Early life

Wulu was a grandson of Aguda (Emperor Taizu), the founding emperor of the Jin dynasty. His father was Eliduo (讹里朵; also known as Wanyan Zongyao 完颜宗尧), Aguda's third son and a famous general in the early Jin dynasty. As Eliduo died when Wulu was just 12 years old, the latter grew up under the influence of his mother, who had come from a sinicised Balhae gentry family from Liaoyang. After her husband's death, Wulu's mother preferred to become a nun instead of remarrying one of her husband's relatives, as was the Jurchen custom. Due to his mother and her relatives, Wulu received a Han Chinese-style education and acquired good knowledge of the Chinese classics.

Wulu is said to have also been greatly influenced by the wife he had before becoming emperor. She was from the Wulinda clan. She advised Wulu to be patient and to pretend to be loyal to his cousin, the emperor Digunai. Digunai admired Lady Wulinda so he summoned her to his inner court in 1151, but she committed suicide. Her death resulted in a deep enmity between Wulu and Digunai.

In 1161, when Digunai invaded the Southern Song dynasty to unify China under the Jin dynasty's rule, he also sent agents to assassinate many of his own relatives and thus to cement his power within the imperial clan. Wulu, who was on the hit list, started a rebellion against the emperor. The rebellion was supported by many Jurchen officers and aristocrats who were dissatisfied with Digunai's policy of cultural sinicisation and administrative centralisation, and the human cost of the emperor's southern adventure. The first military officer to support the rebellion was Wanyan Mouyan (完颜谋衍). Digunai lost the Battle of Caishi against the Song dynasty and was assassinated by his own disaffected officers. Wulu was able to become the new emperor without having to struggle against Digunai whose title he demoted down to Prince Yang of Hailing.

Reign

Once on the throne, Wulu – who is historically known as Emperor Shizong – abandoned his predecessor's plan for invading the Southern Song dynasty, and abolished his domestic sinicisation policies. Although conversant with Han Chinese culture himself, Emperor Shizong thought that the Jurchens' strength was in maintaining their "simple and sincere", culture, and would often attribute Digunai's defeat to the latter's wholesale abandonment of it. He was not opposed to Chinese culture per se – in fact, he once claimed that the "natural and honest" Jurchen way of life was much like what the ancient Chinese sages taught – but he thought that merely reading the Chinese classics without putting their ideas into practice was counterproductive.

During Emperor Shizong's reign, he confiscated large areas of unused land and land that had been grabbed by a few large Jurchen landowners, and redistributed it to the Jurchen settlers in northern China. Still, many Jurchens preferred not to work their land plots, but lease them to Han Chinese farmers, and engage in heavy drinking instead. The emperor criticised his people for losing their martial spirit and military skills, such as archery and riding. To give an example to his subjects, Emperor Shizong made hunting an annual royal activity in 1162, and until 1188 he went hunting almost every autumn and winter. He also enjoyed archery and ball games.

As part of his promotion of Jurchen culture and the Jurchen language, soon after ascending the throne, Emperor Shizong started a programme of translating Chinese classics into Jurchen. The Jurchen version of the Classic of History was the first to be published; by the end of the Dading era, many other Chinese classics had become available in Jurchen.

Early in his reign, Emperor Shizong chose 3,000 Jurchen men to study the Jurchen language. In 1173, the state started offering jinshi degrees in Jurchen, opened the Jurchen Imperial Academy in the capital and local schools in all the circuits of the empire. It is thought by modern scholars that the purpose of offering the jinshi examinations in Jurchen was more to promote Jurchen scholarship than to recruit more Jurchen for the state service, as most of the Jurchen jinshi degree holders ended up working as teachers of the Jurchen language and of the Chinese classics in Jurchen translation.

Emperor Shizong required that, when dealing with Jurchen speakers, government officials respond in Jurchen. In 1174, even the imperial guards were told to learn Jurchen, and not to speak in Chinese; in 1183, one thousand copies of the Jurchen edition of the Classic of Filial Piety were distributed to them for their edification.

Poor Jurchen families in the southern Routes (Daming and Shandong) Battalion and Company households tried to live the lifestyle of wealthy Jurchen families and avoid doing farming work by selling their own Jurchen daughters into slavery and renting their land to Han tenants. The Wealthy Jurchens feasted and drank and wore damask and silk. The History of Jin (Jinshi) says that Emperor Shizong of Jin took note and attempted to halt these things in 1181.

As one of the ways of restoring Jurchen traditions, Emperor Shizong prohibited servants and slaves from wearing silk, and in 1188 he prohibited Jurchens in general from wearing Han Chinese clothes.

Emperor Shizong and his successor, Emperor Zhangzong, were described as believers in both Buddhism and Taoism. In 1187, Emperor Shizong invited Wang Chuyi, a disciple of Wang Chongyang (the founder of the Quanzhen School of Taoism), to preach in his palace. According to some sources, another of Wang Chongyang's disciples, Qiu Chuji, was invited as well. The emperor requested the presence of Wang Chuyi at his deathbed.

