (檀香), third daughter of Zhao Cai (趙偲) * Unknown: ** Princess of Zheng (鄭國公主), *** married Pucha Dingshou (蒲察鼎壽) and had issue ( Empress Qinhuai) ** Princess of Ji (冀國公主), adoptive mother of Empress Qinhuai ** Unnamed Princess, mother of Tushan Gongbi (徒單公弼) ** Princess Supreme of Liang (梁國大長公主) ** Princess of Shen (沈國公主) ***married Tushan Yi (徒單繹)

References

*Jing-shen Tao, "The Jurchen in Twelfth-Century China". University of Washington Press, 1976, . {{DEFAULTSORT:Xizong Of Jin 1119 births 1150 deaths Jin dynasty (1115–1234) emperors 12th-century Chinese monarchs Murdered Chinese emperors