Print from steel engraving titled L'Empereur Tchoung-tsoung se promenant en homme du peuple le jour se la fite des Lanterns, published in a volume of L'Univers, Histoire et description de tous les peuples, approx. page size 22.5 x 13.5 cm.

Emperor Zhongzong of Tang

Emperor Zhongzong of Tang (November 26, 656 – July 3, 710), personal name Li Xian, at times during his life Li Zhe and Wu Xian, was the fourth Emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 684 and again from 705 to 710.

Emperor Zhongzong was the son of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu (later known as Wu Zetian). He succeeded his father in 684. His mother, however, deposed him less than two months later in favor of his younger brother Emperor Ruizong. The former emperor, demoted to a princely rank, was sent in exile in the provinces and placed under house arrest. Six years later, Emperor Ruizong in turn relinquished the throne to his mother and Empress Dowager Wu officially proclaimed herself "Emperor", while Emperor Ruizong was made crown prince.

By 698 the court was caught in the middle of a bitter power struggle. In an attempt to decrease the power struggle, Empress Wu liberated the former emperor from his 14 years of seclusion and recalled him to the capital in April 698. He was reinstated as crown prince in October 698, taking the place of his brother. On February 20, 705, a palace coup deposed Wu Zetian and Emperor Zhongzong was restored as emperor three days later. Emperor Zhongzong reigned for five years but was a rather weak and easily influenced ruler. Real power was in the hands of his empress consort, Empress Wei and her lover Wu Sansi (Wu Zetian's nephew).

In 710, Emperor Zhongzong died, allegedly poisoned by Empress Wei, who then installed Emperor Zhongzong's son, Li Chongmao, as emperor. Empress Wei, who had failed to install her daughter Li Guo'er the Princess Anle, as heir to Emperor Zhongzong, thought that Li Chongmao, born of Zhongzong and a concubine and who was only 16 years old, would be easy to control and allow her to preserve her power. The scheme failed, however, when Princess Taiping, the sister of Emperor Zhongzong, launched a coup two weeks later with her nephew Li Longji (later Emperor Xuanzong), son of the abdicated Emperor Ruizong, and overthrew Empress Wei and the young emperor. Emperor Ruizong, the father of Li Longji and the older brother of Princess Taiping, was restored as emperor.