A Kingdom in Crisis: The Troubled Reign of Emperor Gaozong
The year 1127 marked one of the most humiliating chapters in Chinese imperial history – the Jingkang Incident when the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty captured Emperor Huizong and Emperor Qinzong of Song. Amid this catastrophe, Zhao Gou, the ninth son of Emperor Huizong, ascended the throne as Emperor Gaozong, establishing the Southern Song dynasty that would endure for another 152 years.
Gaozong’s 36-year reign (1127-1162) became defined by appeasement policies toward the Jin dynasty. He relied heavily on the controversial chancellor Qin Hui, recalled military commanders from the field, executed the patriotic general Yue Fei, and signed the humiliating Shaoxing Peace Accord that required annual tribute payments to Jin. These decisions stemmed from Gaozong’s traumatic experiences during the Jin invasion – particularly an incident in 1129 when he reportedly suffered sexual dysfunction after being startled during intimate relations upon hearing of an approaching Jin attack.
The Succession Dilemma: A Kingdom Without an Heir
The emperor’s inability to produce a male heir created a dynastic crisis. His only biological son, Zhao Fu, died at age three during a palace coup in 1129. With no direct descendants, Gaozong faced mounting pressure to select an heir from collateral imperial lines. This situation mirrored the Northern Song dynasty’s earlier succession crisis when Emperor Renzong adopted the future Emperor Yingzong from a cadet branch.
In 1132, after consulting dreams and divinations, Gaozong decided to follow Renzong’s precedent by selecting from descendants of Song Taizu (the dynasty’s founder), whose line had lost the throne to Taizu’s brother’s descendants generations earlier. Officials identified 1,645 eligible Taizu descendants, eventually narrowing the choice to two boys: the robust Zhao Bozong (later renamed Zhao Shen) and the slender Zhao Bojiu.
The Virginity Test: An Unorthodox Method for Choosing an Heir
By 1160, after nearly three decades of indecision, Gaozong devised an unconventional method to determine his successor. He sent twenty virgins – ten to each candidate’s residence – to test their self-restraint. When the women were later examined, those sent to Zhao Shen (then called Zhao Wei) remained untouched, while Zhao Bojiu had consummated relations with all of his. This became the deciding factor in Gaozong’s choice.
Historical records suggest multiple factors influenced the final decision beyond the infamous test:
1. Zhao Shen had received superior education in the palace’s Zishan Hall academy
2. His frugal habits aligned with Gaozong’s post-invasion sensibilities
3. Key supporters included Empress Wu and officials who recognized his capabilities
4. His physical fitness and martial skills suggested strong leadership potential
Cultural Implications: Morality and Statecraft in Imperial China
The virginity test reflected Confucian values that equated personal morality with governance capability. In imperial ideology, self-restraint (especially regarding sensual pleasures) demonstrated the discipline required to rule. This incident became part of a broader discourse about the relationship between private virtue and public leadership.
The episode also highlights the precarious nature of imperial succession when biological heirs were unavailable. The Southern Song’s survival depended on carefully managed transitions that maintained dynastic legitimacy while selecting competent rulers from collateral lines.
Legacy of an Unusual Succession
The chosen heir, Emperor Xiaozong (r. 1162-1189), proved one of Southern Song’s most capable rulers. He rehabilitated Yue Fei’s reputation, launched the unsuccessful Longxing Northern Expedition against Jin, and presided over cultural flourishing. Historians credit Gaozong’s selection despite the unusual method: “By choosing Taizu’s descendant with public-spiritedness, he obtained Xiaozong’s excellence – truly remarkable!”
The virginity test remains controversial. Some scholars argue Zhao Shen’s tutor Shi Hao anticipated the test and advised restraint, making the results potentially manipulated. Others note that imperial princes routinely had consorts, making chastity an odd criterion. Nevertheless, the story endures as a fascinating case study in imperial succession strategies during crises.
Gaozong’s 25-year process of selecting and grooming an heir – culminating in the 1162 peaceful abdication – demonstrated how unconventional methods could produce stable successions when traditional mechanisms failed. The Southern Song’s continuation validated this approach, even as the virginity test became an object of historical curiosity and occasional ridicule.