Conflict with the Northern Song dynasty

Emperor Shengzong succeeded his father, Emperor Jingzong, at the age of 12 in 982. As he was too young to rule at the time, his mother, Empress Dowager Xiao, became the regent.

Emperor Taizong of the Northern Song dynasty sought to take advantage of the situation by launching an invasion on the Liao dynasty's southern capital (present-day Beijing) in the contentious Sixteen Prefectures in 986. Three large Song armies were sent to three different strategic locations on the approach to the southern capital. While initially successful, the young Emperor Shengzong, along with Empress Dowager Xiao, led an army of Liao cavalry to counter the enemy and defeated the Song forces at the Battle of the Qigou Pass in June. Empress Dowager Xiao appointed Yelü Xiuge as her senior general to continue attacks on the Song dynasty in retaliation until the following year.

In 1004, the Liao dynasty carried out a large-scale invasion of Song territory, camping out in the town of Shanyuan, about 100 miles north of the Song capital of Kaifeng. This resulted in the Treaty of Shanyuan, signed in mid-January 1005. According to this treaty, the Song dynasty would pay an annual tribute of 200,000 bolts of silk and 100,000 taels of silver to the Liao dynasty in exchange for peace. This arrangement would remain in place with modifications until the end of the Liao dynasty, and in fact, the Jurchens could continue this arrangement with the Song dynasty with the founding of their Jin dynasty.

Examination system

Emperor Shengzong also institutionalised state examinations for the selection of officials, which was done in 988, based on models used by the Han Chinese-led Tang and Song dynasties. Despite the importance of the return of the examination system, it initially only opened the road for very small numbers, as only three to five were awarded initially, and the number only increased to between 30 and 130 candidates passing the triennial exams by 1014.

Most jinshi degree holders were not even appointed to office, as Khitan aristocrats were far more likely to receive appointments. Khitan people receiving appointments did so specifically through patronage, as they were expressly prohibited from taking the examinations.

Spread of Buddhism

Emperor Shengzong began the active patronage of Buddhism, rebuilding temples such as the Monastery of Solitary Joy. Within a century of his reign, an estimated 10% of the Liao population were Buddhist monks or nuns, though this figure may have been exaggerated. While the Khitans did not associate Buddhism with the Chinese people because it was seen more as a Uyghur religion and thus not the religion of the Chinese, whom they saw as inferior, what is not clear is the extent that Buddhism penetrated the Khitan population, as the bulk of Buddhist shrines and temples were located in the southern part of the domains of the Liao where the largely Chinese sedentary population resided. There is evidence to suggest that the Khitan populace maintained their animistic belief systems along with their rituals.

Innovations

During the rule of Emperor Shengzong, the Liao dynasty instituted feudal reform, spurring its economy. Prior to this, it had depended on territorial expansion, slavery and thievery. Under Emperor Shengzong's rule, most slaves were liberated, becoming normal members of society. The most important parts of the economy from then on were animal husbandry, particularly horse and sheep raising, as well as agriculture and fishing. During Emperor Shengzong's reign, the Liao dynasty enjoyed peace and prosperity, so it is widely praised that Emperor Shengzong's reign was a golden age of the Liao dynasty

Goryeo-Khitan Wars

• Goryeo-Khitan Wars

Family

Consorts and Issue:

• Empress Xiao (萧氏), later demoted to Noble Consort (贵妃)

• Empress Xiao Pusage (萧菩萨哥; 983–1032), a niece of Xiao Chuo

• Consort Xiao Noujin (萧耨斤; d. 1057), honoured as Empress Qin'ai (钦哀皇后)

　• Eldest son Yelü Zongzhen (耶律宗真; 1016–1055), later Emperor Xingzong of Liao

　• Second son Yelü Zongyuan (耶律宗元; 1021–1063)

　• Second daughter Yelü Yanmu (耶律岩母)

　• Third daughter Yelü Shuogu (耶律槊古)

• Consort Xiao (萧氏; 970–993), Noble Consort (贵妃)

　• Eldest daughter Yelü Yange (耶律燕哥; b. 990)

