Zhao Defang

Full name
	Family name: Zhào (趙); Given name: Défāng (德芳)
Posthumous name
	Prince of Chǔ (楚王); Prince Kānghuì of Qín (秦康惠王);

Zhao Defang
Zhao Defang
Born	958
Died	18 April 981
Spouse	Lady Jiao (焦氏); Lady Fu (符氏); Lady Wang (王氏); Lady Li (李氏);
Issue	Zhao Weixu (趙惟敘), son; Zhao Weixian (趙惟憲), son; Zhao Weineng (趙惟能), son; daughter (m. Pan Weixi 潘惟熙);
Full name
	Family name: Zhào (趙); Given name: Défāng (德芳)
Posthumous name
	Prince of Chǔ (楚王); Prince Kānghuì of Qín (秦康惠王);
House	House of Zhao
Father	Emperor Taizu of Song
Mother	Lady Wang, Empress Xiaoming

Zhao Defang (Chinese: 趙德芳; 959–981) was an imperial prince of imperial China's Song Dynasty. He was the fourth son of Emperor Taizu and the younger brother of Zhao Dezhao.

He was the 3rd great-grandfather of Emperor Xiaozong of Song.

Biography

In 976, Zhao Defang had his first official appointment as the Defense Commissioner of Guizhou, which was quickly followed by appointments of Prefect of Xingyuan (興元, today's Hanzhong), Military Commissioner of Shannanxi Circuit (山南西道, around today's Sichuan) and chancellor. In the winter of 978 he was named Grand Commandant of Inspection (檢校太尉). He died in 981 from an unnamed illness at the young age of 23. Emperor Taizong, his uncle, visited his coffin in tears and cancelled imperial court meetings for 5 days to commemorate him.[1]

In fiction

In popular stories, including the Generals of the Yang Family legends and Seven Heroes and Five Gallants, Zhao Defang is known as the "Eighth Prince" (八王爺) or "Eighth Virtuous Prince" (八賢王), but this character seems to be a "merger" between Zhao Defang and Zhao Defang's cousin Zhao Yuanyan.

The breakdown:

Zhao Defang (fictional)	Zhao Defang (historical)	Zhao Yuanyan (historical)
Emperor Taizu's son Emperor Taizong's nephew Emperor Zhenzong's cousin	Emperor Taizu's son Emperor Taizong's nephew Emperor Zhenzong's cousin	Emperor Taizu's nephew Emperor Taizong's son Emperor Zhenzong's brother
nicknamed "Eighth Virtous Prince"	Emperor Taizu's 4th son no reputation	Emperor Taizong's 8th son known for his virtues
already an adult during Emperor Taizong's reign (976–997)	born in 959	born in 985
served during Emperor Zhenzong's reign (997–1022) served and died during Emperor Renzong's reign (1022–1063)	died in 981	died in 1044

The "Eighth Virtuous Prince" in Seven Heroes and Five Gallants was clearly based on the historical Zhao Yuanyan, who

was the only paternal uncle during Emperor Renzong's reign
had conflicts with Empress Dowager Liu
eventually revealed the secret about the Emperor Renzong's real birth mother (see Consort Li)

Notes and references

Song Shi, vol. 244 (Prince of Qin, Defang)

Sources

Toqto'a; et al. (1346). Song Shi (宋史) [History of Song] (in Chinese).

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[zhaodefang-1] Song Shi, vol. 244 (Prince of Qin, Defang)