The era name is a major "invention" of China's feudal system. It is the exclusive name used by ancient emperors to commemorate their years and is considered a symbol of emperor's legitimacy. Different emperors need different reign names. Generally, the reign name of another emperor is not used, otherwise it will be regarded as a sign of vassalage and surrender. The earliest imperial chronology dates back to Liu Che, Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty. Since the beginning of Emperor Wu, emperors of all dynasties have generally had reign names. Until Yuan Shikai restored the monarchy, the "Hongxian" reign name he used was the last and shortest-lived. Emperor's reign. In the past, emperors did not have era names, but only years, such as the second year of King Wu of Zhou Dynasty. Before the Ming and Qing Dynasties, an emperor often had several reign names. Now let Le Hui and his friends see which emperor used the most reign names.
No.1 Wu Zhou Shengshen Emperor Wu Zetian - 18 reign names
The emperor who has used the most reign names in Chinese history is the only orthodox female emperor Wu Zetian in China. None other than (during the Tang Gaozong era, there was a civil uprising, and a female emperor, Chen Shuozhen, appeared). The oldest emperor (ascended the throne at the age of 67), during the Wuzhou period (690-705) when she was in power, she used fourteen reign titles: Tianshou, Ruyi, Changshou, Yanzai, Zhengsheng, and Tianshu Long live, long live Dengfeng, long live Tongtian, Shengong, Shengli, Jiushi, Dazu, Chang'an, Shenlong; what's more interesting is that in the third year of the Holy Calendar, Wu Zetian changed her reign name three times. This is unprecedented. If we add the four reign names during the imperial title system (683-690) in the name of the Queen Mother: Guangzhai, Chuigong, Yongchang, and Zaichu, within a period of only twenty-one years, there will be 18 of them. many.
No.2 Tang Gaozong Li Zhi—14 reign titles
Tang Gaozong Li Zhi was the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty. He once used the title of "Emperor" at the suggestion of Queen Wu Zetian, and Empress Wu Zetian is also known as the Two Saints, so it is known as the "Emperor of the Tang Dynasty" in history. He is the first emperor in Asia to create and adopt the "Emperor". Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty reigned for thirty-four years (649---683) and used 14 reign names: Yonghui, Xianqing, Longshuo, Linde, Qianfeng, Zongzhang, Xianheng, Shangyuan, Yifeng , Tiaolu, Yonglong, Kaiyao, Yongchun, Hongdao. Gaozong made great achievements in martial arts in the early period of his reign. He destroyed the Western Turks, expelled the Japanese from Baekje, and conquered Goguryeo. He helped Silla unify the Korean Peninsula and expanded the territory of the Tang Empire to the greatest extent. The economy was prosperous and the country was peaceful. It was known in history as the "Government of Yonghui".
No.3 Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty Liu Che - 11 reign titles
The earliest imperial title belongs to Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty Liu Che. The year Liu Che came to the throne (140 BC) was the first year of Jianyuan. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was very satisfied with his invention. During his more than fifty years in power, he used eleven reign names: Jianyuan, Yuanguang, Yuanshuo, Yuanshou, Yuanding, and Yuanfeng. , Taichu, Tianhan, Taishi, Yanhe (one is Zhenghe), Houyuan.
No.4 Song Renzong Zhao Zhen—9 reign titles
Song Renzong Zhao Zhen, the fourth emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty (reigned from 1023 to 1063). Benefiting from his first name, Song Zhenzong's sixth son was established as the crown prince in 1018 and named Zhao Zhen. He became emperor at the age of 13. He reigned for forty-one years and used nine reign titles: Tiansheng (1023-1032), Mingdao (1032-1033), and Jingyou (1034-1038). , Baoyuan (1038-1040), Kangding (1040-1041), Qingli (1041-1048), Huangyou (1049-1054), Zhihe (1054-1056), Jia You (1056-1063). In Renzong's dynasty, not only Bao Zheng appeared, but also "I have been praying for thousands of years, and Gai will show me once or twice". In "Yueyang Tower", he sang "Be worried about the world's worries first, and be happy after the world's happiness." Fan Zhongyan. Song Renzong once implemented the "Qingli New Deal" and appointed Fan Zhongyan and others to carry out reforms, but they failed to achieve full success. When he died, an obituary was sent to the hostile country of Liao, and it turned out that "people in the Yan territory cried regardless of their distance." Even the Emperor of Liao, Yelu Hongji, held the messenger's hand and cried bitterly: "I haven't seen the war for forty-two years." This shows Renzong's "benevolence".
No.5 Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty Liu Zhi—7 reigns
Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty Liu Zhi, the tenth emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty (reigned from 146 to 167), became emperor at the age of 15 During his 21-year reign, he changed the Yuan Dynasty seven times: in the second year after taking the throne, it was changed to Jianhe, three years later it was changed to Heping, only one year later it was changed to Yuanjia, three years later it was changed to Yongxing, two years later it was changed to Yongshou, four years later it was changed to Yuan It was changed to Yuan Yanxi, and ten years later it was changed to Yuan Yongkang. Due to the exclusive power of her relatives, the Empress Dowager Liang took control of the court and was basically a puppet emperor for the first 13 years. Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty not only had many emperors, but also many queens and maids. There were tens of thousands of maids in the harem. He successively ennobled three queens: Liang, Deng, and Dou. He had more than a dozen nobles and countless talented women. However, they only gave birth to three princesses for Emperor Huan but no heirs.
