| Emperor Ruizong of Tang 唐睿宗 | |||||||||||||||||
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| Huangdi 皇帝 Khan of Heaven 天可汗 | |||||||||||||||||
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| Emperor of the Tang dynasty | |||||||||||||||||
| Reign | 27 February 684[1][2] – 16 October 690[3][4] | ||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Emperor Zhongzong (under Empress Zetian's regency) | ||||||||||||||||
| Successor | Dynasty abolished (Wu Zetian as empress regnant of the Wu Zhou dynasty | ||||||||||||||||
| Regent | Empress Zetian | ||||||||||||||||
| Reign | 25 July 710[5] – 8 September 712[6] | ||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Emperor Shang (Under Empress Wei regency) | ||||||||||||||||
| Successor | Emperor Xuanzong | ||||||||||||||||
| Power behind the emperor | Princess Taiping | ||||||||||||||||
| Born | 22 June 662[7][8] Chang'an | ||||||||||||||||
| Died | 13 July 716 (aged 54)[8][9] Baifu Hall, Chang'an | ||||||||||||||||
| Burial | Qiao Mausoleum (橋陵) | ||||||||||||||||
| Consorts | Empress Suming (died 693) Empress Zhaocheng (died 693) | ||||||||||||||||
| Issue | Li Xian Li Hui Emperor Xuanzong Li Fan Li Ye Princess Shouchang Princess Huaiyang Princess Dai Princess Liang Princess Xue Princess Xi Princess Jinxian Princess Yuzhen Princess Huo | ||||||||||||||||
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| House | Li | ||||||||||||||||
| Dynasty | Tang | ||||||||||||||||
| Father | Emperor Gaozong | ||||||||||||||||
| Mother | Empress Zetian | ||||||||||||||||
| Tang Ruizong | |||||||||||
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| Chinese | 唐睿宗 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "Farsighted Ancestor of the Tang" | ||||||||||
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| Li Dan | |||||||||||
| Chinese | 李旦 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | (personal name) | ||||||||||
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| Li Xulun | |||||||||||
| Chinese | 李旭輪 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | (personal name) | ||||||||||
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| Li Lun | |||||||||||
| Chinese | 李輪 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | (personal name) | ||||||||||
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| Wu Lun | |||||||||||
| Chinese | 武輪 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | (personal name) | ||||||||||
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| Wu Dan | |||||||||||
| Chinese | 武旦 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | (personal name) | ||||||||||
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Emperor Ruizong of Tang (22 June 662[7] – 13 July 716[9]), personal name Li Dan, also known at times during his life as Li Xulun, Li Lun, Wu Lun, and Wu Dan, was the fifth and ninth emperor of the Chinese Tang dynasty. He was the eighth son of Emperor Gaozong and the fourth son of Emperor Gaozong's second wife Empress Wu. He was wholly a figurehead during his first reign when he was controlled by his mother, and he was the titular and puppet ruler of the Tang Empire from 684 to 690. During his second reign after his mother's death, significant power and influence was exercised by his sister Princess Taiping.
In February 684, Li Dan's mother Empress Wu demoted his older brother Emperor Zhongzong (Li Xian) who had attempted to rule free of his mother and named him emperor (as Emperor Ruizong). Emperor Ruizong, however, was a hollow figurehead under control of his mother and had no real power, even nominally, his name was not included in the issued documents or orders. He was not even able to move freely around his private residence, let alone attend to governmental affairs. From then onwards, the Tang dynasty existed only in name and Empress Dowager Wu ruled China for over six years as quasi-emperor. Empress Wu, was comfortable about the empire being entirely under her control, decided finally to seize the throne, so in October 690 Emperor Ruizong ceded the imperial throne to his mother, who installed herself as empress regnant – the only woman in Chinese history ever to rule with this title. She issued a decree that ended the Tang dynasty and founded the Zhou dynasty.[note 1] Emperor Ruizong was reduced to the position of crown prince, with the unconventional title of Huangsi (皇嗣, "imperial successor"). In the following years, Empress Wu's nephews Wu Chengsi and Wu Sansi tried to have one of them named heir to the throne, but Wu Zetian resisted these calls. Eventually, in October 698, faced with foreign invasion and dissatisfaction at home, Empress Wu accepted the suggestion of the chancellor Di Renjie and recalled the exiled Li Xian to the capital Luoyang. Soon, Li Dan offered to yield the position of crown prince to his elder brother, and Li Xian became crown prince instead.
