Wu Zetian

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Wu Zetian
Birth and death: 625[1]–December 16, 705[2]
Family name: Wu (武)
Given name: Mei (媚),[8] later Zhao (曌/瞾), possibly originally Zhao (照)[9]
Dates of reign: August 18, 690[4][5]–February 22, 705[6][7]
Dynasty: Zhou (周)
Temple name: None[10]
Posthumous name:
(short) 		 Empress Zetian (則天皇后)[11]
Posthumous name:
(full) 		 Empress Zetian Shunsheng (則天順聖皇后)[3]

Wu Zetian (simplified Chinese: 武则天; traditional Chinese: 武則天; pinyin: Wǔ Zétiān) (625[1][12]–December 16, 705[2]), personal name Wu Zhao (武曌), often referred to as Heavenly Empress (天后) during Tang Dynasty and Empress Wu (武后) in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Emperor. Ruling China first through puppet emperors from 665 to 690, not unprecedented in Chinese history, she then broke all precedents when she founded her own dynasty in 690, the Zhou (周) (interrupting the Tang Dynasty), and ruled personally under the name Emperor Shengshen (聖神皇帝) from 690 to 705. Her rise and reign has been criticized harshly by Confucian historians but has been viewed under a different light after the 1950s.

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Wu's family was from Wenshui (文水), part of prefecture (并州), now Wenshui county (文水縣) inside the prefecture-level city of Lüliang and located 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Taiyuan, Shanxi province. Her father was Wu Shihuo (武士彠) (577[citation needed]-635), a member of a renowned Shanxi aristocratic family, and an ally of Li Yuan, the founder of the Tang Dynasty, in his conquest of power, and was created the Duke of Ying after Tang's establishment. Her mother was Lady Yang (579[citation needed]-670), a member of the former Sui imperial family.[citation needed] Wu Zetian was born not in Wenshui, however, as her father was a high-ranking civil servant serving in various posts and locations along his life. The most serious claimant for her birth place is Li prefecture (利州), now the prefecture-level city of Guangyuan, in the north of Sichuan province, some 800 km (500 miles) southwest of Wenshui, but other places have also been proposed, including the capital Chang'an.

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She entered Emperor Taizong's harem most probably in 638 (other possible date: 636), and was made a cairen, i.e. one of the nine concubines of the fifth rank. Emperor Taizong gave her the name Mei (媚), meaning "delicate." Thus, today Chinese people often refer to her as Wu Mei or Wu Meiniang (武媚娘) when they write about her youth, whereas they refer to her as Empress Wu (武后) when referring to her as empress and empress dowager and Wu Zetian (武則天) when referring to her reign as "emperor."

In 649, Emperor Taizong died, and, as was customary for concubines, Consort Wu had to leave the imperial palace and enter a Buddhist nunnery where she had her hair shaved. Not long afterwards, most probably in 651, she was reintegrated into the imperial palace by Emperor Gaozong, son of Taizong, who had been enamoured by her beauty while visiting his father before his death. Gaozong's empress consort Empress Wang played a key role in the return of Empress Wang to the palace. The emperor at the time was greatly attached to his concubine Consort Xiao, and the empress hoped that the arrival of a new beautiful concubine would divert the emperor from Consort Xiao. (Modern historians dispute this traditional history, and some think that the young Wu Zetian never actually left the imperial palace, and that she was probably already having an affair with the crown prince (who became Emperor Gaozong) while Emperor Taizong was still alive.) Wherever the truth lies, it remains certain that by the early 650s Consort Wu was a concubine of Emperor Gaozong, and she was titled zhaoyi (昭儀), i.e. the highest ranking of the nine concubines of the second rank. Consort Wu soon overtook Consort Xiao in her favor from Emperor Gaozong. (The taking of a father's concubine -- one who was believed to have had sexual relations with the deceased Emperor Taizong -- was considered incest by traditional Confucian principles.)

In the year 654, Wu Zetian's baby daughter died. Empress Wang was allegedly seen near the child's room by eyewitnesses. She was suspected of killing the girl out of jealousy, and she was unable to clear herself in Emperor Gaozong's eyes. (Traditional historians believed that Consort Wu actually killed her own daughter, but this allegation may have been made up by her opponents or by Confucian historians.) Eventually, in November 655, both Empress Wang and Consort Xiao were deposed, and Consort Wu was made empress. The new Empress Wu later had Empress Wang and Consort Xiao executed in a cruel manner -- their arms and legs were battered and broken, and then they were put in large wine urns and left to die after several days of agony.

