Emperor Zhezong of Song China
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Emperor Zhezong of Song
Birth and death:	4 January 1076–23 February 1100
Family name:	Zhao (趙)
Given name:	Yong (傭), later Xu¹ (煦)
Dates of reign:	2 April 1085–23 February 1100
Dynasty:	Song (宋)
Temple name:	Zhezong (哲宗)
Posthumous name: (short)	Never used short
Posthumous name: (full)	Emperor Xianyuan Jidao Shide Yanggong Qinwen Ruiwu Qisheng Zhaoxiao² 憲元繼道世德揚功欽文睿武齊聖 昭孝皇帝
General note: Dates given here are in the Julian calendar. They are not in the proleptic Gregorian calendar. ——— 1. Had his name changed into Xu in March 1085 when he was officially named crown prince. This name became his taboo name when he ascended the throne five days later. 2. This is the final version of the posthumous name given in 1113; according to some sources the first eight characters of his posthumous name should be Xianyuan Jidao Xiande Dinggong (憲元繼道顯德定功).

Emperor Zhezong (January 4, 1076 – February 23, 1100) was the seventh emperor of the Song Dynasty of China. His personal name was Zhao⁴ Xu¹. He reigned from 1085 to 1100.

Zhezong was the son of Emperor Shenzong. He ascended the throne at age 10 under the supervision of Empress Dowager Gao. Under Empress Gao's regency she appointed conservatives such as Sima Guang as Chancellor and Sima Guang immediately halted socio-economic improvements set forth by Wang Anshi. Zhezong was powerless and it was not until Empress Dowager Gao's death in 1093 that Zhezong was able to reinstate Wang Anshi's reform and remove Sima Guang.

Zhezong lowered taxes, stopped all negotiations with the Tangut Empire and resumed armed conflict which eventually forced the Xixia to enter a more peaceful stance with the Song. Overall, Zhezong's reign gave the Song dynasty a breathe of fresh air but Zhezong was not able stop fighting between conservative members in his government and the more liberal members catering to Wang Anshi's reforms. This eventually lead to the northern Song's demise in the 12th century.

Zhezong died in 1100 in Kaifeng and was succeeded by his younger brother. He was only 24. His temple name means "Wise Ancestor".

See also

• Wang Anshi
• Sima Guang
• List of Song Emperors
• Architecture of the Song Dynasty
• Culture of the Song Dynasty
• Economy of the Song Dynasty
• History of the Song Dynasty
• Society of the Song Dynasty
• Technology of the Song Dynasty

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