Modern evaluation

Modern scholars feel that Emperor Shizong's efforts to maintain and revive the Jurchen language and culture were not particularly efficacious. The language lacked native literature, and his translations of Chinese works into Jurchen were helping to bring Chinese ideas and values into Jurchens' minds. In fact, the emperor himself once said that the Jurchen language was "inferior to Chinese", and could not even match Khitan. Outside of the old Jurchen lands in Manchuria, people did not see the utility of speaking the "dying" and "inferior" language, and Emperor Shizong himself was wondering if his descendants would criticise him for his attempts to force people use it.

Emperor Shizong's attempts to preserve the Jurchens' identity as hunters, too, were conflicting with his drive to improve their livelihood by making them into good farmers. Nonetheless, people generally admired his love of peace, his promotion of learning and care of people's well-being; traditionally, his era was called a "miniature of Yao and Shun", referring to the legendary ancient sage kings.

Family

• Father: Eliduo (讹里朵), sinicised name Wanyan Zongyao (完颜宗尧), posthumously honoured as Emperor Ruizong (金睿宗)

• Mother: Lady Li (李氏), posthumously honoured as Empress Zhenyi (贞懿皇后)

• Spouse: Lady Wulinda, posthumously honoured as Empress Mingde (明德皇后), bore Hutuwa, Shunian, Xielu and the Princess of Yu

• Concubines:

　• Lady Zhang, Consort Yuan (元妃), bore Shilula and Songge

　• Lady Li (李氏), Consort Yuan (元妃), posthumously honoured as Empress Guangxian (光献皇后), bore Yinzhuke, Wanyan Yongji, Echu and the Princess of Han

　• Lady Shimo (石抺氏), Consort Xian (贤妃)

　• Lady Tushan (徒单氏), Consort De (德妃)

　• Lady Da (大氏), Consort Rou (柔妃)

　• Lady Liang (梁氏), Zhaoyi (昭仪), bore Heye

　• Lady Shimo (石抹氏), Cairen (才人), bore Xiebuchu

• Sons:

　• Hutuwa (胡土瓦), sinicised name Wanyan Yungong (完颜允恭), posthumously honoured as Emperor Xianzong (金显宗)

　• Shunian (孰辇), Prince of Zhao

　• Xielu (斜鲁), Prince of Yue (越王)

　• Shilula (实鲁剌), also known as Wanseng (万僧), sinicised name Wanyan Yongzhong (完颜永中), posthumously honoured as Prince Li of Gao (镐厉王)

　• Songge (宋葛), also known as Guangsun, sinicised name Wanyan Yonggong (完颜永功), posthumously honoured as Prince Zhongjian of Yue (越忠简王)

　• Yinzhuke (银术可), also known as Shigou'er (石狗儿), sinicised name Wanyan Yongdao (完颜永蹈), posthumously honoured as Prince La of Zheng

　• Wanyan Yongji (完颜永济), posthumously honoured as Prince Shao of Wei (卫绍王)

　• Echu (讹出), sinicised name Wanyan Yongde (完颜永德), Prince of Lu (潞王)

　• Heye (鹤野), also known as Loushi (娄室), sinicised name Wanyan Yongcheng (完颜永成), posthumously honoured as Prince Zhongxian of Yu (豫忠献王)

　• Xiebuchu (斜不出), also known as Heshou (鹤寿), sinicised name Wanyan Yongsheng (完颜永升), Prince of Kui (夔王)

• Daughters:

　• Princess of Yu

　• Princess of Han, married Pusan Kui (仆散揆)

　• Princess Supreme of Lu, married Wugulun Yuanzhong

　• Princess Supreme of Yan, married Pucha Husha (蒲察胡沙)

　• Princess of Wu, married Tangkuo Gong (唐括贡)

　• Princess of Shu, married Tangkuo Ding (唐括鼎)

　• Princess of Wan, married Wulinda Fu

　• Princess of Xi, married Tushan Gongbi (徒单公弼)

　• Princess of Cao

　• Princess of Wei, married Pucha Pusulie (蒲察蒲速烈)

　• Daughter, name unknown, married Heshilie Zhushennu (纥石烈诸神奴)

　• Wanyan Changle, Princess of Ze, married Puladu (蒲剌睹)

