After the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty, it was Emperor Gaozong of Song who wanted to be an emperor like Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han Dynasty, but unfortunately his strength did not allow it, and the situation forced him. For Zhao Zhao, the emperor, posterity has more evaluations, and in general, there are more negative than positive. why? Because he and Qin Ju had unjustly killed the loyal minister Yue Fei, not to mention the matter of seeking peace from the Jin Dynasty, zhao Zhuo would not be able to overturn the case in another five hundred years by unjustly killing Yue Fei alone.
Abrupt resignation
Zhao Zhuo was not useless, at least he let the Song Dynasty continue to establish a dynasty in the south, and the Southern Song Dynasty continued to play a dominant role in economy and culture. At this time, although the Jin Dynasty was a threat to the north, it was not enough to destroy the Southern Song Dynasty. However, zhao zhuo made a major decision at the age of 56, and this decision was "Zen position". According to the convention, a dynasty emperor rarely has a Zen throne, unless there is a major change, such as a coup, the emperor is ill, etc. However, Zhao Cuo was 56 years old at this time, in good health, and the government was stable, and the crown prince Zhao Xuan was not Zhao Cuo's biological son, but a descendant of his grandfather Zhao Kuangyin. Giving up the throne to prince Feisheng and resigning very resolutely, why was Zhao Zhuo willing to give up the throne?
From the outside, at this time, the Jin Dynasty did not pose any pressure on the Southern Song Dynasty, because the Southern Song Dynasty defeated the Jin soldiers in the quarry battle, resulting in the killing of the Jin Emperor Yan Liang, a major change in the Jin throne, its political situation was unstable, there was no war on the Jin-Song border, the people's hearts were stable, it can be said that there was no external pressure, why did Zhao Zhuo resign?
From the perspective of the Southern Song Dynasty, the civil and military generals of the Southern Song Dynasty were very supportive of Zhao Shuo, and there was basically no noise up and down. The harem is also very stable, the prince has been selected, although not his own child, but he obeys Zhao Zhao's words and does not have the problem of forcing the palace. The people live and work in peace and contentment, their lives are very rich, and there is no major civil strife in the country.
In 1162, Zhao Shuo suddenly proposed to abdicate the throne to Zhao Xuan, when the right chancellor Zhu Zhuojin said: "The matter of Jing Kang is passing on the throne to Tai Shuo, Xu Zhi", Zhu Zhuo means that when Emperor Huizong of Song rushed to zen, it caused chaos in the government and government, and also gave the Jin Dynasty the opportunity to invade, and the matter of abdication should be carefully considered.
Regarding Zhu Zhuo's suggestion, Zhao Zhuo said: "Old and sick, long want to retire", Zhao Zhuo abdicated for such a reason, many people do not understand. However, after Zhao Zhuo passed on the throne to the crown prince Zhao Xuan, he proclaimed himself Emperor Taishang and then moved to Deoksugung Palace. Since then, the new emperor of the Song Dynasty, Song Xiaozong, has succeeded to the throne.
Scholars speculate
For the historical materials of Zhao Shuo's sudden resignation as emperor, later scholars have conducted a lot of research and analysis, and also given the reasons for Zhao Shuo's abdication, which can be summarized as mainly three types:
1. Retire without rest.
Later generations believed that Zhao Shuo was reluctant to do it, but when the emperor was very tired, many things needed to be worried about, and Zhao Shuo could continue to enjoy the honor of the Emperor Taishang after his abdication, and did not have to worry about many state affairs. In fact, Emperor Gaozong of Song retired without end, although he hid in the harem to enjoy the blessings of old-age pension, but many things Zhao Zhuo also intervened, such as Song Jin's peace and battles, as well as the appointment of officials. Without Zhao Zhao's decision, Song Xiaozong did not dare to make a decision. It is not what Zhao Shuo said about "long-term desire to retreat".
2. The righteousness of grace.
Zhao Zhuo was very sad, and by the time of his abdication, he did not have a biological son to succeed him. Zhao Zhuo had only one son named Zhao Xu, who was scared to death when he was three years old. After that, Zhao Shuo did not give birth to a son in various ways. The ministers of the DPRK and China were worried about Zhao Cuo and asked Zhao Cuo to choose the crown prince as soon as possible. In 1132, Zhao Zhuo designated Zhao Kuangyin's descendant Zhao Xuan as his adopted son and cultivated him as crown prince.
