The novel Dongpo Poetry written anonymously in the Qing Dynasty describes Renzong's rule in this way: "In the heyday of the Song Dynasty, Renzong was the emperor of the world. This generation of kings, humble and inaction, tolerant and wise, all over the world, eight barren and calm, scholars, farmers, businessmen and people, civil and military loyalty. The truth is: saints have the way of Tang Shiyu, and the sun and the moon are selfless. " This represents the position of "benevolent government" in people's minds for hundreds of years.
Zhao was the longest-serving emperor in the Northern Song Dynasty, lasting 42 years. This once reached the social, economic and cultural peak of the Northern Song Dynasty and even the feudal dynasty of China. Because of his frequent reforms, the last eight years of his rule were called "the rule of Jia You", and some later generations called his whole period "the rule of Ren Zongsheng". Compared with the powerful Han Dynasty and the prosperous Tang Dynasty, this enlightened way of ruling the world left its own unique mark.
The first decade after Injong ascended the throne was the period when Queen Liu E listened to politics. In the first year of Ganxing (1022), when Zhao Zhen succeeded to Zhenzong, the Northern Song Dynasty Empire was full of false auspiciousness and superstition under the encouragement and control of several treacherous officials such as Wang Qinruo and Ding Weisong. At that time, he was only thirteen years old. In the will of Zhenzong, Liu "had the right to dispose of military affairs".
In the first year of Tiansheng (1023), the court changed its name to Tiansheng, which means "double saints". This political pattern appeared for the first time in the history of the Northern Song Dynasty. Zhao Zhen's order to bury the heavenly book Xiangrui was forged by Zhenzong, indicating that we should set things right in the concept of governing the country. In the past ten years, mother and son have struggled and cooperated, made great efforts to manage the crisis, and revived politics, economy, society, culture and other aspects, which can be said to have brought this building to the brink of collapse.
Zhao Allah was in power for more than 30 years, which truly realized the unparalleled "Renzong era" different from the strong Han Dynasty and the prosperous Tang Dynasty.
Wang Fuzhi, a great scholar in the early Qing Dynasty, said in On the Song Dynasty: "Renzong is called the imperial edict, and those who hear it today envy it. The emperor was kind and thrifty, and the ministers who slaughtered Taiwan Province's attendants were all so-called gentlemen, so it should be. "
The Song Dynasty became the second period of academic freedom in the history of China since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. For the first time in the Song Dynasty, there were signs of the confluence of craftsman tradition and philosophical tradition. Four famous academies in Song Dynasty (Yuelu Academy, Bailudong Academy, Ehu Academy and Songyang Academy) became holy places for Confucian disciples to learn culture. "Daolin 300, Academy 1000". Song Renzong Zhao Zhen likes to study and worship Confucian classics. For the first time, Zhao Zhen put The Analects of Confucius and The Doctrine of the Mean in Mencius University together for students to learn. Four Books and Five Classics are compulsory courses for imperial academy. The highest military institution is called the martial arts school, which is equivalent to a military university. Song also has specialized science and technology schools, such as arithmetic and medicine. In addition, there were a large number of learning places in the Song Dynasty, such as home schools, libraries, bookstores and so on. "Every lane must have one or two. I often hear the sound of chanting. " When you are older than you, there are people who choose from the first supplementary middle school occasionally. "In the Southern Song Dynasty, there were 1700 students in the Imperial College, which used to be the official residence of Yue Fei. The Imperial College has dormitories and stadiums. College candidates come from all directions. The admission ratio is 3%-6%. Imperial academy implements the five-year three-shed system. Those who have just entered imperial academy are studying in the outer dormitory. One year later, those who passed the study entered the inner dormitory for two years. Those who pass the study will be promoted to the upper dormitory. Study in the upper house for two years, and those who pass the exam will graduate. The meals of college students are completely arranged by the government, and each student will spend about 3 thousand yuan a year. The Song government only gave the students of Taixue College food expenses, which cost more than 5 million yuan every year. Rejuvenating the country through science and education not only promotes the prosperity of science and technology, commerce, literature and art, but also promotes the pluralistic thinking of politics and the establishment of democratic and enlightened political revenge ideological factions.
British historian Toynbee said: "If I had a choice, I would like to live in the Song Dynasty in China." China scholar Yu also said, "The dynasty I yearn for most is the Song Dynasty."
The reason why the Song Dynasty didn't pour the power of the whole country, and the wealth of the whole people countered Liao and Xixia, was to learn the lessons of Emperor Yangdi and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. What you got from the war aggression is far less than what you created. The enlightened policy made the people of Song Dynasty get rid of the three "disasters" of war, military service and exorbitant taxes for a long time. Make the Song people live a rich and comfortable life for a long time. For example, Qin died of tyranny, Han died of war, Sui died of military service, and Tang died of separatism. So Song died of ease.
Injong reigned for 42 years and died with an obituary to Liao. "People on the Yan border, no matter how far away, will cry." Even Lu Ye Hongji, the emperor of Liao, held the hand of the messenger and lamented, "I didn't know about the military revolution for 42 years." ("Shao Hearing Record") is really a veritable "Renzong". Zhao Zhen of Song Renzong is one of the most outstanding monarchs in a generation of virtues.