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After Emperor Gaozong started to suffer from strokes from November 660 on, Empress Wu began to govern China from behind the scenes. She was even more in absolute control of power after she had Shangguan Yi executed and the demoted crown prince Li Zhong forced to commit suicide in January 665, and henceforth she sat behind the now silent emperor during court audiences (most probably, she sat behind a screen at the rear of the throne) and made decisions. She reigned in his name and then, after his death, in the name of subsequent puppet emperors (her son Emperor Zhongzong and then her younger son Emperor Ruizong), only assuming power herself in October 690, when she proclaimed the Zhou Dynasty, named after her father's nominal posthumous fief as well as in reference to the illustrious Zhou Dynasty of ancient Chinese history from which she claimed the Wu family was descended. In December 689, ten months before she officially ascended the throne, she had the government create the character Zhao (曌), an entirely new invention, created along with 11 other characters in order to show her absolute power, and she chose this new character as her given name, which became her taboo name when she ascended the throne ten months later. The character is made up of 2 pre-existing characters: "Ming" on top meaning "light" or "clearness" and "kong" on the bottom meaning "sky". The idea behind this is the implication that she is like the light shining from the sky. Even the pronunciation of the new character is exactly the same as "shine" in Chinese. On ascending the throne, she proclaimed herself Emperor Shengshen, the first woman ever to use the title emperor which had been created 900 years before by the first emperor of China Qin Shi Huang. Indeed she was the only woman in the 2100 years of imperial China ever to ascend the Dragon Throne, and this again utterly shocked Confucian elites.

Traditional Chinese political theory (see the similar Salic law) did not allow a woman to ascend the throne, and Empress Wu was determined to quash the opposition and promote loyal officials within the bureaucracy. Her regime was characterized by Machiavellian cleverness and brutal despotism. During her reign, she formed her own Secret Police to deal with any opposition that might arise. She was also supported by her two lovers, the Zhang brothers (Zhang Yizhi and his younger brother Zhang Changzong). She gained popular support by advocating Buddhism but ruthlessly persecuted her opponents within the royal family and the nobility. In October 695, after several additions of characters, her imperial name was definitely set as Emperor Tiance Jinlun Shengshen (天冊金輪聖神皇帝), a name which did not undergo further changes until the end of her reign.

On February 20, 705, now in her early 80s and ailing, Empress Wu was unable to thwart a coup, during which the Zhang brothers were executed. Her power ended that day, and she had to step down while Emperor Zhongzong was restored, allowing the Tang Dynasty to resume on March 3, 705. Empress Wu died nine months later, perhaps consoled by the fact that her nephew Wu Sansi, son of her half-brother and as ambitious and intriguing as she, had managed to become the real master behind the scenes, controlling the restored emperor through Emperor Zhongzong's wife Empress Wei, with whom he had an affair.

Although short-lived, the Zhou Dynasty, according to some historians, resulted in better equality between the sexes during the succeeding Tang Dynasty.

Considering the events of her life, literary allusions to Empress Wu can carry several connotations: a woman who has inappropriately overstepped her bounds, the hypocrisy of preaching compassion while simultaneously engaging in a pattern of corrupt and vicious behavior, and ruling by pulling strings in the background. For many centuries, Wu was used by the Chinese establishment as an example of what can go wrong when a woman is placed in charge. Such sexist opposition to her was only lifted during the late 1960s, when Madame Mao (Jiang Qing) rehabilitated Wu as part of a propaganda campaign to suggest herself as a successor to her ailing husband. In his biography Wu, British author Jonathan Clements has pointed out that these wildly differing uses of a historical figure have often led to schizophrenic and often hysterical characterisations. Many alleged "poisonings" and other incidents, such as the premature death of Wu's daughter, may have rational explanations, but have been twisted by later opponents. Clements also notes the changing status of Wu in Chinese historiography -- modern TV drama and movies about her (of which there are many) usually present her as a Cinderella-figure for the entertainment of a female audience, and not the bugbear of old.

The noted French author Shan Sa, born in Beijing, wrote a biographical novel called "Impératrice" (French for Empress) based on Empress Wu's life. It has been translated into English as "Empress" and Japanese as Jotei: Waga na wa Sokuten Bukō (女帝: わが名は則天武后) (trans. "Female emperor: My name is Empress Wu Zetian").

