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Emperor Zhongzong of Tang唐中宗

TangHistory × Fiction

Son of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, deposed as Prince of Luling by Wu Zetian shortly after ascending the throne.

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DIRECT FIGURES
43
RELATION RECORDS
72
SOURCE WORKS
6

RELATIONSHIP COMPASS

Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, and the people around them.

Open one chapter at a time. Each chapter gives the relationship first, then the source text behind it.

01
KINSHIP

Kinship

Blood, marriage and sworn bonds

9 figures · 9 records
5 more in the complete record
02
ALLEGIANCE

Allegiance

Rulers, appointments and allegiance

15 figures · 21 records
11 more in the complete record
03
CONFLICT

Conflict

Battles, captures and defeat

7 figures · 9 records
4 more in the complete record
04
THE UNSEEN

Mythic acts

Transformation, aid and divine punishment

1 figure · 1 record
Complete relationships and verbatim sources ↓Open in the civilization atlas ↗

12 key relationships are shown here. The complete record remains below.

In history · History of Song · Old Book of Tang

Son of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, deposed as Prince of Luling by Wu Zetian shortly after ascending the throne.; Emperor of the Tang dynasty, son of Wu Zetian.; Emperor of the Tang dynasty, praised Song Jing for his uprightness and appointed him as Grand Master of Remonstrance, etc.

In fiction · Extensive Records of the Taiping Era · New Book of Tang · Romance of Sui and Tang

Son of Wu Zetian, deposed as Prince of Luling.; Emperor of the Tang dynasty, after restoration, enfeoffed the Five Kings, later heeded the words of Yizhi.

Across source works

How this figure changes across texts

Works are shown side by side, not as a chronology. No influence between texts is inferred.

  1. Official history

    Old Book of Tang

    49 profile notes
    32 relations45 verified quotations
    • Li Shimin→ grandparent-grandchild →Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
    • Wu Zetian→ mother-son →Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
    • Wu Zetian→ deposed as Prince Luling →Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
    • Wu Zetian→ depose →Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
    Verified original text · 45
    1. 中宗孝和皇帝

      grandparent-grandchild · Old Book of Tang, 礼仪志五

    2. 母曰则天顺圣皇后

      mother-son · Old Book of Tang, 中宗睿宗本纪

    43 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  2. Official history

    History of Song

    1 profile notes
    1 relations1 verified quotations
    • Emperor Zhongzong of Tang→ enshrined →Emperor Gaozong of Song
    Verified original text · 1
    1. 唐中宗时，则以高宗配

      enshrined · History of Song, 礼四志

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  3. Literature / legend

    Romance of Sui and Tang

    8 profile notes
    4 relations5 verified quotations
    • Wu Zetian→ mother-son →Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
    • Wu Zetian→ depose →Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
    • Emperor Zhongzong of Tang→ confer title →Wu Sansi
    • Wu Sansi→ meet →Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
    Verified original text · 5
    1. 册立太子英王显为皇帝

      mother-son · Romance of Sui and Tang, 072

    2. 太后道：“卿言甚是，但武承嗣求为太子，事当如何？”仁杰对道：“文皇帝亲冒锋镝，以定天下，传之子孙。先帝以二子托陛下，今乃欲移之他族，无乃非天意乎。且姑任与母子孰亲？陛下立子，则千秋万岁后，配飨太庙，承继无穷；陛下欲立侄，未闻有侄为天子，而袝姑于庙者也。”后悟，由是召回中宗。母子相见，悲喜交集不提。

      mother-son · Romance of Sui and Tang, 074

    3 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  4. 7 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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  5. Official history

    New Book of Tang

    43 profile notes
    17 relations22 verified quotations
    • Emperor Xuanzong of Tang→ grandparent-grandchild →Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
    • Wu Zetian→ mother-son →Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
    • Wu Zetian→ deposed as Prince Luling →Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
    • Emperor Zhongzong of Tang→ father-son →Emperor Gaozong of Tang
    Verified original text · 22
    1. 玄宗开元五年

      grandparent-grandchild · New Book of Tang, 选举志上

    2. 母曰则天顺圣皇后武氏。

      mother-son · New Book of Tang, 则天皇后中宗本纪

    20 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  6. Official history

    Book of the Later Han

    0 profile notes
    1 relations1 verified quotations
    • Emperor Zhang of Han→ sacrifice →Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
    Verified original text · 1
    1. 告祠二祖、四宗

      sacrifice · Book of the Later Han, 肃宗孝章帝纪三

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History vs. fiction

In the official history, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang was deposed by Empress Wu and exiled to Fangling, then restored. The novel depicts his exile and return based on facts.

  • attestedEmperor Zhongzong of Tang was deposed as Prince of Luling and relocated to Fangzhou

    The Old Book of Tang, Annals of Empress Wu Zetian, records that in the first year of Sisheng, 'the Emperor was deposed as Prince of Luling and confined in a separate place,' and later moved to Fangling. In Chapter 72 of Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, it is written that the Empress Dowager angrily rebuked Zhongzong for a slip of the tongue, 'then summoned Pei Yan to depose Zhongzong as Prince of Luling and relocate him to Fangzhou,' and made Prince Yu Dan emperor. The process of his confinement in Fangling until Di Renjie advised his return to the capital is all based on official history.

Relationship network

36 figures · 243 links
Emperor Zhongzong of TangEmperor Zhongzong of TangEmperor Xuanzong of TangEmperor Xuanzong of TangLi ShiminLi ShiminWu ZetianWu ZetianEmperor Gaozong of SongEmperor Gaozong of SongEmperor Gaozong of TangEmperor Gaozong of TangZhang YueZhang YueXu ShijiXu ShijiWu HouWu HouEmperor RuizongEmperor RuizongSong JingSong JingEmperor ShunzongPrincess TaipingWu SansiEmperor Zhang of HanEmperor GaozongYao ChongWei YuanzhongXiao ZhizhongWu ChengsiPrincess AnleZong ChukeCui ShiLi QiaoHuan YanfanZhang JianzhiEmpress WeiJing HuiXu JingyeZhu QinmingEmpress WeiWang FangqingWei AnshiPei YanWei JuyuanTang Xiujing
historyliteraturedual
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Sources: Extensive Records of the Taiping Era, 乐一; History of Song, 礼四志; New Book of Tang, 三宗诸子传; Old Book of Tang, 中宗睿宗本纪; Romance of Sui and Tang, 072; Extensive Records of the Taiping Era, 儒行; New Book of Tang, 二王韦陆二李杜传; Old Book of Tang, 于休烈令狐峘归崇敬奚陟张荐蒋乂柳登沈传师传

This page was extracted from classical texts with AI assistance and revised; errors remain possible. Spotted a mistake? Tell us →

Compiled with AI assistance from public-domain texts; for cultural reference. Mythological accounts vary — corrections welcome.