Emperor Gong of Song

Emperor Gongdi (chinese: 宋恭帝, 1271-1323), also known as Zhào Xiǎn (趙顯), was the 16th Emperor of Song Dynasty. He reigned from 1274 until his abdication in 1276. He was succeeded by elder brother, Emperor Duanzong of Song.

Gongdi was only four years old when he ascended the throne in 1274 after the death of his father, Emperor Duzong of Song. His reign began under the regency of his grandmother, Grand Empress Dowager Xie and his mother Empress Dowager Quan.

During Gongdi's reign, the Song Dynasty was crumbling under the invasion forces of Mongol Yuan Dynasty which have crossed the Yangtze River and enroute to capture the capital of Lin An (today's Hangzhou). Forced to capitulate, Grand Empress Dowager Xie surrendered to the Yuan force. After Gongdi's capture he was demoted to the rank of a Duke and was instructed in 1289 by the Yuan emperor Kublai Khan to travel to Tibet to become a monk. As a monk he made numerous contributions to Buddhism as he translated Buddhist text. Upon knowing that he was a Song emperor, he expressed his longing for Song in a poem, angering the Yuan emperor. As a result, he was put to death in 1323, at the age of 53.

ee also

*List of Song Emperors
*Architecture of the Song Dynasty
*Culture of the Song Dynasty
*Economy of the Song Dynasty
*History of the Song Dynasty
*Society of the Song Dynasty
*Technology of the Song Dynasty