60 Facts About Wu Zetian

Wu Zetian was the only female sovereign in the history of China widely regarded as legitimate.

Wu Zetian was removed from power in a coup and died a few months later.

Wu Zetian was more decisive and proactive than her husband, and historians consider her to have been the real power behind the throne during Emperor Gaozong's reign for more than 20 years until his death.

Wu Zetian was given charge of the Heirloom Seal of the Realm, implying that her perusal and consent were necessary before any document or order received legal validity.

Wu Zetian played a key role in reforming the imperial examination system and encouraging capable officials to work in governance to maintain a peaceful and well-governed state.

Wu Zetian was a mother of four sons, three of whom carried the title of emperor, although one held that title only as a posthumous honor.

In Chinese history and literature, Wu Zetian was known by various names and titles.

Wu Zetian's birthplace is not documented in preserved historical literature and remains disputed.

Wu Zetian was born in the seventh year of the reign of Emperor Gaozu of Tang.

Wu Zetian made sure that she was well-educated, an uncommon trait among women, much less encouraged by their fathers.

Wu Zetian was given the title of cairen, the title for one of the consorts with the fifth rank in Tang's nine-rank system for imperial officials, nobles, and consorts.

Wu Zetian progressed rapidly, earning the title of huanghou, and gradually gained immeasurable influence and unprecedented authority over the empire's governance throughout Gaozong's reign.

Wu Zetian proceeded to depose Emperor Zhongzong for displaying independence and held onto power even more firmly thereafter.

Wu Zetian then had her youngest son, Ruizong, made emperor.

Wu Zetian was absolute ruler not only in substance but in appearance.

Wu Zetian presided alone over imperial gatherings, prevented Ruizong from taking an any active role in governance, and forbade all meetings with him.

Wu Zetian was regarded as ruthless in her endeavors to grab power, and was believed by traditional historians to have killed her own children.

Wu Zetian was not the first choice, as he was inexperienced and frequently incapacitated with a sickness that caused him spells of dizziness.

Wu Zetian demoted Chu to commandant at Tan Prefecture, and then deposed both Wang and Xiao.

Wu Zetian placed them both under arrest and made Wu empress.

Wu Zetian changed Li Zhong's status to Prince of Liang and designated Empress Wu's son, Li Hong as the title of Prince of Dai and crown prince.

Wu Zetian first had Xu and Li Yifu, who were by now chancellors, falsely accuse Han Yuan and Lai Ji of being complicit with Chu Suiliang in planning treason.

Wu Zetian began to have Empress Wu make rulings on daily petitions and proposals made by officials.

Wu Zetian's motive was probably the possible elimination of female rivals for her power.

Wu Zetian consulted the chancellor Shangguan Yi, who suggested that he depose Empress Wu.

Wu Zetian went to the emperor to plead her case, just as he was holding the edict that Shangguan had drafted.

Wu Zetian did not immediately do so, as he feared that Empress Wu would be displeased.

Wu Zetian had her niece poisoned, by placing poison in food offerings that Wu Weiliang and Wu Huaiyun had made and then blaming them for the death of the Lady of Wei.

Wu Zetian wanted to diminish the importance of the army, in order to keep it only as a means of "moral education" for the people.

Wu Zetian had been displeased at the favor that Emperor Gaozong had shown his aunt, Princess Changle.

Wu Zetian had her literary staff write two works, Good Examples for Shaoyang and Biographies of Filial Sons and gave them to Li Xian, and further wrote a number of letters rebuking him, making him more fearful.

Wu Zetian was the absolute ruler both in substance and appearance.

Wu Zetian sent a general, Li Xiaoyi, to attack Li Jingye, and while Li Xiaoyi was initially unsuccessful, he pushed on at the urging of his assistant Wei Yuanzhong and eventually was able to crush Li Jingye's forces.

Traditional Chinese order of succession did not allow a woman to ascend the throne, but Wu Zetian was determined to quash the opposition and the use of the secret police did not subside, but continued, after her taking the throne.

Wu Zetian grasped the powers of punishment and award, controlled the state, and made her own judgments as to policy decisions.

Wu Zetian was observant and had good judgment, so the talented people of the time were willing to be used by her.

Wu Zetian enshrined seven generations of Wu ancestors at the imperial ancestral temple, although she continued to offer sacrifices to the Tang emperors Gaozu, Taizong, and Gaozong.

Wu Zetian was tempted to do so, and when the chancellors Cen Changqian and Ge Fuyuan opposed sternly, they, along with fellow chancellor Ouyang Tong, were executed.

Wu Zetian agreed, and for some time did not reconsider the matter.

Further, at Li Zhaode's warning that Wu Chengsi was becoming too powerful, Wu Zetian stripped Wu Chengsi of his chancellor authority and bestowed on him largely honorific titles without authority.

Wu Zetian utilized the imperial examination system to find talented poor people or people without backgrounds to stabilize her regime.

Wu Zetian was supported in this by fellow chancellors Wang Fangqing and Wang Jishan, as well as Wu Zetian's close advisor Ji Xu, who further persuaded the Zhang brothers to support the idea.

Wu Zetian soon changed his name back to Li Xian and then Wu Xian.

Wu Zetian then defeated Trinring in battle, and Trinring committed suicide.

Wu Zetian increasingly relied on them to handle the affairs of state.

Wu Zetian ordered the three of them to commit suicide.

Zhang Tongxiu and Zhang Changyi were demoted, but even though the officials Li Chengjia and Huan Yanfan advocated that Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong be removed as well, Wu Zetian, taking the suggestion of the chancellor Yang Zaisi, did not do so.

In winter 704, Wu Zetian became seriously ill for a period, and only the Zhang brothers were allowed to see her; the chancellors were not.

In 690, Wu Zetian founded the Wu Zhou dynasty, named after the historical Zhou dynasty.

Wu Zetian used informants to choose people to eliminate, a process that peaked in 697 with the wholesale demotion, exile, or killing of various aristocratic families and scholars, furthermore prohibiting their sons from holding office.

Wu Zetian was determined that free, self-sufficient farmers continue to work their own land, so she periodically used the juntian, equal-field system, together with updated census figures to ensure fair land allocations, reallocating as necessary.

Wu Zetian pursued a policy of military action to expand the empire to its furthest extent ever up to that point in Central Asia.

Wu Zetian used her political powers to harness from Buddhist practices a strategy to build sovereignty and legitimacy to her throne while decisively establishing the Zhou dynasty in a society under Confucian and patriarchal ideals.

Wu Zetian's narrative was intentionally crafted to persuade the Confucian establishment, circumvent the Five Impediments that restricted women from holding political and religious power, and gain public support.

Wu Zetian changed the state's name to Zhou, claiming ancestry from the Zhou dynasty, and took the throne as Empress Regnant.

Wu Zetian quickly dispelled the accusation against Wei Yuanzhong, comforted Di Renjie with kind words, respected the will of the times and suppressed her favorites, and listened to honest words and ended the terror of the secret police officials.

Wu Zetian was an extraordinary woman, attractive, exceptionally gifted, politically astute and an excellent judge of men.

Wu Zetian's rise to power was steeped in blood Ann Paludan.

Wu Zetian's rise and reign was criticized harshly by Confucian historians, but has been viewed more favorably since the 1950s.

Wu Zetian had many chancellors during her reign as monarch of her self-proclaimed Zhou dynasty, many of them notable in their own right.