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Zhao Ruqiao

Type Figure Region Southern Song Time 1140–1196 Also known as Zhao Ruyu、Style name Zizhi、Zhongding

Zhao Ruqiao (1140-1196) was a Southern Song imperial clansman, minister, and scholar who helped enthroning Ningzong in the Shaoxi abdication and died…

Timeline

  1. 1140–1188Chongde Zhouqian · Chongde CountyFirst on the jinshi list in the second year of Qiandao (1166), he successively served as prefect of Xinzhou and Taizhou, then entered the capital as Vice Minister of Personnel. After Guangzong's accession in 1189 he was promoted to Academician of the Fuwen Pavilion and prefect of Fuzhou; in the second year of Shaoxi he was summoned as Minister of Personnel, participating in central decision-making as a senior imperial clansman.
  2. 1189–1194Lin'an · Lin'an PrefectureIn the fifth year of Shaoxi, Guangzong abdicated, and he and Han Tuozhou planned the enthronement of Ningzong. For this merit he was specially advanced to Right Chancellor and Commissioner of Military Affairs, recommended Zhu Xi as a palace lecturer, and recalled scholars then outside the capital. In 1191 he was transferred to head the Privy Council, working in concert with Liu Zheng to rectify court discipline.
  3. 1195–1196Hengzhou · HengzhouAfter the era name changed to Qingyuan in 1195, his conflict with Han Tuozhou intensified; impeached by Peng Guinian and others, he was dismissed as chancellor and made prefect of Fuzhou, then further demoted to Yongzhou. In the first month of 1196, while passing through Hengzhou, he was harassed by the local governor and died suddenly. After the Kaixi era his offices were posthumously restored, he was given the posthumous name Zhongding, and he was counted among the twenty-four meritorious ministers of the Zhaoxun Pavilion.

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