Reign

As the young emperor's regent, Grand Empress Dowager Gao appointed conservatives such as Sima Guang as Chancellor, who halted the New Policies set forth by Wang Anshi before dying in 1086. Emperor Zhezong was powerless and it was not until Grand Empress Dowager Gao's death in 1093 that the emperor was able to reinstate Wang Anshi's reforms and reduce the late Sima Guang's influence.

Emperor Zhezong lowered taxes, stopped negotiations with the Tangut-led Western Xia state, and resumed armed conflict which eventually forced Western Xia to enter a more peaceful stance with the Song Empire. However, Emperor Zhezong was unable to stop fighting between conservative members of his government and the more liberal members who supported Wang Anshi's reforms and in fact, the fighting intensified during Emperor Zhezong's reign. This split would eventually contribute to the Northern Song dynasty's demise in the 12th century.

On May 18, 1099, Zhezong became ill in which the symptoms were constant coughing and constipation. Zhezong did not get any better, even though he had taken many medications and so Zhezong asked his councilors to recommend physicians. Geng Yu, an physician who was recommended advised Zhezong and even though Zhezong followed his directions, there were no signs of him getting better.

On July, his constipation was replaced by severe diarrhea and Zhezong could not get up from his bed to receive medicine. Geng recommended spleen-warming pills, an action Zhezong's mother supported.

The coolness of the weather improved Zhezong's health; making him well enough to attend the celebration of his son Zhao Mao on August 8. But his illness returned so Zhezong cancelled his audiences for two days. When he saw his councillors on August 14, he told them that Geng gave him medicine to induce vomiting. He was slightly better but his appetite was gone and his belly constantly ached. Zhezong attended the banquet in honor of his son, in which he was in a very good mood and that his younger brother Zhao Ji also attended. However, Zhao Mao became sick. Zhezong, now in a bad mood due to his son's illness told his councillors that the royal doctors were treating Zhao Mao. On September 26, Zhao Mao was getting better but soon died making Zhezong cancelling his audiences for three days. His birthday was a great celebration but was cut short when after the birthday party, he fell ill and was vomiting all day long. He also contracted laryngitis and could only speak with great effort. By December 21, Zhezong was close to death; he had a weak pulse.

Emperor Zhezong died on February 23, 1100 in Kaifeng at the age of 23 and was succeeded by his younger brother, Emperor Huizong.

Family

Consorts and issue:

• Empress Zhaoci, of the Meng clan (昭慈皇后 孟氏; 1073–1131)

　• Princess Xunmei (洵美帝姬; 1094–1096), first daughter

• Empress Zhaohuai, of the Liu clan (昭怀皇后 刘氏; 1078–1113), personal name Qingjing (清菁)

　• Princess Shushen (淑慎帝姬; 1096–1164), third daughter

　　• Married Pan Zhengfu (潘正夫; d. 1153) in 1112, and had issue (three sons)

　• Princess Chunmei (纯美帝姬; 1097–1099), fourth daughter

　• Zhao Mao, Crown Prince Xianmin (献愍皇太子 赵茂; 1099), first son

• Unknown

　• Princess Shuhe (淑和帝姬; d. 1117), second daughter

　　• Married Shi Duanli (石端礼) in 1110

Ancestry

生平经历

早年

宋哲宗生于熙宁九年（1076年）十二月七日，初名佣。十年（1077年）十二月，授特进、检校太尉、天平军节度使、封均国公。元丰五年（1081年），迁开府仪同三司、彰武军节度使，进封延安郡王。元丰七年（1084年）三月，逢神宗于集英殿宴请群臣，延安郡王陪同，因举止有度，宰相于是恭贺神宗。元丰八年（1085年）二月，神宗病重，银青光禄大夫、尚书左仆射兼门下侍郎王圭请建储君，并建议由皇太后暂时垂帘听政。神宗同意后，当年三月，皇太后在福宁殿垂帘，将延安郡王为神宗祈福的手抄佛经出示给宰相等人。于是，奉制立延安郡王为皇太子，改名煦。最初，太子宫中常有红光。此后，红光更如火光一般。

登基

元丰八年（1085年）三月初五日，神宗驾崩，皇太子即皇帝位。次日，大赦天下，并遣使告丧于辽国。初七，尊高太后为太皇太后，向皇后为皇太后，生母德妃朱氏为皇太妃。并由宰相王圭为山陵使，营建神宗陵寝。三月二十一日，由于群臣再三请求，哲宗才正式与太皇太后一同听政。

哲宗登基时，只有9岁，由高太皇太后执政。高太皇太后执政后，任用保守派大臣司马光为宰相，「凡熙宁以来政事弗便者，次第罢之」。司马光上台后，不顾一切尽罢新法（熙宁变法），「举而仰听于太皇太后」。宋哲宗对此感到不满。

