Li Renxiao was the eldest son of the Emperor Chongzong, and succeeded him at the age of sixteen.
In domestic politics, Renzong created many schools and used examinations to choose his officials.
During the era of Tiansheng, Renzong hired a Tibetan lama as a religious advisor and printed many copies of Buddhist teachings.
Many tribes to the north and west became vassal states of Western Xia, and Renzong's focus on internal politics allowed the central government to be more efficient.
His reign coincides with the peak of the Southern Song and the Jin Dynasties, and there were relatively few conflicts between these three countries.