• Consort Xiao (萧氏; d. 1017), Virtuous Consort (德妃)

• Consort Geng (耿氏), Shuyi (淑仪)

　• Sixth son Yelü Zongyuan (耶律宗愿; 1008–1072)

• Lady Xiao (萧氏)

　• Fourth daughter Yelü Cuiba (耶律崔八; d. 1030)

　• Fifth daughter Yelü Taoge (耶律陶哥)

• Lady Xiao (萧氏)

　• Sixth daughter Yelü Dianni (耶律钿匿)

• Lady Ma (马氏)

　• Seventh daughter Yelü Jiuge (耶律九哥)

• Lady Da (大氏)

　• Eighth daughter Yelü Changshou (耶律长寿)

• Lady Bai (白氏)

　• Ninth daughter Yelü Bage (耶律八哥)

　• Tenth daughter Yelü Shige (耶律十哥)

　• 11th daughter Yelü Baishi (耶律擘失)

　• 12th daughter Yelü Taige (耶律泰哥)

• Lady Li (李氏)

　• 13th daughter Yelü Saige (耶律赛哥)

• Lady Ai (艾氏)

　• 14th daughter Yelü Xingge (耶律兴哥)

• Lady Puhuai (仆槐氏)

　• Fourth son Yelü Zongxun (耶律宗训)

　• Fifth son Yelü Zongwei (耶律宗伟)

• Unknown

　• Third son Yelü Zongjian (耶律宗简; d. 1050)

Ancestry

生平

遼聖宗即位前曾被封為梁王。乾亨四年（982年）九月壬子（10月13日），遼景宗去世，次日，耶律隆緒登基，即遼聖宗。

他即位時，年12歲，皇太后蕭燕燕臨朝。983年改元統和，並將國號「大遼」改為「大契丹」。統和四年（986年），立皇后蕭氏。蕭太后執政期間，進行了改革，並且勵精圖治，注重農桑，興修水利，減少賦稅，整頓吏治，訓練軍隊，使百姓富裕，國勢強盛。統和九年（991年）滅亡渤海殘餘定安國，統和二十二年（1004年）遼聖宗與宋真宗達成澶淵之盟。

統和二十七年（1009年）聖宗全面親政後，遼朝（契丹）已進入鼎盛，基本上延續蕭太后執政時的遼朝風貌，並且還反對嚴刑峻法，不給貪官可乘之機。在位其間四方征戰，進入遼朝疆域的頂峰。

晚年時，遼聖宗迷信佛教，窮途奢侈，遼國勢走向下坡路。遼聖宗死於太平十一年六月初三日（1031年6月25日），終年61歲，葬於慶雲山。謚號為文武大孝宣肅景皇帝，廟號為聖宗。《遼史》贊語：「遼之諸帝，在位長久，令名（美名）無窮，其唯（遼）聖宗乎！」

后妃子女

皇后

• 廢后蕭氏，因罪降為貴妃，《遼史·列傳第一·后妃》無載。

• 皇后蕭菩薩哥，遼聖宗母親蕭綽的侄女

• 元妃蕭耨斤，與蕭菩薩哥來自不同的家族，生遼興宗耶律宗真，第二女耶律岩母、第三女耶律槊古，追謚欽哀皇后

妃嬪

• 貴妃蕭氏，蕭排押長女，生兩女一子，兒子夭折。僅知一女是遼聖宗長女耶律燕哥。多倫遼代貴妃墓出土墓誌"故貴妃蕭氏玄堂志銘"。統和四年(986年)入遼聖宗後宮。統和九年(991年)，蕭氏冊封貴妃。統和十一年(993年)，蕭貴妃逝世，年二十四歲。葬於今內蒙古多倫縣。

