Emperor Xiaozong of Song

Emperor Xiaozong of Song
宋孝宗
Palace portrait on a hanging scroll, kept in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
Emperor of the Song dynasty
Reign24 July 1162 – 18 February 1189
Coronation24 July 1162
PredecessorEmperor Gaozong
SuccessorEmperor Guangzong
Retired Emperor of the Song dynasty
Reign18 February 1189 – 28 June 1194
BornZhao 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)
Died28 June 1194(1194-06-28) (aged 66)
Lin'an, Song dynasty (modern Hangzhou, Zhejiang)
Burial
Yongfu Mausoleum (永阜陵, in present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang)
Consorts
Empress Chengmu
(died 1156)
(died 1167)
(before 1194)
IssueZhao Qi
Zhao Kai
Emperor Guangzong
Zhao Ke
Era dates
Longxing (隆興; 1163–1164)
Qiandao (乾道; 1165–1173)
Chunxi (淳熙; 1174–1189)
Posthumous name
Emperor Shaotong Tongdao Guande Zhaogong Zhewen Shenwu Mingsheng Chengxiao (紹統同道冠德昭功哲文神武明聖成孝皇帝) (conferred in 1197)
Temple name
Xiaozong (孝宗)
HouseZhao
DynastySong (Southern Song)
FatherZhao Zicheng
Emperor Gaozong (adoptive father)
MotherLady Zhang
Signature
Emperor Xiaozong of Song
Chinese宋孝宗
Literal meaning"Filial Ancestor of the Song"
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinSòng Xiàozōng
Zhao Shen
Traditional Chinese趙昚
Simplified Chinese赵昚
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhào Shèn
Yuanyong
(courtesy name)
Chinese元永
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinYuányǒng

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.