Li Yuanhao, the founding emperor of the Western Xia Dynasty, born in 1003 AD, a Dangxiang person, formerly known as Tuoba Yuanhao, was a descendant of the imperial family of the Northern Wei Dynasty. In 1038, Li Yuanhao ascended the throne as emperor and established the Western Xia Dynasty, with the capital at Xingqing Province (present-day Yinchuan, Ningxia Province). In 1048, Li Yuanhao, who reigned for ten years, was assassinated, with the temple name "Jingzong" and the nickname "Emperor Wulie".
Many readers may have a question, li Yuanhao, as the founding emperor, why is the temple number an extremely rare "Jingzong"?
Looking at all the founding emperors in Chinese history, it can be found that most of the founding emperors' temple names are Taizu, Gaozu, and Shizu, and the founding emperors with the temple number "Zong" are very rare, and the more famous ones are Sima Rui, the founding emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the temple number "Zhongzong", the founding emperor of the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhao Shuo, the temple number "Gaozong", the founding emperor of the Qing Dynasty, The Emperor Taiji, and the temple number "Taizong".
In the end, why is Li Yuanhao's temple number an extremely rare "Jingzong"?
In fact, the answer to this question is very simple, and the answer can be found from the three founding emperors mentioned above, Sima Rui, Zhao Shuo, and Huang Taiji.
The Eastern Jin Dynasty established by Sima Rui is a continuation of the Western Jin Dynasty, although it is the founding emperor, but it has the meaning of the Zhongxing Jin Dynasty, so the temple name "Zhongzong", Zhao Jian established the Southern Song Dynasty to continue the Northern Song Dynasty, and the temple name obtained is "Gaozong". In addition, because the founder of the Qing Dynasty was Nurhaci, since Nurhaci was posthumously honored as Taizu, there was nothing wrong with the temple name of emperor Taiji being "Taizong".
As for Li Yuanhao's temple number, of course, it is also from Li Yuanhao's ancestors to find the answer. In the middle of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Dezong of Tang set up the "Dingnan Army Festival Envoy" in today's northwestern region, with the purpose of being able to serve the king at any time (qin wang means that the emperor has difficulties, and the ministers and generals of various places send troops to rescue). After the Huangchao Rebellion, the Dingnan Army jiedushi made Tuoba Sigong (Li Yuanhao's ancestor of the same clan) raise an army to serve the king, and was given the surname "Li" by Emperor Li of Tang, which was the beginning of the Northern Wei imperial family's descendants being given the surname of Tang Dynasty.
After nearly twenty or thirty years, the Tang Dynasty fell, the land of China was torn apart, and the Dingnan Army Jiedushi made it a division, and the DingnanJun Jiedushi, which was not originally hereditary, became a member of the Li Sigong family, and even did not want to belong to the Northern Song Dynasty, which was later established. In 990 (the Northern Song Dynasty), Li Yuanhao's grandfather Li Ji moved to lixia, which was the prototype of the western Xia dynasty.
In 1004, Li Jiqian died, and his son Li Deming inherited the Xia throne, and the temple name originally given to Li Jiqian was "Wuzong". Li Deming's talent was even greater than that of his father, and he constantly grew his strength and was ready to become emperor at any time. However, in 1032 AD, Li Jiqian suddenly fell ill and died, and the throne finally passed to his son Li Yuanhao.
In 1038, after everything was ready, Li Yuanhao officially ascended the throne as emperor and established the Western Xia Dynasty, with the capital at Xingqing Province (present-day Yinchuan, Ningxia Province). When planning to give his grandfather Li Jiqian and father Li Deming the temple number, Li Yuanhao believed that his grandfather Li Jiqian had built a foundation, so he changed the original temple name "Wuzong" to "Taizu", and his father Li Deming had the merit of opening up the territory and expanding the territory, and the temple name was "Taizong".
Since the temple names taizu and taizong were used, after Li Yuanhao died in 1048 AD, although he was the founding emperor, he received an extremely rare temple name "Jingzong".