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| Emperor Xiaozong of Song 宋孝宗 | |||||||||||||
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| Emperor of the Song dynasty | |||||||||||||
| Reign | 24 July 1162 – 18 February 1189 | ||||||||||||
| Coronation | 24 July 1162 | ||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Emperor Gaozong | ||||||||||||
| Successor | Emperor Guangzong | ||||||||||||
| Retired Emperor of the Song dynasty | |||||||||||||
| Reign | 18 February 1189 – 28 June 1194 | ||||||||||||
| Born | Zhao Bocong (1127–1133) Zhao Yuan (1133–1160) Zhao Wei (1160–1162) Zhao Shen (1162–1194) 27 November 1127 Jiaxing County, Xiuzhou, Song dynasty (modern Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China) | ||||||||||||
| Died | 28 June 1194 (aged 66) Lin'an, Song dynasty (modern Hangzhou, Zhejiang) | ||||||||||||
| Burial | Yongfu Mausoleum (永阜陵, in present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang) | ||||||||||||
| Consorts | |||||||||||||
| Issue | Zhao Qi Zhao Kai Emperor Guangzong Zhao Ke | ||||||||||||
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| House | Zhao | ||||||||||||
| Dynasty | Song (Southern Song) | ||||||||||||
| Father | Zhao Zicheng Emperor Gaozong (adoptive father) | ||||||||||||
| Mother | Lady Zhang | ||||||||||||
| Signature |  | ||||||||||||
| Emperor Xiaozong of Song | |||||||
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| Chinese | 宋孝宗 | ||||||
| Literal meaning | "Filial Ancestor of the Song" | ||||||
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| Zhao Shen | |||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 趙昚 | ||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 赵昚 | ||||||
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| Yuanyong (courtesy name) | |||||||
| Chinese | 元永 | ||||||
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Emperor Xiaozong of Song (27 November 1127 – 28 June 1194), personal name Zhao Shen, courtesy name Yuanyong, was the 11th emperor of the Song dynasty of China and the second emperor of the Southern Song dynasty. He started his reign in 1162 when his adoptive father and predecessor, Emperor Gaozong, abdicated and passed the throne to him. Even though Emperor Gaozong became a Taishang Huang ("Retired Emperor") after his abdication, he remained the de facto ruler, so Emperor Xiaozong only took full power in 1187 after Emperor Gaozong's death. After ruling for about a year, Emperor Xiaozong followed in his predecessor's footsteps and abdicated in favour of his third son Zhao Dun (Emperor Guangzong), while he became Taishang Huang and still remained in power until his death in 1194.
He was the first descendant of Emperor Taizu to become emperor and remembered as an effective ruler as the Song enjoyed prosperity during his reign.