Emperor Xuanzong II of Tang China
| Era dates |
| Dazhong 大中 (January 21, 847 – December 17, 860) |
| Posthumous name |
| Emperor Yuansheng Zhiming Chengwu Xianwen Ruizhi Zhangren Shencong Yidao Daxiao 元聖至明成武獻文睿智章仁神聰懿道大孝皇帝 |
| Temple name |
| Xuanzong 宣宗 |
|
| Tang Xuanzong |
| Chinese |
|
| Literal meaning |
"Declared Ancestor of the Tang" |
|
|
| Li Yi |
| Chinese |
|
| Literal meaning |
(personal name) |
|
|
|
Emperor Xuānzong of Tang (July 27, 810 – September 7, 859) (reigned April 25, 846 – September 7, 859) was a later emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. Personally named Li Yi, later renamed Li Chen (Chinese: 李忱), and known before his reign as the Prince of Guang, he was considered the last capable emperor of Tang China. Succeeding emperors after Xuānzong would either be too young or be dominated by eunuchs or warlords. Emperor Xuānzong was the 13th son of Emperor Xianzong (r. 806–820) and an uncle of the previous three emperors, Emperor Jingzong, Emperor Wenzong, and Emperor Wuzong.
To distinguish Emperor Xuānzong from his ancestor Emperor Xuánzong (personal name Li Longji), as their temple names are rendered identically in Wade–Giles and, when tonal marks are not used, pinyin, Xuānzong is occasionally referred to as Xuanzong II in western sources; in Chinese, however, their temple names (宣宗 for him and 玄宗 for Li Longji) are clearly distinct and this device is not used.
Li Yi was born in 810, at Daming Palace (大明宮), as the 13th of 20 known sons of then-reigning Emperor Xianzong. His mother was Emperor Xianzong's concubine Consort Zheng, who had previously been a concubine of the warlord Li Qi and who, after imperial forces defeated Li Qi in 807, was taken into Emperor Xianzong's palace to be a servant girl to Emperor Xianzong's wife Consort Guo, but who at some point bore Li Yi for Emperor Xianzong. Consort Zheng is not known to have borne any other children for Emperor Xianzong. After Emperor Xianzong died in 820, Li Yi's older brother Li Heng, born of Consort Guo, became emperor (as Emperor Muzong), and in 821, when Emperor Muzong created a number of his sons and brothers to be imperial princes, Li Yi was created the Prince of Guang.
...
Wikipedia