Convention: use personal name
Temple names Family name and first name Period of reign Era name and their according ranges of years
None Wǔ Zhào(武曌) 690-705

Tiānshòu (天授): Oct. 16, 690 - Apr. 21, 692 (18 months)
Rúyì (如意): Apr. 22 - Oct. 22, 692 (6 months)
Chángshòu (長壽): Oct. 23, 692 - Jun. 8, 694 (19 ½ months)
Yánzài (延載): Jun. 9, 694 - Jan. 21, 695 (7 ½ months)
Zhèngshèng (證聖): Jan. 22 - Oct. 21, 695 (9 months)
Tiāncèwànsuì (天冊萬歲): Oct. 22, 695 - Jan. 19, 696 (3 months)
Wànsuìdēngfēng (萬歲登封): Jan. 20 - Apr. 21, 696 (3 months)
Wànsuìtōngtiān (萬歲通天): Apr. 22, 696 - Sept. 28, 697 (17 months)
Shéngōng (神功): Sept. 29 - Dec. 19, 697 (2 ½ months)
Shènglì (聖曆): Dec. 20, 697 - May 26, 700 (29 months)
Jiǔshì (久視): May 27, 700 - Feb. 14, 701 (8 ½ months)
Dàzú (大足): Feb. 15 - Nov. 25, 701 (9 months ½)
Cháng'ān (長安): Nov. 26, 701 - Jan. 29, 705 (38 months)
Shénlóng (神龍): Jan. 30 - Mar. 3, 705 (Zhou dynasty was abolished on March 3, 705, and the Tang Dynasty was restored that same day, but the Shenlong era continued to be used until 707)

  • Father
    • Wu Shihuo (武士彠) (d. 635), Duke Ding of Ying, later further successively posthumously honored as the Duke of Zhou, the Prince of Taiyuan, Emperor Zongxiaotai, and Emperor Xiaominggao (with the temple name of Taizu)
  • Mother
    • Lady Yang (d. 670), Wu Shihuo's second wife, honored as the Lady of Rong, Lady of Zuan, Lady of Wei, and finally Lady Zhonglie of Lu, later further successively posthumously honored with titles corresponding to Wu Shihuo's
  • Husband
  • Major known lovers
    • Huaiyi, né Feng Xiaobao (馮小寶) (name changed 685), the Duke of Liang (created 688) then the Duke of E (created 690, killed 695)
    • Shen Nanqiu (沈南璆), imperial physician
    • Zhang Yizhi, the Duke of Heng (created 702, killed 705)
    • Zhang Changzong, the Duke of Ye (created 702, killed 705)
  • Children
    • Li Hong (李弘) (b. 653), originally the Prince of Dai (created 653), later the Crown Prince (created 656, poisoned 675), posthumously honored Emperor Xiaojing with the temple name Yizong
    • Li Xián (李賢) (note different tone than his brother) (b. 653), name changed to Li De (李德) 672, changed back to Li Xián 674), originally the Prince of Lu (created 655), later the Prince of Pei (created 661), later the Prince of Yong (created 672), later the Crown Prince (created 675), later demoted to commoner rank (demoted 680, forced to commit suicide 684), posthumously initially honored the Prince of Yong, later honored Crown Prince Zhanghuai
    • Li Xiǎn (李顯) (note different tone than his brother) (b. 655), name changed to Li Zhe (李哲) 677, changed back to Li Xiǎn 698, changed to Wu Xian (武顯) 700, changed back to Li Xian 705, initially the Prince of Zhou (created 656), later the Prince of Ying (created 677), later the Crown Prince (created 680), later Emperor Zhongzong of Tang (enthroned 684), later demoted to Prince of Luling (demoted 684), later the Crown Prince (created 698), later emperor again (705)
    • Li Dan (李旦), né Li Xulun (李旭輪) (b. 662), name changed to Li Lun (李輪) 669, changed again to Li Dan 678, changed again to Wu Lun (武輪) 690, changed again to Wu Dan (武旦) 698, changed back to Li Dan 705, originally the Prince of Yin (created 662), later the Prince of Yu (created 666), later the Prince of Ji (created 669), later the Prince of Xiang (created 675), later the Prince of Yu (created 678), later Emperor Ruizong of Tang (enthroned 684), later demoted to Crown Prince (demoted 690), later demoted to Prince of Xiang (demoted 698), later emperor again (710)
    • Unnamed princess
    • Princess Taiping (forced to commit suicide 713)

