Royals › Monarch / Emperor

Wu Zetian (Empress Wu)

Consort of Emperor Gaozong who governed first as empress dowager and then, from 690 until her forced abdication in 705, as emperor of her own Zhou dynasty

Also known as Wu Zhao · Wu Meiniang · Shengmu Shenhuang · Ze Tian Da Sheng Huang Di · Wu Zetian

Wu Zetian, who later took the self-coined name Zhao, came from Wenshui in Bingzhou; her father Wu Shiyue had helped found the Tang. Summoned to Emperor Taizong's palace at fourteen as a lady of talent and named Wu Mei, she became Emperor Gaozong's consort after Taizong's death, and in 655 she was made empress. She came to share in government, the pair being called the Two Sages, and after Gaozong died in 683 she ruled as empress dowager, deposing Zhongzong and setting up Ruizong, crushing Xu Jingye's rising and encouraging informers with copper petition boxes. Early in 690 she personally examined candidates in the palace, and that autumn she renamed the dynasty Zhou and took the title emperor; she later created military examinations, promoted ministers such as Di Renjie and had Shangguan Wan'er draft her edicts. Forced by Zhang Jianzhi's coup in 705 to hand the throne to Zhongzong, she died that year, renounced the imperial title in her testament and was buried with Gaozong at Qianling, where her stele was left uninscribed.

Life and times

  1. 624 CEBornTang
  2. 677Zhaorong Drafts Imperial EdictsIn powerage 53Summoned by Wu Zetian at fourteen, Shangguan Wan'er came to draft palace edicts; as Zhaorong under Emperor Zhongzong she urged him to enlarge the Xiuwen Hall academy, and she judged the courtiers' poems at Kunming Pool.
    1. Shangguan Wan'er Drafting Imperial DecreesSummoned by Wu Zetian at fourteen, Shangguan Wan'er composed as if she had prepared in advance, and from the Tongtian era she drafted edicts in the palace.
  3. 690Wu Zetian's ReignTook partage 66Wu Zetian proclaimed her Zhou dynasty, expanded examination recruitment, and promoted officials beyond the established aristocratic families.
    1. Xu Jingye's Yangzhou Uprising684age 60In 684 Li Jingye rose at Yangzhou against the regent Wu Zetian in the name of restoring the deposed emperor, with Luo Binwang writing his proclamation, and was crushed within months.
    2. Wu Zetian Founds Wu ZhouIn 690 Wu Zetian ended the Tang mandate at Luoyang, the Divine Capital, renamed the state Zhou and took the title Sage and Divine Emperor; in 688 she had already built the Mingtang on the site of the palace's Qianyuan Hall.
    3. Wu Youyi's Campaign Against the Khitansc. 696age 72After the Khitan rising at Yingzhou, the Wu Zhou court sent Wu Youyi north with Chen Zi'ang on his staff, whose repeated advice was refused before the revolt collapsed the next year.
    4. 1 more
      1. Wu Zetian Buried at Qianling706In the fifth month of 706, Tang Zhongzong had Wu Zetian buried at Qianling with Emperor Gaozong, in accordance with her final instructions.
  4. 705 CEDied

Works

  1. Literature · Prose14
    1. Norms for SubjectsTangEmpress Wu's 685 guide for ministers in ten chapters, companion to Taizong's Difan
    2. Norms for Subjects: PrefaceTang
    3. Norms for Subjects: On Being One BodyTang
    4. Norms for Subjects: On Utmost LoyaltyTang
    5. Norms for Subjects: On Keeping to the WayTang
    6. +9 more
      1. Norms for Subjects: On ImpartialityTang
      2. Norms for Subjects: On RemonstranceTang
      3. Norms for Subjects: On Sincerity and TrustTang
      4. Norms for Subjects: On DiscretionTang
      5. Norms for Subjects: On HonestyTang
      6. Norms for Subjects: On Good GeneralsTang
      7. Norms for Subjects: On Benefiting the PeopleTang
      8. Norms for Subjects: Colophon on the ChenguiTang
      9. Norms for Subjects: On Being One Body (main text)Tang
  2. Literature · Sayings3
    1. One Heart and One VirtueTangIdiom from Empress Wu's Rules for Ministers: united ministers make a state rise
    2. Seeing Red as Green: Wu Zetian's Love SongTangIdiom from Wu Zetian's song As You Wish: so lovesick that red looks green
    3. Divided in Heart and Purpose: The Fall of King ZhouTangIdiom in Empress Wu's Rules for Ministers, from the Documents: hearts divided, a dynasty lost
  3. Literature · Poetry1
    1. As You WishTangShort yuefu attributed to Wu Zetian as a nun at Ganye Temple, pining for Emperor Gaozong

Family tree

  1. Direct kin
    Wu Zetian (Empress Wu)
    Husband (emperor)
    Li Shimin
    Husband
    Li Zhi
    Son
    Li Xian
    Son
    Li Dan
    Daughter
    Princess Taiping

Connections

  1. Shared events5
    1. Li Longji685 CE–762 CE
    2. Chen Zi'angc. 661 CE–c. 702 …
    3. Luo Binwangc. 640 CE–death u…
    4. Xu JingyeBirth unknown–684…
    5. Shangguan Yic. 608 CE–665 CE
  2. Rulers and officials2
    1. Shangguan Wan'erCourt secretary · 664 CE–710 CE
    2. Di RenjieChancellor · 630 CE–700 CE