Empress Wu Zetian
The only female monarch
Basic Introduction
1. Occupation: Emperor of China
2. Born: February 17, 624 Lizhou,
China
3. Died: December 16, 705 in
Luoyang, China
4. Reign: October 16, 690 to February
22, 705
5. Best known for: the only woman
to be Emperor of China
Growing up
Wu Zetian was born on February 17, 624 in Lizhou, China. She grew up in a wealthy aristocratic family and her
father was a high ranking minister in the government. Unlike many girls of her time, Wu was given a good
education. She was taught to read, write, and to play music. Wu was an intelligent and ambitious girl who learned
all she could about politics and how the government worked
The Imperial Palace
When Wu was fourteen she moved into the
imperial palace to serve the Emperor
Taizong. She continued her education at
the palace until the emperor died in 649. As
was the custom, when the emperor died
she was sent to a convent to become a nun
for the rest of her life. Wu had other plans,
however. She became romantic with the
new emperor, Emperor Gaozong, and soon
found herself back at the imperial palace as
consort (like a second wife) to the emperor.
Becoming Back at the palace, Wu began to gain influence over the
emperor. She became one of his favorite wives. The
Empress emperor's main wife, Empress Wang, became jealous and the
two women became bitter rivals. When Wu's daughter died,
she hatched a plan against the Empress. She told the
emperor that Empress Wang had killed her daughter out of
jealousy. The emperor believed her and had Empress Wang
arrested. He then promoted Wu to Empress. Over the next
several years, Wu established herself as a significant power
behind the throne. She built up strong allies in the government
and eliminated rivals. When the emperor became sick in 660,
she began to rule through him.
Becoming In 683, Emperor Gaozong died and Wu's son
became emperor. Wu became regent (like a
Emperor
temporary ruler) while her son was still
young. Although she didn't yet have the title
of emperor, she had all the power. In 690, Wu
had her son step down as emperor. She then
declared a new dynasty, the Zhou Dynasty,
and officially took the title of emperor. She
was the first and only woman to become
emperor of China.
Secret Police
It was difficult for a woman to maintain
power in Ancient China. Wu managed this
by using secret police to spy on people.
She developed a large system of spies
who helped determine who was loyal and
who wasn't. Wu rewarded those who were
found loyal, but had her enemies put to
death.
Ruling in China
Reason that Wu was able to keep power was because she was
a very good emperor. She made intelligent decisions that helped
China to prosper. She surrounded herself with competent and
talented people by promoting people based on their abilities
rather than by their family history. During her reign, Empress Wu
expanded the borders of China by conquering new lands in
Korea and Central Asia. She also helped to improve the lives of
the peasants by lowering taxes, building new public works, and
improving farming techniques
Qianling Mausoleum
Qianling, the tomb of Emperor Gaozong
and his empress Wu Zetian, is located on
the peak of Liangshan, some 80
kilometers away from Xian. The great
mausoleum was first built in 684 and is
one of the best preserved tombs among
the Tang Dynasty's 18 mausoleums
Death
Empress Wu died in 705. Her
son, Emperor Zhongzong, took
over as emperor and
reestablished the Tang
Dynasty.
Confucian Wu Zetian's rise and reign has been criticized harshly by Confucian
historians, but has been viewed in a different and positive light after the
viewpoint 1950s.
In the early period of the Tang dynasty, because all the emperors were her
direct descendants, the evaluation for Wu Zetian were relatively positive.
Commentary in subsequent periods, however, especially the book Zizhi
Tongjian compiled by Sima Guang, criticized Wu Zetian harshly. By the period
of Southern Song Dynasty when Neo-Confucianism was firmly established as
the mainstream political ideology of China, their ideology determined the
evaluation for Wu Zetian.
Because Confucianism didn't allow women to rule, Wu
Some Facts elevated the religion of Buddhism as the state religion in
China.
Three of Wu's sons ruled as emperor at some point. Some
scholars believe that Wu killed her own daughter in order to
frame the Empress Wang.
Her birth name was Wu Zhao. Emperor Taizong gave her
the nickname "Mei", which means "pretty."
The only Wu Zetian
sculpture in China. A stone
carving statue of Wu Zetian
when 63 years old.
After dynasties of carving and centuries of worship and
protection, the Longmen Grottoes in central China's
Henan Province has gained its unique reputation as a
Longmen Buddhist site of the only empress in Chinese history.
In the largest cave of Longmen Grottoes, the Fengxian
Grottoes Temple, which is 35 meters wide and 39 meters high,
there is a statue called the Grand Vairocana Buddha.
Some historical records reveal that it was modeled after
Buddhist site for the only Empress the face of Empress Wu Zetian, the only empress in
Chinese history, who gained popular support by
advocacy of Buddhism and reigned during the Tang
Dynasty 1,309 years ago. People also call it Empress Wu
Zetian's Statue.
Thank you
I hope you all learnt something new!
