生平

辽圣宗即位前曾被封为梁王。乾亨四年（982年）九月壬子（10月13日），辽景宗去世，次日，耶律隆绪登基，即辽圣宗。

他即位时，年12岁，皇太后萧燕燕临朝。983年改元统和，并将国号「大辽」改为「大契丹」。统和四年（986年），立皇后萧氏。萧太后执政期间，进行了改革，并且励精图治，注重农桑，兴修水利，减少赋税，整顿吏治，训练军队，使百姓富裕，国势强盛。统和九年（991年）灭亡渤海残馀定安国，统和二十二年（1004年）辽圣宗与宋真宗达成澶渊之盟。

统和二十七年（1009年）圣宗全面亲政后，辽朝（契丹）已进入鼎盛，基本上延续萧太后执政时的辽朝风貌，并且还反对严刑峻法，不给贪官可乘之机。在位其间四方征战，进入辽朝疆域的顶峰。

晚年时，辽圣宗迷信佛教，穷途奢侈，辽国势走向下坡路。辽圣宗死于太平十一年六月初三日（1031年6月25日），终年61岁，葬于庆云山。谥号为文武大孝宣肃景皇帝，庙号为圣宗。《辽史》赞语：「辽之诸帝，在位长久，令名（美名）无穷，其唯（辽）圣宗乎！」

后妃子女

皇后

• 废后萧氏，因罪降为贵妃，《辽史·列传第一·后妃》无载。

• 皇后萧菩萨哥，辽圣宗母亲萧绰的侄女

• 元妃萧耨斤，与萧菩萨哥来自不同的家族，生辽兴宗耶律宗真，第二女耶律岩母、第三女耶律槊古，追谥钦哀皇后

妃嫔

• 贵妃萧氏，萧排押长女，生两女一子，儿子夭折。仅知一女是辽圣宗长女耶律燕哥。多伦辽代贵妃墓出土墓志"故贵妃萧氏玄堂志铭"。统和四年(986年)入辽圣宗后宫。统和九年(991年)，萧氏册封贵妃。统和十一年(993年)，萧贵妃逝世，年二十四岁。葬于今内蒙古多伦县。

• 德妃萧氏，开泰六年（1017年）六月初一被赐死

• 淑仪耿氏，《辽史》记为姜氏，生耶律侯古（耶律宗愿）

• 丽仪马氏，《辽史》记开泰二年（1013年）春正月，马氏为丽仪，耿氏为淑仪，尚寝白氏为昭仪，尚服李氏为顺仪，尚功艾氏为芳仪，尚书孙氏为和仪。耿淑仪为皇子耶律侯古（耶律宗愿）母，同时除孙氏外，其他妃嫔姓氏与公主生母姓氏重叠，疑与马氏为同一人。此次册封中没有出现的皇子耶律吴哥的生母仆隗氏、公主生母大氏及两位萧氏。其中，仆隗氏的民族不详，大氏是常见的渤海国姓氏。两位萧氏中，一位来自契丹萧氏，另一位可能也如此。马氏、耿氏、白氏、李氏、艾氏、孙氏则为汉族常见姓氏，其中耿淑仪是汉族和契丹族后裔。

• 昭仪白氏，原为尚寝，疑与白氏为同一人，理由同马丽仪

• 顺仪李氏，原为尚服，疑与李氏为同一人，理由同马丽仪

• 芳仪艾氏，原为尚功，疑与艾氏为同一人，理由同马丽仪

• 和仪孙氏，原为尚书，开泰二年（1013年）春正月，与马丽仪等同封

• 仆隗氏 生耶律吴哥、耶律狗儿

• 萧氏 国舅夷离毕房之女，生第四女耶律崔八、第五女耶律陶哥。

• 萧氏 生第六女耶律钿匿。

• 马氏 生第七女耶律九哥。

• 大氏 生第八女耶律长寿。

• 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 生第十三女耶律赛哥。

• 艾氏 生第十四女耶律兴哥。

• 芳仪李氏，传南唐元宗李璟之女，被辽朝所俘，成为圣宗嫔妃。真实性存疑。

子女

• 诸子（根据记载，包括早夭的儿子，辽圣宗至少有十子。另萧贵妃所生之子（987年至993年间出生、夭折）与佛宝奴是否为同一人已不可考。）

　• 某子，佛宝奴，生母不详，统和七年（989年）出生

　• 某子，名不详，皇后萧菩萨哥所生

　• 某子，名不详，皇后萧菩萨哥所生

　• 名义上的第一子，辽兴宗耶律宗真，1016年生，母顺圣元妃萧耨斤

　• 某子，耶律属思，生母不详，1017年九月生，辽圣宗为此子大赦，其馀无记载。

　• 名义上的第二子，耶律宗元，1021年生，母顺圣元妃萧耨斤

　• 名义上的第三子，耶律宗简，生母不详，最早记录在1018年

　• 名义上的第四子，耶律宗训，母仆槐氏，最早记录在1013年

　• 名义上的第五子，耶律宗伟，母仆槐氏，最早记录在1018年

　• 名义上的第六子，耶律宗愿，1008年或1009年生，母耿淑仪

• 诸女（《辽史·公主表》记十四女，漏记萧贵妃所生之女。）

　• 长女耶律燕哥

　• 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

　• 第六女耶律钿匿

　• 第七女耶律九哥

　• 第八女耶律长寿

　• 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

　• 第十三女耶律赛哥

　• 第十四女耶律兴哥

评价

• 元朝官修正史《辽史》脱脱等的评价是：「圣宗幼冲嗣位，政出慈闱。及宋人二道来攻，亲御甲胄，一举而复燕、云，破信、彬，再举而躏河、朔，不亦伟欤！既而侈心一启，佳兵不祥，东有茶、陀之败，西有甘州之丧，此狃于常胜之过也。然其践阼四十九年，理冤滞，举才行，察贪残，抑奢僭，录死事之子孙，振诸部之贫乏，责迎合不忠之罪，却高丽女乐之归。辽之诸帝，在位长久，令名无穷，其唯圣宗乎！」

注释

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