• 德妃蕭氏，開泰六年（1017年）六月初一被賜死

• 淑儀耿氏，《遼史》記為姜氏，生耶律侯古（耶律宗願）

• 麗儀馬氏，《遼史》記開泰二年（1013年）春正月，馬氏為麗儀，耿氏為淑儀，尚寢白氏為昭儀，尚服李氏為順儀，尚功艾氏為芳儀，尚書孫氏為和儀。耿淑儀為皇子耶律侯古（耶律宗願）母，同時除孫氏外，其他妃嬪姓氏與公主生母姓氏重疊，疑與馬氏為同一人。此次冊封中沒有出現的皇子耶律吳哥的生母僕隗氏、公主生母大氏及兩位蕭氏。其中，僕隗氏的民族不詳，大氏是常見的渤海國姓氏。兩位蕭氏中，一位來自契丹蕭氏，另一位可能也如此。馬氏、耿氏、白氏、李氏、艾氏、孫氏則為漢族常見姓氏，其中耿淑儀是漢族和契丹族後裔。

• 昭儀白氏，原為尚寢，疑與白氏為同一人，理由同馬麗儀

• 順儀李氏，原為尚服，疑與李氏為同一人，理由同馬麗儀

• 芳儀艾氏，原為尚功，疑與艾氏為同一人，理由同馬麗儀

• 和儀孫氏，原為尚書，開泰二年（1013年）春正月，與馬麗儀等同封

• 僕隗氏 生耶律吳哥、耶律狗兒

• 蕭氏 國舅夷離畢房之女，生第四女耶律崔八、第五女耶律陶哥。

• 蕭氏 生第六女耶律鈿匿。

• 馬氏 生第七女耶律九哥。

• 大氏 生第八女耶律長壽。

• 白氏 生第九女耶律八哥、第十女耶律十哥、第十一女耶律擘失、第十二女耶律泰哥。

• 李氏 生第十三女耶律賽哥。

• 艾氏 生第十四女耶律興哥。

• 芳儀李氏，傳南唐元宗李璟之女，被遼朝所俘，成為聖宗嬪妃。真實性存疑。

子女

• 諸子（根據記載，包括早夭的兒子，遼聖宗至少有十子。另蕭貴妃所生之子（987年至993年間出生、夭折）與佛寶奴是否為同一人已不可考。）

　• 某子，佛寶奴，生母不詳，統和七年（989年）出生

　• 某子，名不詳，皇后蕭菩薩哥所生

　• 某子，名不詳，皇后蕭菩薩哥所生

　• 名義上的第一子，遼興宗耶律宗真，1016年生，母順聖元妃蕭耨斤

　• 某子，耶律屬思，生母不詳，1017年九月生，遼聖宗為此子大赦，其餘無記載。

　• 名義上的第二子，耶律宗元，1021年生，母順聖元妃蕭耨斤

　• 名義上的第三子，耶律宗簡，生母不詳，最早記錄在1018年

　• 名義上的第四子，耶律宗訓，母僕槐氏，最早記錄在1013年

　• 名義上的第五子，耶律宗偉，母僕槐氏，最早記錄在1018年

　• 名義上的第六子，耶律宗願，1008年或1009年生，母耿淑儀

• 諸女（《遼史·公主表》記十四女，漏記蕭貴妃所生之女。）

　• 長女耶律燕哥

　• 第二女耶律岩母

　• 第三女耶律槊古

　• 第四女耶律崔八

　• 第五女耶律陶哥

　• 第六女耶律鈿匿

　• 第七女耶律九哥

　• 第八女耶律長壽

　• 第九女耶律八哥

　• 第十女耶律十哥

　• 第十一女耶律擘失

　• 第十二女耶律泰哥

　• 第十三女耶律賽哥

　• 第十四女耶律興哥

評價

• 元朝官修正史《遼史》脫脫等的評價是：「聖宗幼衝嗣位，政出慈闈。及宋人二道來攻，親御甲冑，一舉而複燕、雲，破信、彬，再舉而躪河、朔，不亦偉歟！既而侈心一啟，佳兵不祥，東有茶、陀之敗，西有甘州之喪，此狃于常勝之過也。然其踐阼四十九年，理冤滯，舉才行，察貪殘，抑奢僣，錄死事之子孫，振諸部之貧乏，責迎合不忠之罪，卻高麗女樂之歸。遼之諸帝，在位長久，令名無窮，其唯聖宗乎！」

註釋