The short videos I watched from all dynasties

[Today, let’s talk about why the child mortality rate of the emperors of the Song Dynasty was so high? 】

[Hello everyone! This is Hearsay, let’s continue with today’s chat.

Last time we talked about the Song Dynasty’s military service system and national defense weaknesses. Today, let’s briefly talk about why the child mortality rate of the Song Dynasty emperors was so high. Friends who are familiar with the history of the Song Dynasty must know that there were few long-lived emperors in the Song Dynasty. Today, let’s guess the reasons together.

The TV series "Qing Ping Le" that we are very familiar with mentioned that Song Renzong Zhao Zhen had no princes, but in fact Song Renzong did have no princes. Song Renzong had three sons and thirteen daughters in his life. In the end, only four princesses grew up, and the rest died. 】

＜Oh, Song Renzong not only has few offspring, but his lineage has also died out＞

＜It’s so hard to remember Song Renzong from the TV series, hahahaha＞

＜I feel that Song Renzong himself was in poor health, and he liked more delicate women. It would be strange if the two of them could survive＞

Let’s briefly analyze a few reasons:

1. The Emperor’s Physique and Genes

Except for Emperor Taizu Zhao Kuangyin, the rest of the Northern Song Dynasty royal family were all descendants of Emperor Taizong Zhao Guangyi. His son Emperor Zhenzong of Song had six sons, but only Emperor Renzong Zhao Zhen was left. As for Emperor Renzong Zhao Zhen, he had no descendants and no sons. In the end, Zhao Shu, the thirteenth son of the adopted clan member Zhao Yunrang, succeeded to the throne, namely Emperor Yingzong of Song. Emperor Yingzong of Song had three living sons, which was really good compared with the previous emperors. Six of Emperor Shenzong Zhao Xu's fourteen sons survived, and five of his sons died before Emperor Zhezong Zhao Xu was born. Emperor Zhezong Zhao Xu also had no descendants and no sons, and the throne was succeeded by Zhao Ji, the eleventh son of Emperor Shenzong Zhao Xu.

By the time of Emperor Huizong of Song, Zhao Ji, the fertility situation had improved. Before being abducted by the Jin people, Emperor Huizong of Song had 32 sons and 34 daughters, and gave birth to 14 more children in the years of the Jin Kingdom. However, after Jingkang, except for Zhao Gou, the King of Kang, all the others of Zhao Guangyi's lineage were abducted. When Zhao Gou founded the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhao Gou was frightened on the way to be hunted by the Jin people and lost his fertility, and his only son died. In desperation, Zhao Gou chose a successor from the line of Taizu, who was later Emperor Xiaozong of Song, Zhao Shen. At this point, the emperor's bloodline returned to the direct line of Taizu. However, of the four sons of Emperor Xiaozong of Song, Zhao Shen, only Emperor Guangzong of Song, Zhao Dun, survived. Emperor Ningzong of Song, Zhao Kuo, had ten children, eight of whom died, and only two grew up. Emperor Lizong of Song, Zhao Yun, was also adopted by Emperor Duzong of Song, Zhao Xie.

2. The environment of the imperial palace

Some historians speculate that the premature death of the Song Dynasty emperors' offspring was related to the environment of the imperial palace. The imperial palace was magnificent, and most of the utensils and tea sets used for eating and drinking were made of heavy metals, but heavy metals are harmful to the human body. In addition, the women in the harem often added musk and other materials to their rouge and powder for beauty, which would have a negative impact on the unborn children to a certain extent.

＜The genes of Taizu's lineage are obviously better than those of Taizong's lineage.＞

＜Zhao Ji cannot intervene in this topic＞

＜He really has many children, so I suspect it is probably related to the emperor’s physical fitness＞

＜Some of the emperors of the Southern Song Dynasty seemed to be a little mentally unstable. I wonder if this is hereditary＞

＜Alas, both Injong and Cheoljong died without an heir. Cheoljong was the most unfortunate, as he died at the age of 24＞

<I heard that a lot of lead plates were used in the foundation of the Northern Song Dynasty imperial palace. Although the lead plates can effectively block moisture, it is easy to die if you grow up in such an environment, and the health of those who survive is not good.>

＜It seems that some people also like to use bronze objects, which is also harmful＞

3. Medical conditions in ancient times were limited

The number of children born to the emperors of the Song Dynasty was not small, but the survival rate was relatively low, which was common in ancient times. The reason for the low survival rate may be that the children were young, had low immunity, were very fragile, and were easily sick due to poor care by adults. The medical level in the Song Dynasty was relatively low, and some diseases could not necessarily be diagnosed, and even if they were diagnosed, there might not be medicine to treat them.

4. Women consider thinness as beauty

The aesthetic of women in the Song Dynasty tended to be weak and slender. A weak mother could easily lead to a difficult birth and would also have a negative impact on the growth and development of the baby during pregnancy.

