A Chinese Biographical Dictionary/Chao Huan

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1758426A Chinese Biographical Dictionary — Chao HuanHerbert A. Giles

159 Chao Huan 趙桓. A.D. 1100-1160. Eldest son of Chao Chi, upon whose abdication in 1125 he succeeded as ninth Emperor of the Sung dynasty. Aided by Li Kang, he strove to reform the Government. A new siege of his capital in 1126 by the China Tartars resulted in the cession of territory and the payment of all his own and the inhabitants' treasure. The Tartar army had no sooner withdrawn than the Emperor, who would not allow its retreat to be harassed, denounced the extorted treaty and attempted to raise the siege of T'ai-yüan in Shansi. His advisers disbanded the forces which had gathered to save the capital and which had contributed to the Tartar retreat; and when another invasion took place at the end of the year the Sung Ministers, who had been busy squabbling among themselves, were powerless to withstand it. The Emperor went to the enemy's camp to get terms; and he, his father, and most of the Imperial family were taken into captivity, Chang Pang-ch'ang being set up as Emperor to rule under the Chinsa. The Emperor's brother, the founder of the Southern Sung dynasty, canonised him as 恭仁順德仁孝皇帝 with the temple name of 欽宗.