  1. ^ a b The birth year given here is deduced from the age at death given in the New Book of Tang, compiled in 1045-1060, which is the date favored by modern historians. The year of birth deduced from the Book of Tang, compiled in 941-945, is 623. The year of birth deducted from the Zizhi Tongjian, compiled in 1065-84, is 624.
  2. ^ a b http://www.sinica.edu.tw/ftms-bin/kiwi1/luso.sh?lstype=2&dyna=%AD%F0&king=%A4%A4%A9v&reign=%AF%AB%C0s&yy=1&ycanzi=&mm=11&dd=26&dcanzi=
  3. ^ Final version of her posthumous name as given in July 749.
  4. ^ http://www.sinica.edu.tw/ftms-bin/kiwi1/luso.sh?lstype=2&dyna=%AD%F0&king=%AAZ%A6Z&reign=%B8%FC%AA%EC&yy=1&ycanzi=&mm=9&dd=9&dcanzi=
  5. ^ She was already partially in control of power since around 660, and her power was even more paramount after January 665. Her Zhou Dynasty was proclaimed on August 18, 690, and she proclaimed herself emperor on August 21, demoting her son Emperor Ruizong to the rank of crown prince with the unusual title of Huangsi (皇嗣).
  6. ^ http://www.sinica.edu.tw/ftms-bin/kiwi1/luso.sh?lstype=2&dyna=%AD%F0&king=%A4%A4%A9v&reign=%AF%AB%C0s&yy=1&ycanzi=&mm=1&dd=22&dcanzi=
  7. ^ She lost power in the palace coup of February 20, 705, and on February 22, she was forced to transfer the imperial authority to her son Li Xian, restored as Emperor Zhongzong on February 23. Zhou Dynasty was terminated and Tang Dynasty was restored on March 3.
  8. ^ She was given the name of Mei by Emperor Taizong in the late 630s after she had entered the imperial palace.
  9. ^ Her cousin's son Zong Qinke created a number of new characters in December 689, and she chose 曌 as her given name, which became her taboo name when she ascended the throne the next year. Some sources assert that this character was actually written 瞾. Some sources (e.g., Bo Yang Edition of the Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 47-49) also assert that her original given name was Zhao and that in 689 she only changed the written character, but this is confirmed by neither the Book of Tang nor the New Book of Tang, neither of which stated her original given name. It should be noted that her grandson Li Chongzhao, sometime after she became emperor, changed his name to Li Chongrun to observe naming taboo for her, and the character of "Zhao" in Li Chongzhao's name was 照. See Book of Tang, vol. 86[1] and New Book of Tang, vol. 81.[2]
  10. ^ Zhou Dynasty was abolished before her death, and she was reverted to the rank of empress consort on her death, so she did not have a temple name, as empresses consort, unlike ruling emperors, were not given temple names.
  11. ^ Zetian was the beginning of the honorific name (徽號) -- Emperor Zetian Dasheng (則天大聖皇帝) -- given to her in February 705 by her son Emperor Zhongzong. The honorific name was used as her posthumous name when she died ten months later, although she was also frequently referred to as "Heavenly Empress" throughout the rest of Tang Dynasty.
  12. ^ General note: Dates given here are in the Julian calendar. They are not in the proleptic Gregorian calendar.
  13. ^ a b c d e f The table of chancellors in the New Book of Tang had several entries with regard to chancellor movements during Wu Zetian's reign that were considered errant entries (as they were immediately duplicated within other subsequent entries) by both its commentators and Sima Guang, the lead editor of the Zizhi Tongjian, and accordingly, those entries are not considered here. Further, it gave no date for the end of Lu Yuanfang's second stint as chancellor, but the Zizhi Tongjian did. See New Book of Tang, vol. 61.[3]
Preceded by
Empress Wang		 Empress of Tang Dynasty
655-684		 Succeeded by
Empress Wei
Preceded by
(Dynasty established)		 Emperor of the Zhou Dynasty
690–705		 Succeeded by
(Dynasty abolished)
Preceded by
Emperor Ruizong of Tang		 Emperor of China
690–705		 Succeeded by
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
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