Zhao Kuangyin

Also known as Songtai Zu · Tai Zu

Zhao Kuangyin, whose family came from Zhuo commandery, was born in 927 at the Jiama barracks in Luoyang, the son of the palace-army officer Zhao Hongyin. He joined Guo Wei under the Later Han and, under Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou, won distinction at Gaoping and rose to command the palace guard. In 960, marching north, he was acclaimed emperor by his troops at Chenqiao and returned to replace the Zhou, naming his dynasty Song with the reign title Jianlong. In 961 he persuaded Shi Shouxin and other generals over wine to give up their commands, then put civil officials over prefectures and stripped regional governors of revenue and troops. Taking the south first, he conquered Jingnan, Hunan, Later Shu, Southern Han and Southern Tang, though Northern Han held out. He died suddenly in the tenth month of 976, was succeeded by his brother Zhao Guangyi and received the temple name Taizu. The monk Wenying's notes describe the two brothers drinking the night before, leaving his death an open question.