＜While looking through the data, I found that during the Song Dynasty, there were certain breakthroughs in physiology. At that time, the government re-regulated the marriage age, which was 15 years old for men and 13 years old for women. Sima Guang also proposed that as long as men were under years old and women were under years old, it was not considered untimely. The idea of ​​late marriage also appeared in the Song Dynasty.＞

<In ancient times, men and women got married too early. Many of them got married and had children before their bodies were fully developed.>

＜Yes, yes, yes, there are still many close relatives getting married. I don’t understand why they don’t support first cousins ​​but support second cousins ​​getting married, even though they are obviously closely related by blood＞

<Marriage between close relatives increases the risk of child death, severe deformity, and mental retardation. Only about half of the children are completely normal>

<Suddenly I wondered if it was because of the alchemy that Emperor Zhenzong of Song had only one son alive. I heard that Emperor Renzong of Song had not been in good health since he was a child. I think it might have been inherited from Emperor Zhenzong>

...

Are heavy metals really harmful? People from all walks of life find it hard to believe, considering that they also use them.

......

Song Dynasty, Qiande 7th year

"How can we skip over the Song Dynasty's military service system and national defense weaknesses? I'm still waiting for them to be changed." Zhao Kuangyin hoped that Guangmu could talk more about the Song Dynasty so that he could avoid some problems to a large extent.

"The Northern Song Dynasty and the Southern Song Dynasty are similar."

"Inherited? It's impossible that he inherited my mental illness from Southern Song. It's been such a long time."

Zhao Kuangyin didn't think there was anything wrong with him. In addition, due to the emergence of the light curtain in recent years, Zhao Kuangyin has become particularly concerned about health preservation and is determined to launch a northern expedition and recover Yanyun during his lifetime.

Zhao Dezhao and Zhao Defang looked at each other and then separated.

Well, it's definitely not my problem.

Afterwards, Zhao Kuangyin asked his younger brother Zhao Guangmei to carefully dispose of things that should not appear in the palace as soon as possible.

----

Song Dynasty, the first year of Baoyuan

In May of the fourth year of Jingyou, Zhao Zhen's eldest son died at birth. At that time, Zhao Zhen could still convince himself that it was just not destined to happen and he would have children again. But now that the video on the light screen came out, Zhao Zhen knew that his lineage would be extinct in the future, and he was heartbroken.

However, the words behind the light curtain made Zhao Zhen not care about being sad, and he immediately came out of the palace and said, "Tear it down and rebuild it."

At this time, the officials no longer criticized the emperor for being wasteful. After all, this was a matter of life and death for the royal family.

"Your Majesty, you can go horse racing when you have time. I heard that Xiangguo Temple is the most popular place. Your Majesty is the emperor, and if you pray sincerely, God will bless you."

Lu Yijian sincerely wanted Zhao Zhen to be in better health. Alas, he couldn't let the emperor indulge in sorrow.

Due to the appearance of the light curtain, the Jingyou faction struggle during the reign of Emperor Renzong did not expand, and Fan Zhongyan and others were not exiled. Fan Zhongyan keenly discovered the reasons analyzed in the light curtain. In fact, it was also difficult for ordinary people to have offspring, but the records of the royal family would be more detailed and better known than those of ordinary people.

In addition to promoting the development of medicine, Fan Zhongyan also proposed to break the aesthetic trend from the palace to the people, and the idea of ​​late marriage could be promoted earlier. Zhao Zhen quickly agreed to Fan Zhongyan's memorial.

Zhao Zhen trusted Guangmu very much. Guangmu said that it would be easier to have children if one was physically strong. In order to prevent the extinction of the family line, Zhao Zhen really started to strengthen his body and preferred people with strong bodies.

----

Song Dynasty, the second year of Xining

The young Emperor Shenzong Zhao Xu had not yet felt the sorrow of losing his children, because at that time only one princess was born in the palace. But Zhao Xu also knew that what Guangmu said was true, and he did not want his lineage to be the same as Renzong.

"No heavy metal utensils are allowed in this harem. No one is allowed to use them."

Zhao Xu felt uncomfortable living in the entire palace. After listening to Guangmu's words, he always felt that the palace was poisonous and he could not live there. He felt anxious.

The brothers Su Shi and Su Zhe were very much loved by Zhao Xu. Recently, when they entered the palace and saw that the emperor had dark circles under his eyes, they thought of Guangmu's words and suggested that since the palace was being renovated, why not let the emperor go out for a walk? Zhao Xu immediately agreed with them, ordered people to prepare quickly, and then looked at the brothers.

Su Shi, Su Zhe:?

Zhao Xu took the little princess to live temporarily at the Su family and would return after the temporary residence built in the palace was completed.

Su Shi, Su Zhe:......

----

Song Dynasty, the eighth year of Yuanyou

The 17-year-old Emperor Zhezong Zhao Xu thought about his own life span and did not want to sleep in the palace anymore. He felt that sleeping in a makeshift thatched hut was more comfortable than sleeping in a magnificent palace.

I don’t know if it’s a psychological effect or other reasons, but Zhao Xu really feels that his health has been much better recently.

In order to realize his ideal of enriching the country and strengthening the army, Zhao Xu set several goals: 1. Keep healthy and live past 30. 2. Persist in reforms and make the people of the Song Dynasty live and work in peace and contentment. 3. Solve foreign threats and weaken the Western Xia and Liao. 4. Prepare to recover Yanyun during his lifetime.

......