No.6 Jin Hui Emperor Sima Zhong - 7 reign titles
Jin Hui Emperor Sima Zhong (259-306), the second son of Jin Wu Emperor Sima Yan, the second in the Western Jin Dynasty The Dai emperor, who reigned from 290 to 306 AD, was a famous idiot emperor in history. During his tenure, the Ugly Queen Jia Nanfeng took power and the "Eight Kings Rebellion" occurred, which accelerated the demise of the Western Jin Dynasty. During his tenure, the Yuan Dynasty was changed seven times: Yongxi, Yongping, Yongkang, Yongning, Tai'an, Yongxing, and Guangxi.
No.7 Zhao Yun, Lizong of the Song Dynasty - 7 reign titles
Zhao Yun, a relative of the Southern Song Dynasty royal family but not a prince, the ninth grandson of Zhao Dezhao, the son of Zhao Kuangyin. After the death of his predecessor Zhao Kuo, Emperor Ningzong of the Song Dynasty, Prime Minister Shi Miyuan issued an imperial edict to depose the crown prince Zhao Hong and establish Guicheng as Emperor Lizong of the Song Dynasty, who reigned from 1224 to 1264 AD. *** has used the following 7 era names: Baoqing (1225-1227), Shaoding (1228-1233), Duanping (first year: 1233-last year: 1236), Chunyou (1241) -1252), Baoyou (1253-1258), Kaiqing (1259), Jingding (1260-1264). During Lizong's tenure in the Song Dynasty, the internal affairs were extremely corrupt. The Jin Dynasty was destroyed and the Meng Dynasty was advanced. With the new Mongolian Khan Kublai Khan moving his capital to Yanjing, he was intensifying his troops and advancing into the south of the Yangtze River, which indicated that the demise of the Southern Song Dynasty was imminent.
No.8 Zhao Ji, Huizong of the Song Dynasty - 6 reign titles
Zhao Ji, Huizong of the Song Dynasty, was the eighth emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty. Since his elder brother Zhezong of Song Dynasty had no children, he succeeded him after his death and reigned. 25 years (1100-1125). He is a famous calligraphy and painting emperor in history. He created the original "thin gold style" calligraphy. He is also a famous brothel emperor and has a secret meeting with Li Shishi, a famous prostitute in the capital who is both good at sex and art. In the end, he was captured and tortured to death due to the death of his country. During his 25 years in office, he has used 6 reign titles: Jianzhong Jingguo, Chongning, Daguan, Zhenghe, Chonghe, and Xuanhe.
In addition, there are many emperors who have five reign titles. For example, the last emperor of the Han Dynasty, the puppet emperor Han Xian Emperor Liu Xie, who reigned from 189 to 220 AD, used the names Yonghan, Yonghan, There are five era names of Chuping, Xingping, Jian'an and Yankang. Among them, the 25 years (196-220 years) when Cao Cao was held hostage were all named Jian'an. This should be seen more in the novel "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms". Legend has it that he is Sun Quan, the descendant of the Chinese military strategist Sun Wu and the founding emperor of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. Sun Quan was proclaimed King of Wu in 222 AD and officially proclaimed emperor in 229 AD. During his reign, Huang Wu was used by Huang Wu (during the period when he was called King of Wu). There are five era names: , Huanglong, Jiahe, Chiwu and Taiyuan. When Song Taizong Zhao Guangyi reigned from 976 to 997 AD, he used five reign titles: Taiping Xingguo, Yongxi, Duangong, Chunhua, and Zhidao. When Song Zhenzong Zhao Heng reigned from 997 to 1022 AD, he used five reign titles: Xianping, Jingde, Dazhong Xiangfu, Tianxi and Qianxing.
Too many era names will inevitably lead to confusion in the chronology. Therefore, from the Ming to the Qing Dynasty, successive emperors only used one reign name from the time they ascended the throne to their death (except for Zhu Qizhen, the Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty, who reigned twice from 1436 to 1449 and 1457 to 1464, using Zhengtong and Tianshun respectively. Year name), this makes it possible to use the year name to address the emperor. For example, although Xuanye, the holy ancestor of the Qing Dynasty, reigned for sixty-one years, he was the longest reigning emperor among all Chinese emperors, and his reign name "Kangxi" was also the longest-used reign title in Chinese history. People also called him Emperor Kangxi by his reign.
There are many other similar ones: Emperor Gaozong Hongli of the Qing Dynasty, who has been in power for sixty years and is known as the "Old Man of Perfection" and "Qianlong" (reign name); Emperor Shenzong Zhu Yijun of the Ming Dynasty is the longest-reigning emperor in the history of the Ming Dynasty (48 years) , reign name Wanli, known as Emperor Wanli in history; Ming Shizong Zhu Houcong, who reigned for 45 years, had reign name Jiajing, this is the famous Jiajing Emperor in history who almost lost his harem. Because these emperors had no new ideas in their reign names, it is precisely because of this that people today can remember their reign names so clearly, but they often do not know their names, posthumous titles, and temple names