Duan Zhengming, the fourteenth emperor of the Dali Kingdom, bore the imperial title Baoding Emperor and was the grandson of Xingzong Duan Silian; he lived in the era of the Northern Song. In 1081 (the fourth year of Yuanfeng under Emperor Shenzong of Song), the powerful Gao Zhisheng and his son Gao Shengtai, using "heavenly portents" as a pretext, forced Emperor Shangming Duan Shouhui to abdicate and become a monk, then…
Dali Kingdom
PROFILE
Duan Zhengming, the fourteenth emperor of the Dali Kingdom, bore the imperial title Baoding Emperor and was the grandson of Xingzong Duan Silian; he lived in the era of the Northern Song. In 1081 (the fourth year of Yuanfeng under Emperor Shenzong of Song), the powerful Gao Zhisheng and his son Gao Shengtai, using "heavenly portents" as a pretext, forced Emperor Shangming Duan Shouhui to abdicate and become a monk, then installed Duan Zhengming on the throne, while real power remained in the hands of the Gao father and son. The following year he adopted the era name Baoli (also written Baoding), later changing to Jian'an and Tianyou; it was said that "as a ruler he showed no vigor, and men's hearts turned to the Gao clan." After thirteen years on the throne, in 1094 (the first year of Shaosheng under Emperor Zhezong of Song), the long-dominant Gao Shengtai deposed Duan Zhengming, forced him to abdicate and become a Buddhist monk, and proclaimed himself emperor, interrupting the Duan line of the Dali Kingdom.
The Gao father and son forced the abdication of Duan Shouhui and instaOpen
The Gao father and son forced the abdication of Duan Shouhui and installed Duan Zhengming. ｜ The Gao father and son forced the abdication of Duan Shouhui and installed Duan Zhengming.
CE（1st year of the Baoding era, Da Li; 1st year of the YizuobaoliOpen
1082 CE（1st year of the Baoding era, Da Li; 1st year of the Yizuobaoli era） ｜ Adopted the era name Baoli (also Baoding) ｜ Adopted the era name Baoli (also Baoding), later Jian'an and Tianyou.
Reigned thirteen years while real power lay with the Gaos ｜ Reigned thOpen
Reigned thirteen years while real power lay with the Gaos ｜ Reigned thirteen years while real power lay with the Gaos; as a ruler he showed no vigor.
BIOGRAPHY
Biography
Installed by the Gao Clan
In 1081 (the fourth year of Yuanfeng under Emperor Shenzong of Song), the powerful ministers Gao Zhisheng and Gao Shengtai of Dali, using "heavenly portents" as a pretext, forced Emperor Shangming Duan Shouhui to abdicate and become a monk, and then installed Duan Zhengming as emperor. Though Duan Zhengming occupied the throne, real power remained in the hands of the Gao father and son.
Thirteen Years on the Throne
In the year after his accession Duan Zhengming adopted the era name Baoli (also written Baoding), later changing to Jian'an and Tianyou. During his reign the monarchy showed no vigor, and the hearts of the people gradually turned to the Gao clan.
Deposed and Made a Monk
In 1094 (the first year of Shaosheng under Emperor Zhezong of Song), the long-dominant Gao Shengtai deposed Duan Zhengming, forced him to abdicate and become a Buddhist monk, and proclaimed himself emperor, renaming the state the "Great Central Kingdom" (Da Zhongguo)—thus interrupting the Duan dynasty of Dali. After Gao Shengtai died two years into his reign, he instructed his son Gao Taiming on his deathbed to return power to the Duan clan, and in 1096 Duan Zhengming's younger brother Duan Zhengchun was installed as emperor, inaugurating what history calls the Later Dali Kingdom.
Major Activities
Reigned thirteen years, installed and deposed by the Gao clan; his deposition and monastic vows marked Gao Shengtai's usurpation and the interruption of Duan rule
What can also be established are the era name and chronology: in 1082 he changed the era name to Baoding, also written Baoli, the first and last characters being given differently in the two sources, and its years of use and final year lack mutually corroborating material, so no exact dates of particular measures should be calculated from it; in 1094 Gao Shengthai forced his abdication and founded the Great China regime. In the Dali succession he stands between Duan Shouhui and Duan Zhengchun, and his abdication is treated by later histories as the first interruption of the Duan dynasty; his own economic, religious or military achievements, however, lack continuous material that can be cross-checked, and nothing is supplied where the sources are silent.
The sequence before and after his reign is also comparatively clear: after Duan Shouhui left the throne in 1081, Gao Zhisheng and his son raised Duan Zhengming, so that the Duan title continued in name through his reign; in 1094 Gao Shengthai made himself ruler and changed the name of the state to Great China, interrupting the Duan kingdom of Dali, and only two years later, when Gao Taiming returned power to Duan Zhengchun, was the Duan title restored.
Personal Relations
Duan Shouhui: predecessor, after whose abdication Duan Zhengming was raised to the throne.
Duan Lianyi and Duan Silian: father and grandfather respectively.
Duan Zhengchun: younger brother, who came to the throne in 1096 when the Gao family returned power to the Duan house.
Gao Zhisheng and Gao Shengthai: the Gao father and son who promoted his accession; Gao Shengthai later took his place on the throne.
Historical Assessment
Thirteen years on the throne showed 'no vigor, and men's hearts turned to the Gaos'; his deposition marked the full eclipse of Duan authority.