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Emperor Zhangzong of Jin

Emperor Zhangzong (August 31, 1168 – December 29, 1208) was emperor of the jin dynasty, the Jurchen dynasty which ruled northern China. He reigned from January 20, 1189 to December 29, 1208. His personal name was Wanyan Madage (完顏麻达葛) (in Jurchen), or Wanyan Jing (完顏璟) (in Chinese).

Zhangzong was the sixth in the line of Jin rulers. He inherited the throne from his grandfather Emperor Shizong of Jin and was succeeded by Emperor Weishaowang of Jin.

To some extent, Zhangzong continued Shizong's policy of encouraging intensive use of Jurchen language and maintaining Jurchen customs. He forbade wearing of Chinese clothes and required his subjects to perform the Jurchen kowtow ceremony. He required his meng'an and mouke (Jurchen hereditary feudal nobility) to take an archery test if they wanted to sit for a jinshi examination. On the other hand, he permitted Jurchen to follow Chinese funeral practices, and Tang and Song rituals are known to have been performed at his court in 1194. Resuming one of the projects of King Hailing, he established Confucian temples in all prefectures and counties of his empire.

He ordered Zhongnanhai built in Beijing for him to go fishing.

Unlike Shizong, Zhangzong apparently did not consider hunting as a natural and necessary way or military training, and viewed it merely as recreation.

When in 1206 the troops of the southern song dynasty prime minister Han Tuozhou invaded the Jin Empire, trying to reunify China from the south, Zhangzong's armies defeated the invaders. To obtain peace, the Song had to yield territory, pay indemnity, and execute their militant prime minister.

Last update 20-06-2012

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