Emperor Qinzong of Song

宋欽宗

### Names

Zhao Huan, Qinzong (Temple Name), Marquis Chonghun (The name the Jins gave Qinzong’s), Duke of Tianshui Commandery (Jins gave him after better relationships with the Song Dynasty).

**Emperor Qinzong** (b. 23 May 1100), personal name **Zhao Huan,** was an Emperor of the Song dynasty. He was the 9th emperor of the Song dynasty and the Northern Song Dynasty but he was the last one for the Northern Song Dynasty.

## Reign

Zhao Huan's father was Zhao Ji. They had a extremely turbulent relationship, as his father favored a younger brother, Zhao Kai (趙楷), who had inherited his father's talent of art and it also did not help that he was ambitious. His father initially led the Song during the Jin-Song invasion and his cowardly father who was too frightened, faked a stroke and abdicated to him. He was left to fight the invasion led by Taizong of Jin. He was horrible at judgements and he did one silly mistake, he removed the defender who might of helped the Song dynasty hold off longer but Zhao Huan did it to start peace talks.

### The Relationship Between Father and Son worsens

Zhao Huan forced his father to come to the North because he feared along with his officials that if his father were to set up a powerbase in the South, he would disrupt his authority. Zhao Huan tormented his father by executing his favorites, enforcing heavy security on his palace where Zhao Huan questioned everyone who visited his father and even seldom visited his father, only doing so during his birthday and even then Zhao Huan's deep mistrust of his father caused him to refuse the wine his father offered him believing it was poisoned.

### Pressure is On

The Jurchen were infuriated by a 'secret' communication Zhao Huan sent to alleged Liao loyalists that were implanted by the Jurchens in reality and started to attack the Song dynasty again. Li Gang was far away since Zhao Huan was TOO suspicious, so he couldn't help. The Jurchens were breaching the walls; Zhao Huan was desperate for peace and sent a younger brother (possibly Zhao Gou) and an uncle to negotiate but the Jurchens wanted Zhao Ji. For some reason, Zhao Huan said he couldn't do it due to his filial piety (even though he refused his father's wine).

### Capture

The Jurchens succeeded in capturing Kaifeng so Zhao Huan was captured with the royal family (including Zhao Ji) and forced to bow down to the Jurchen's ancestors with Zhao Ji in mourning dresses. He may also have been forced to dance naked smeared with goat blood (with Zhao Ji) towards the Jurchen ancestral temples. He got the name 'Marquis Chonghun' which meant 'Doubly Besotted Marquis'. His brother Zhao Gou was in the South at the time of the capture and was able to reestablish the Song dynasty. Zhao Gou fought against the Jurchens but in the middle of the fight but he stopped, just when he was close to rescuing his family. Zhao Gou stopped mainly because he did not want to rescue Zhao Huan as he might retake the throne so poor Zhao Huan's fate was determined; he was doomed.

### Hope?

In November 1141, his title was changed to 'Duke of Tianshui Commandery' after the Song dynasty fixed up relations with the Jurchens, where they negotiated that Zhao Gou's mother would return but Zhao Huan would stay. Zhao Gou never attempted to ransom Zhao Huan. Zhao Huan knew Zhao Gou's mother was his last chance of escape so he begged her, "After you return, please tell my Ninth Brother: 'I just want to return to my home country, and be the Lord of Taiyi Palace. There are no further requirements.'" She retorted, "After I return, if I don't want you back, let the Heavens blind me!" She did not tell Zhao Gou about his misfortunate brother. Somehow, she got blind and a Taoist priest cured his left eye but not her right since one eye can be used to see while the other is to remember the vow she made to Zhao Huan. Zhao Huan started to get a salary due to him being a former emperor.

## Death

An anecdote recounts that Zhao Huan was forced to compete against the former Liao Emperor in a game of polo on June 29, 1156 and lost and it further states he died, the news of his death not reaching Zhao Gou until 1161.

Zhao Huan most likely died on June 14, 1161 due to an illness as a sick and broken man who had no chance to escape, unlike Zhao Gou who didn't want to rescue him.

Regardless of how he died, Zhao Huan's death brought joy to Zhao Gou, but Zhao Gou still gave him posthumous titles.

## In Popular Culture

Zhao Huan appears as a character in a Koei Game.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 https://kknews.cc/history/pkmnzvp.html
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Olson, David R., and Michael Cole, editors. *Technology, Literacy, and the Evolution of Society*. Psychology Press, 2013.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 https://zhishiblog.com/8219.html
4. ↑ 你回去以後，請轉告九弟：我回到故國，隻想做一個太乙宮主，沒有其它的要求。
5. ↑ 我回去以後，如果不想辦法把你接回去，就讓老天爺瞎瞭我的眼！
6. ↑ https://pic.pimg.tw/san830/1392481920-4125565771.png