Zhao Defang (; c. 959–981) was an imperial
prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
of
imperial China
The history of China spans several millennia across a wide geographical area. Each region now considered part of the Chinese world has experienced periods of unity, fracture, prosperity, and strife. Chinese civilization first emerged in the Y ...
's
Song dynasty
The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...
. He was the fourth son of
Emperor Taizu and the younger brother of
Zhao Dezhao.
He was the 3rd great-grandfather of
Emperor Xiaozong of Song
Emperor Xiaozong of Song (27 November 1127 – 28 June 1194), personal name Zhao Shen, courtesy name Yuanyong, was the 11th Emperor of China, emperor of the Song dynasty of China and the second emperor of the Song dynasty#Southern Song, 112 ...
.
Biography
In 976, Zhao Defang had his first official appointment as the Defense Commissioner of
Guizhou
)
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, image_map = Guizhou in China (+all claims hatched).svg
, mapsize = 275px
, map_alt = Map showing the location of Guizhou Province
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, which was quickly followed by appointments of
Prefect
Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area.
A prefect' ...
of Xingyuan (興元, today's
Hanzhong
Hanzhong ( zh, s= , t= , l=middle of the Han River (Hubei), Han River; abbreviation: Han) is a prefecture-level city in Southern Shaanxi, the southwest of Shaanxi, Shaanxi province, China, bordering the provinces of Sichuan to the south and Gans ...
),
Military Commissioner of Shannanxi Circuit (山南西道, around today's
Sichuan
Sichuan is a province in Southwestern China, occupying the Sichuan Basin and Tibetan Plateau—between the Jinsha River to the west, the Daba Mountains to the north, and the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau to the south. Its capital city is Cheng ...
) and
chancellor
Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...
. In the winter of 978 he was named Grand Commandant of Inspection (檢校太尉). He died in 981 from an unnamed illness at the young age of 23.
Emperor Taizong, his uncle, visited his coffin in tears and cancelled imperial court meetings for 5 days to commemorate him.
Family
Parents
*
Zhao Kuangyin, Taizu (太祖 趙匡胤; 21 March 927 – 14 November 976)
*
Empress Xiaohui, of the He clan (孝惠皇后 賀氏; 929–958)
Consorts and issue
*Princess Consort of Qin, of the Jiao clan (楚王妃 焦氏), daughter of Jiao Jixun (焦继勋)
**Zhao Weixu, ''Prince of Gaoping'' (高平郡王 趙惟敘; 977–1011), first son
**Zhao Weixian, ''Duke of Ying'' (英国公 趙惟憲; 979–1016), second son
*Lady Fu, of the Fu clan of Weiguo (卫国符氏), granddaughter of
Fu Yanqing (符彥卿)
**Zhao Weining, ''Duke of Nankang'' (趙惟能南 康郡公; 979 – 1008), third son
*Lady Wang, of the Wang clan of Qinguo (秦国王氏)
*Lady Li, of the Li clan of Yingchuan (颖川李氏)
*Unknown:
**Princess Yongshou (永寿县主)
***married Cui Congshi (崔从湜)
In fiction
In popular stories, including the ''
Generals of the Yang Family'' legends and ''
Seven Heroes and Five Gallants'', Zhao Defang is known as the "Eighth Prince" (八王爺) or "Eighth Virtuous Prince" (八賢王), but this character seems to be a "merger" between Zhao Defang and Zhao Defang's cousin
Zhao Yuanyan.
The breakdown:
The "Eighth Virtuous Prince" in ''
Seven Heroes and Five Gallants'' was clearly based on the historical
Zhao Yuanyan, who
* was the only paternal uncle during
Emperor Renzong's reign
* had conflicts with
Empress Dowager Liu
* eventually revealed the secret about the
Emperor Renzong's real birth mother (see
Consort Li)
Notes and references
Sources
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhao, Defang
950s births
Year of birth uncertain
981 deaths
Song dynasty princes