Emperor Zhangzong of Jin

Emperor Zhangzong was the sixth emperor of the Jin dynasty. He inherited the throne from his grandfather, Emperor Shizong[1] 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.[1]

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.[1]

One of Emperor Zhangzong's concubines was Li Shi'er (李師兒). Zhangzong once romanced Concubine Li on Qiong Island (瓊島), where Concubine Li said that the emperor was like the sun (日), while she was the moon (月). Together, they make the character for "bright" (明). 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.[2]

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.[1]

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.[3]

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.[3] To obtain peace, the Song dynasty had to yield territory, pay an indemnity, and execute the hawkish Han Tuozhou.[1] 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 (蘇師旦) for instigating the war to the Jurchens.[3]

In December 29, 1208, Jin Zhangzong died. All six of his sons died before the age of three.[4] 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 (憲天光運仁文義武神聖英孝皇帝). He was buried in Daoling (道陵).