In 705, a coup overthrew Wu Zetian and restored Emperor Zhongzong to the throne. The five years of Emperor Zhongzong's reign were dominated by Zhongzong's empress consort, Empress Wei. In the beginning of July 710, Emperor Zhongzong died, allegedly poisoned by Empress Wei who then named Zhongzong's youngest son Li Chongmao the Prince of Wen emperor (as Emperor Shang). A mere two weeks later, Li Dan's sister Princess Taiping and Li Dan's son Li Longji the Prince of Linzi launched a coup which resulted in the death of Empress Wei. Princess Taiping, Li Longji, and Li Longji's brother Li Chengqi the Prince of Song then persuaded Li Dan to take the throne himself, and he agreed, returning to the throne in Emperor Shang's stead. Li Longji, although not the oldest son, was made crown prince on account of his accomplishments.
Soon, however, tensions between Princess Taiping, who had immense power, complete trust of the emperor and many supporters, and Li Longji (who was created crown prince) mounted. Li Longji constantly criticized his aunt for influencing his father's administration, which was in vain, instead Princess Taiping also responded to the proposal to remove him from the post of crown prince, which was in vain. Eventually, in September 712, Emperor Ruizong, believing that astrological signs called for a change of emperors, abdicated in favor of Li Longji (as Emperor Xuanzong). However, at Princess Taiping's suggestion, Emperor Ruizong, now carrying the title of Taishang Huang (retired emperor), continued to wield actual and superior power. This allowed Princess Taiping to continue to participate and have influence in governmental affairs without change and still had the power to stubbornly resist and bitterly fight against Li Longji (now Emperor Xuanzong). Eventually, in 713, suspecting Princess Taiping of planning a coup, Emperor Xuanzong acted first, killing her associates and forcing her to commit suicide. After the death of Princess Taiping, Emperor Ruizong himself yielded imperial powers to Emperor Xuanzong and left the governmental scene. He died in 716.
- ^ Volume 203 of the Zizhi Tongjian recorded that Ruizong was made emperor under Wu Zetian on the jiwei day of the 2nd month of the 1st year of the Guangzhai era of his reign. This date corresponds to 27 Feb 684 in the Gregorian calendar. [(光宅元年二月)己未，立雍州牧豫王旦為皇帝。] Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 203.
- ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 203.
- ^ Volume 204 of the Zizhi Tongjian recorded that the dynastic change from Tang to Wu Zhou took place on the renwu day of the 9th month of the first year of the Tianshou era of Wu Zetian's reign. This date corresponds to 16 Oct 690 in the Gregorian calendar. [(天授元年九月)壬午，御则天数，...，以唐为周，改元。] Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 204.
- ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 204.
- ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 209.
- ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 210.
- ^ a b According to Ruizong's biography in the Old Book of Tang, he was born on the jiwei day in the 6th month of the 2nd year of the Longshuo era of Tang Gaozong's reign. This date corresponds to 22 Jun 662 in the Gregorian calendar. (龙朔二年六月己未，生于长安。) Old Book of Tang, vol.7.
- ^ a b Old Book of Tang, vol. 7.
- ^ a b According to Ruizong's biography in the Old Book of Tang, he died aged 55 (by East Asian reckoning) on the jiazi day in the 6th month of the 4th year of the Kaiyuan era of Tang Xuanzong's reign. This date corresponds to 13 Jul 716 in the Gregorian calendar. (开元四年夏六月甲子，太上皇帝崩于百福殿，时年五十五。) Old Book of Tang, vol.7.
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