亲政

元佑八年（1093年）九月，高太皇太后去世。十月，哲宗亲政。哲宗亲政后表明绍述，追贬司马光，并贬谪苏轼、苏辙等旧党党人于岭南（今广西、广东、海南），接著重用革新派如章敦、曾布等，恢复王安石变法中的保甲法、免役法、青苗法等，减轻农民负担，使国势有所起色。次年改元「绍圣」，并停止与西夏谈判，多次出兵讨伐西夏，迫使西夏向宋朝乞和。

病逝

宋哲宗自幼时有严重的肺结核，在当时已形成不治之症。元符二年（1099年）九月至十月时，其子女连续夭折，哲宗十分悲伤。元符三年正月，哲宗开始病重，无法上朝。同月十二日（1100年2月23日），崩于福宁殿。

废后争议

绍圣三年（1096年）章敦以巫蛊诅咒的罪名，要求宋哲宗废宣仁太后所立的孟皇后，改立刘皇后，连宋哲宗都大叹：「章敦坏我名节！」。《宋史》的记载方式令后人感觉孟皇后没有行巫蛊，是被诬害，宫人口供也是被梁从政屈打成招的。但《续资治通鉴长编拾补》却有整段关于孟皇后及亲属行巫蛊的细节。

评价

正面评价

• 以章敦为相，主持恢复熙丰新法，史称「绍述」，北宋国力因而得以恢复发展，更取得对西夏的多次战略性军事胜利。

• 元朝官修正史《宋史》脱脱等的评价是：「哲宗以冲幼践阼，宣仁同政。初年召用马、吕诸贤，罢青苗，复常平，登俊良，辟言路，天下人心，翕然向治。而元佑之政，庶几仁宗。奈何熙、丰旧奸枿去未尽，已而媒蘖复用，卒假绍述之言，务反前政，报复善良，驯致党籍祸兴，君子尽斥，而宋政益敝矣。吁，可惜哉！」

负面评价

• 哲宗是北宋较有作为的皇帝。不过在新党与旧党之间的党争始终未能获得解决，反而在宋哲宗当政期间激化，多少造成朝廷的动荡。

• 哲宗亲政后，绝大部分支持司马光的旧党党人都被放逐，甚至于贬到岭南等蛮荒地区；宰相章敦也进行言论控制，设立元佑提制局等单位对于反对新法的言论加以控制，甚至于在宫廷内部兴狱。

身后之事

1100年正月，宋哲宗患病，不数日死去，二月十日开工建陵，限五月十日完工。宋哲宗停丧七个月，于八月下葬永泰陵。陵台今日尚有17米高，底边每边长约50米，陵台正北有一段神墙残存，高约4米，是现今宋陵仅存的神墙遗迹。陵前石刻雕像还有11件保存完好，仅缺「象奴」一件（完整的为12件），以「象」的刻制最为生动完美，有「东陵狮子、西陵象」的说法。「西陵」就是指的永泰陵与东边的永裕陵相对。皇后刘氏陪葬在陵台西北，相距不足20米。永泰陵正西四五十米处，有哲宗第四女杨国公主墓。

仅石材一项，石匠就有4600多人，采用的各种石材达3万多块，调用民工、役兵超过1万人，山陵使章淳等官员督工急，民工们不堪虐待，纷纷逃亡，工地上饥饿、病、累而死的日日不断，死者多被弃尸荒野乱石之中。《采石场碑记》记载说：「居山土人皆云，至久积阴晦，常闻山中有若声役之歌者，意其不幸横夭者，沉魂未得解脱逍遥而然乎」。

1130年，刘齐政府盗掘北宋陵寝，陵上建筑被破坏殆尽，陵内洗劫一空。永泰陵的水晶注子卖到杭州。元朝初年，此陵再次遭劫。

家庭

祖先

妻

• 昭慈圣献皇后孟氏，绍圣三年废

• 昭怀皇后刘氏

妃嫔

• 婕妤张氏

• 婕妤胡氏

• 美人韩氏

• 美人慕容氏

• 美人魏氏

• 美人高氏

• 才人刘氏

子女

子

• 献愍太子赵茂，母昭怀皇后刘氏，出生二个月后夭折。

女

• 邓国公主，母昭慈圣献皇后孟氏，三岁而薨。

• 陈国公主，母不详，大观四年，下嫁石端礼，政和七年亡。

• 秦国康懿长公主，母昭怀皇后刘氏，隆兴二年亡。

• 扬国公主，母昭怀皇后刘氏，三岁而薨。

授予官职

宰相

• 王圭

• 蔡确

• 韩缜

• 司马光

• 吕公著

• 文彦博

• 吕大防

• 范纯仁

• 刘挚

• 苏颂

• 章敦

副相

• 李清臣

• 韩维

• 王存

• 孙固

• 胡宗愈

• 韩忠彦

• 傅尧俞

• 许将

• 苏辙

• 郑雍

• 梁焘

• 邓润甫

• 安焘

• 蔡卞

• 黄履