Thirty years had passed, and by 1162, Zhao Shuo was still in good health, and at this time, the crown prince Zhao Xuan had been in the throne for thirty years, and Zhao Shuo also had a premonition that the future throne would be Zhao Xuan. Zhao Xuan was also anxious in his heart, he was already middle-aged, although he did not show a hurry mentality, but later his son Song Guangzong resented Zhao Xuan for not passing the throne early.
If zhao zhuo lived to the old age and then succeeded to the throne, Zhao Xuan would inevitably be more than half a hundred years old. If there is another three long and two short, serious illness and minor disasters, there will be a gap in the throne. Zhao Zhuo took the initiative to give it up at this time, which also made Zhao Xuan feel grateful and prevented variables in the future throne.
3. Stabilize the government
Zhao Zhao's son died, he chose Zhao Kuangyin's descendants, why not choose Zhao Guangyi's descendants? After all, Zhao Zhao chose his own side branch, and the blood was closer. Emperor Gaozong of Song thought about it and finally decided to choose Zhao Xi. This practice of preferring the near and far from choosing zhao Guangyi's descendants will inevitably be dissatisfied from Zhao Guangyi's descendants, and will also produce royal chaos. If Zhao Zhuo abdicates early, he can assist Zhao Xiao behind the scenes to stabilize the government and let the dissatisfied people know that the heir to the throne is Zhao Xi. However, after Zhao Shuo abdicated, no one in the DPRK and the imperial family raised objections. Such succession was rare in various dynasties.
Deep causes
Zhao Shuo passed the throne to Zhao Xi, and also complied with some people's complaints that there was no emperor in the Taizu lineage, and also allowed Zhao Zhuo to gain a generous reputation. But in fact, Zhao Shuo's sudden abdication, there are still many unspeakable secrets.
First of all, after the Jing Kang Disaster, the clan and harem such as the Second Emperor Hui Qin were plundered to the Jin Dynasty, and many people did not return until their deaths. And It was a blessing that Zhao Zhuo was able to escape by chance. After Empress Wei returned to the Southern Song Dynasty, the Jin Dynasty wanted to "have the intention of returning to Emperor Qinzong and the kings and concubines." However, Zhao Zhuo obviously did not agree, and welcomed the second emperor back, he could continue to be the emperor, but the birth mother's private love and childbirth in the Jin Kingdom could be revealed, which would definitely cause a harem scandal. Therefore, Zhao Zhuo was not active in welcoming back the Second Emperor Hui Qin, and this matter was not resolved. However, some ministers who advocated the return of the Second Emperor suffered. Some scholars believe that Yue Fei's killing is also related to his advocacy of welcoming back the Second Emperor.
However, Zhao Zhuo's inaction in welcoming back the Second Emperor was bound to be met with resentment from Zhao Guangyi's descendants, and letting Taizu's descendants succeed to the throne would make it impossible for many years to appear murmuring.
Secondly, Zhao Zhuo had plans for his own selfishness. Zhao Cuo was very afraid of death, and when the Southern Song Dynasty confronted Jin, Zhao Cuo was afraid, and even ran from Nanjing to Hangzhou, otherwise Nanjing might become the capital. When the Jin Dynasty marched south, Zhao Zhuodu wanted to escape from the sea by boat. However, if he became the Emperor Taishang, even if the country was destroyed in the future, the Jin Dynasty would only look for the Emperor of the Dynasty even if he called, and he could take the opportunity to escape.
Zhao Zhao's little abacus was very delicate. Because his father and brother had done this kind of thing. When the Jin Dynasty attacked the Song Dynasty, Emperor Huizong of Song once said: "If you are in Bozhou, a hundred officials are more than a sneaker", and Song Qinzong also came up with a trick: "Out of Xiang, Deng". Because the emperor was too conspicuous and it was not easy to escape, no one would keep an eye on him.
Again, resign for guilt. Although Zhao Shuo's abdication was related to the internal and external stability at that time, Zhao Shuo felt guilty in his heart, that is, he killed the loyal minister Yue Fei, causing many people to be dissatisfied. Yue Fei's words to Zhao Zhao: "The Jin people are not trustworthy, and reconciliation cannot be bullied", and later Zhao conceived to give Yue Fei a proper name, but killing Yue Fei was his own order, if he was rehabilitated, where would his face go?
After Zhao Xi ascended the throne, he became Yue Fei Zhaoxue. Of course, this matter must be approved by Zhao Shuo, especially when Zhao Xiao rehabilitated Yue Fei, he once said: "The Emperor Taishang never forgot", and Zhao Xi claimed to "uphold the holy will". Since he didn't want to go in his heart, it was better to let Zhao Xi be a good person, but the world knew that it was his intention.