Emperor Huizong of Song

Life

After Emperor Zhezong’s accession, Zhao Ji was made Prince of Suining. In the third year of the Shaosheng era (1096) he became Prince Duan; in the fifth year (1098) he was granted the title Sikong and made military governor of Zhaode and Zhangxin.

In the third year of the Yuanfu era, Emperor Zhezong died in the first month without an heir and Zhao Ji succeeded him. His reign is given as either twenty-five or twenty-six years; its six era names were Jianzhong Jingguo, Chongning, Daguan, Zhenghe, Chonghe, and Xuanhe.

At first he sought to reconcile the New and Old factions, but soon made the continuation of Shenzong’s policies the state policy. When Cai Jing directed the government, more than 100 men, including Sima Guang and Su Shi, were branded members of the “treacherous party” and demoted. He promoted Daoism, greatly expanded Daoist temples, styled himself the “Teaching-Lord, Daoist Sovereign Emperor” (教主道君皇帝), and lavished resources on construction; he searched among the people for unusual flowers and rocks, a practice known as the “Flower-Stone Gang” (花石綱).

He sent envoys across the sea to ally with Jin against Liao in order to recover the Yanyun region. After Jin destroyed Liao, its forces moved south in the seventh year of Xuanhe (1125); the policy of allying with Jin to destroy Liao left Song directly bordering the powerful Jin and brought Jin’s forces deep into Song. Fearing the invasion, he abdicated in favor of Emperor Qinzong and called himself the Taishanghuang, or retired emperor. At the end of Jingkang he was captured by Jin and taken north, later dying at Wuguo City.

Art and writings

Huizong was versed in the hundred arts and particularly accomplished in calligraphy and painting; his independent style of calligraphy became known as Slender Gold Script (瘦金體). Surviving works of calligraphy and painting include *The Thousand-Character Essay*, *Lotus and Golden Pheasant* (《芙蓉錦鷄》), and *Autumn Evening at the Pond* (《池塘秋晚》).

He wrote poetry and ci, was a prolific author, and had a collected works in 100 juan. Extant texts include *The Imperial Commentary on the Scripture of Western Ascension* (《御注西昇經》), as well as later compilations of *Huizong’s Poems* and *Huizong’s Lyrics*. His poetry and ci also include *Palace Lyrics of Xuanhe* (《宣和宮詞》).

Other works attributed to him include *The Imperial Explanation of the True Scripture of the Way and Its Power* (《宋徽宗禦解道德真經》), *Exposition of the Classic of Xu Xu and Perfect Virtue* (《沖虛至德真經義解》), *Treatise on Tea in the Daguan Era* (《大觀茶論》), *The Huizong Sacred Relief Classic* (《宋徽宗聖濟經》), *Miscellaneous Comments on Painting in the Xuanhe Era* (《宣和論畫雜評》), and *The Scripture of Western Ascension* (《西升經》). His attributed writings also include *Record of the Xuanhe Palace* (《宣和殿記》), *Record of the Chongfu Temple on Mount Song* (《嵩山崇福記》), *Record of the Special Banquet at the Taiqing Tower* (《太清樓特宴記》), *Record of the Xuanhe Painting of Cranes at Yunzhuang* (《筠莊縱鶴宣和圖記》), *Record of the Banquet in the Chengping Hall of Yanfu Palace* (《宴延福宮承平殿記》), *Record of the Bright Hall* (《明堂記》), *Record of Gen Rock* (《艮巖記》), and *Articles on the Eight Conducts and Eight Punishments* (《八行八刑條》).