宗旦 Zōngdàn

Zongdan

Zongdan, courtesy name Ziwen, carried himself like a grown man at seven and was chosen as a study companion for Renzong. When the emperor came to the throne, Zongdan was promoted out of the usual order and was slandered for it by ?cong. He submitted a letter setting out the facts, and the emperor said, "Zongdan kept me company in my early studies and did more than most in hard work. This came from my own wish; how can it be challenged by the ordinary rules?" When his birth mother died, he asked to choose a separate burial ground for her and to make offerings to her at the seasons, and this afterwards became the rule. In the Zhiping years he was Associate Administrator of the Great Office of Imperial Clan Affairs. When Shenzong came to the throne, he was appointed Military Commissioner of the Chongxin Army and Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery, and became Chief of the Great Office of Imperial Clan Affairs; he was given a gold belt with square and round plaques and allowed to ride in a sedan chair other than at court assemblies. In the third year of Yuanfeng he was enfeoffed as Prince of Huayin Commandery and additionally given the title Commander Unequalled in Honour. He had charge of the clan register for sixteen years; when a young man of the clan did wrong he counselled and guided him patiently, and he always reported any single good deed. In the past, those who attended court audiences had generally been waited on by their own private servants; at Zongdan's proposal they were for the first time provided with attendants by the government. When he died he was posthumously made Grand Commandant and Prince of Teng, with the posthumous name Gongxiao, and his banners, insignia, seals and ribbons were allowed to accompany him into burial. Edit