生平

东京政变

1161年十月初八日，完颜亮率领大军渡过淮水，进兵南宋庐州。东京辽阳府发生了政变。曹国公完颜雍时任东京留守，完颜秉德以谋立葛王完颜雍之罪被杀后，完颜雍从海路献珍宝以表明他的忠诚。完颜亮命渤海人高存福为副留守，监视完颜雍的行动。契丹撒八等起义，完颜雍出兵阻击括里。完颜亮命婆速路总管完颜谋衍（完颜娄室之子）领兵五千助战。完颜亮自辽东徵调大批女真兵南下侵宋，女真兵多不愿南下。行至山东时，南征万户、曷苏馆女真猛安完颜福寿等领一万多人，中途叛变，逃回辽阳。完颜福寿与完颜谋衍等在辽阳发动政变，杀高存福，拥立完颜雍作皇帝，即金世宗。十月初八日，金世宗下诏废黜完颜亮，改元大定。完颜谋衍为右副元帅，福寿为右监军。十一月，在东京的政权，逐渐巩固。中都留守阿琐等起而响应金世宗。金世宗决定迁赴中都。十一月二十七日拂晓，完颜元宜率领将士袭击完颜亮营帐，完颜亮被乱箭射死。

大定之治

金世宗即位后，首先对南宋的进攻保持守势，著手平息契丹起义，待平息契丹起义后，开始对南宋采取强硬态度，击退了南宋的隆兴北伐，并在形势占优时，在与宋孝宗和谈时做出让步，最终签署了《隆兴和议》，开启了双方四十馀年的和平局面。

金世宗在内政管理上，励精图治，革除了完颜亮统治时期的很多弊政。更值得称道的是，金世宗十分朴素，不穿丝织龙袍，使金朝国库充盈，农民也过上富裕的日子，天下小康，实现了「大定盛世」的繁荣鼎盛局面，金世宗也被称为「小尧舜」。

金世宗统治时期，如移剌窝干等各族人民纷纷起义，他为了维持统治，利用科举、学校等制度，争取汉人支持，又加强猛安谋克权力，扩大女真族占有的土地。同时多次发布有关保留女真人旧习、语言的诏令，甚或要求所有皇子必须有女真语名、所有女真官员必须通晓女真语，卫士不准讲汉语。

他死后谥号是光天兴运文德武功圣明仁孝皇帝，庙号是世宗。

家庭

父母

• 父：金睿宗

• 嫡母：钦慈皇后蒲察氏（女真人）

• 生母：贞懿皇后李氏（渤海人）

妻妾子女

• 明德皇后乌林荅氏

　• 完颜允恭，金章宗之父，追諡金显宗

　• 赵王完颜孰辇

　• 越王完颜斜鲁

　• 长女 鲁国大长公主，即豫国公主，下嫁乌古论元忠（金太祖毕国公主和乌古论讹论之子）。

• 张元妃

　• 镐厉王完颜永中

　• 越忠简王完颜永功

• 李元妃

　• 郑剌王完颜永蹈

　• 卫绍王完颜永济

　• 潞王完颜永德

　• 韩国公主，永蹈妹，下嫁仆散揆。

• 石抺贤妃，仅知陪葬坤厚陵，与石抺才人是否为一人，无考

• 徒单德妃，仅知陪葬坤厚陵

• 大柔妃，仅知陪葬坤厚陵

• 梁昭仪

　• 豫忠献王完颜永成

• 石抹才人

　• 夔王完颜永升

• 母不详

　• 第三女 兖国大长公主 下嫁蒲察胡沙

　• 第四女 吴国公主 下嫁唐括贡（唐括阿里之子）

　• 第五女 蜀国公主 下嫁唐括鼎（金睿宗楚国公主和唐括德温之子）

　• 第七女 宛国公主 下嫁乌林荅复

　• 息国公主 下嫁徒单公弼（金熙宗外孙）

　• 曹国公主

　• 卫国公主 下嫁蒲察蒲速烈（蒲察通之子）

　• 第十四女，嫁纥石烈诸神奴（纥石烈志宁之子）

　• 泽国公主完颜长乐，永蹈妹，生母是否李元妃，无考，下嫁蒲剌睹

评价

• 元朝官修正史《金史》脱脱等的评价是：「世宗之立，虽由劝进，然天命人心之所归，虽古圣贤之君，亦不能辞也。盖自太祖以来，海内用兵，宁岁无几。重以海陵无道，赋役繁兴，盗贼满野，兵甲并起，万姓盼盼，国内骚然，老无留养之丁，幼无顾复之爱，颠危愁困，待尽朝夕。世宗久典外郡，明祸乱之故，知吏治之得失。即位五载，而南北讲好，与民休息。于是躬节俭，崇孝弟，信赏罚，重农桑，慎守令之选，严廉察之责，却任得敬分国之请，拒赵位宠郡县之献，孳孳为治，夜以继日，可谓得为君之道矣！当此之时，群臣守职，上下相安，家给人足，仓廪有馀，刑部岁断死罪，或十七人，或二十人，号称「小尧舜」，此其效验也。然举贤之急，求言之切，不绝于训辞，而群臣偷安苟禄，不能将顺其美，以底大顺，惜哉！」

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