Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
| Tang Zhongzong |
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| Emperor of the Tang dynasty | |||||||||||||
| Reign | 3 January 684 – 26 February 684 | ||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Emperor Gaozong | ||||||||||||
| Successor | Emperor Ruizong | ||||||||||||
| Reign | 23 February 705 – 3 July 710 | ||||||||||||
| Predecessor | vacant, Wu Zetian as Empress of the Zhou Dynasty | ||||||||||||
| Successor | Emperor Shang | ||||||||||||
| Born | 26 November 656 | ||||||||||||
| Died | 3 July 710 (aged 53) | ||||||||||||
| Spouse | Empress Zhao Empress Wei Consort Shangguan Wan'er, concubine Consort Zheng, concubine |
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| Issue |
Li Chongrun, Crown Prince Yide Li Chongfu, Prince of Qiao Li Chongjun, Crown Prince Jiemin Li Chongmao, Emperor Shang Princess Xindu Princess Yicheng Princess Ding'an Princess Changning Princess Yongshou Li Xianhui, the Princess Yongtai Li Guo'er, the Princess Anle Princess Cheng'an |
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| House | House of Li | ||||||||||||
| Father | Emperor Gaozong of Tang | ||||||||||||
| Mother | Wu Zetian | ||||||||||||
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Family name: Li (李), later Wu (changed 700), later back to Li (changed 705) Given name: Xian (顯), later Zhe (哲), then later back to Xian (顯) |
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Short: Emperor Xiaohe (孝和皇帝) Full: Emperor Dahe Dasheng Dazhao Xiao 大和大聖大昭孝皇帝 |
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| Zhōngzōng (中宗) |
| Tang Zhongzong | |||||||||||
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| Literal meaning | "Middle Ancestor of the Tang" | ||||||||||
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| Li Xian | |||||||||||
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| Li Zhe | |||||||||||
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| Wu Xian | |||||||||||
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| Transcriptions | |
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| Standard Mandarin | |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Táng Zhōngzōng |
| Yue: Cantonese | |
| Yale Romanization | Tòhng Jungjūng |
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| Standard Mandarin | |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Lǐ Xiǎn |
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| Yale Romanization | Léih Hín |
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| Standard Mandarin | |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Lǐ Zhé |
| Yue: Cantonese | |
| Yale Romanization | Léih Jit |
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| Standard Mandarin | |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Wǔ Xiǎn |
| Yue: Cantonese | |
| Yale Romanization | Móuh Hín |
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang (26 November 656 – 3 July 710), personal name Li Xian, and at other times Li Zhe or Wu Xian, was the fourth Emperor of the Tang dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 684 and again from 705 to 710.
Emperor Zhongzong was the son of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu (later known as Wu Zetian). He succeeded his father in 684. His mother, however, deposed him less than two months later in favor of his younger brother Emperor Ruizong. The former emperor, demoted to a princely rank, was sent in exile in the provinces and placed under house arrest. Six years later, Emperor Ruizong in turn relinquished the throne to his mother and Empress Dowager Wu officially proclaimed herself "Empress regnant", while Emperor Ruizong was made crown prince.
By 698 the court was caught in the middle of a bitter power struggle. In an attempt to decrease the power struggle, Empress Wu liberated the former emperor from his 14 years of seclusion and recalled him to the capital in April 698. He was reinstated as crown prince in October 698, taking the place of his brother. On 20 February 705, a palace coup deposed Wu Zetian and Emperor Zhongzong was restored as emperor three days later. Emperor Zhongzong reigned for five years but was a rather weak and easily influenced ruler. Real power was in the hands of his empress consort, Empress Wei and her lover Wu Sansi (Wu Zetian's nephew).
In 710, Emperor Zhongzong died, allegedly poisoned by Empress Wei, who then installed his son, Li Chongmao, as emperor. Empress Wei, who had failed to install her daughter Li Guo'er, the Princess Anle, as heir to Emperor Zhongzong, thought that Li Chongmao, born of Zhongzong and a concubine and who was only 16 years old, would be easy to control and allow her to preserve her power. The scheme failed, however, when Princess Taiping, the sister of Emperor Zhongzong, launched a coup two weeks later with her nephew Li Longji (later Emperor Xuanzong), son of the abdicated Emperor Ruizong, and overthrew Empress Wei and the young emperor. Emperor Ruizong, the father of Li Longji and the older brother of Princess Taiping, was restored as emperor.
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