A Fateful Entry into the Imperial Court
In the spring of 637 AD, as willow catkins danced and peach blossoms bloomed in the Tang capital Chang’an, a remarkable 14-year-old girl named Wu Zetian entered Emperor Taizong’s palace. This moment would unknowingly set in motion one of history’s most extraordinary political ascents.
The previous year had seen the death of Empress Zhangsun, leaving Emperor Taizong grief-stricken and seeking companionship. When officials reported the exceptional beauty of Wu Shiyue’s second daughter, the emperor summoned her to court. Unlike typical young girls who might weep at leaving home, Wu Zetian reportedly comforted her distraught mother: “Being chosen for the palace is my good fortune—why grieve?”
The Making of an Ambitious Mind
Wu Zetian’s background proved unusual for imperial consorts. Born in 624 AD in Wenshui, Shanxi, she was the daughter of Wu Shiyue—a timber merchant turned government official through connections with Emperor Gaozu, the dynasty’s founder. A famous anecdote tells of the fortune-teller Yuan Tiangang mistaking the young Wu for a boy and declaring: “If this were a girl, her future would be unimaginably noble.” This prophecy reportedly shaped Wu’s self-perception, with childhood games where she played “female emperor.”
As a concubine (given the title “Cairen” and name “Wu Mei”), she demonstrated unusual boldness. When Emperor Taizong asked his court ladies how to tame an unruly horse, Wu famously replied: “First with an iron whip, then an iron rod, and finally a dagger to its throat”—a response that shocked the court but revealed her ruthless pragmatism.
From Monastery Back to Power
Taizong’s death in 649 AD sent Wu—like all childless imperial consorts—to Ganye Temple as a Buddhist nun. For most women, this meant permanent obscurity, but Wu’s fortunes changed dramatically during Emperor Gaozong’s 654 AD memorial visit. Their prior acquaintance (legend tells of a fishpond encounter when Gaozong was crown prince) rekindled, and with Empress Wang’s approval—who sought to counter a rival consort—Wu returned to court.
Her political genius quickly emerged. Initially deferential to Empress Wang, Wu soon surpassed her in Gaozong’s affections. When she bore a daughter who mysteriously died after Wang’s visit, Wu accused the empress of murder—historians widely believe Wu sacrificed her own child to eliminate a rival. This incident became pivotal in Gaozong’s decision to depose Wang.
The Bloody Path to the Throne
The 655 AD succession crisis divided the court. Senior ministers like Chu Suiliang and Zhangsun Wuji opposed elevating Wu, citing her low birth and prior marriage to Taizong. Wu retaliated brutally: Chu died in exile; Zhangsun was forced to suicide. Supporters like Li Ji (“The emperor’s household affairs need no outsiders’ approval”) helped Gaozong overcome opposition.
After becoming empress, Wu systematically eliminated threats. The deposed Empress Wang and Consort Xiao suffered horrific deaths—beaten, mutilated, and drowned in wine jars. When Gaozong later regretted Wu’s growing power and conspired with minister Shangguan Yi to depose her, Wu discovered the plot, executed the conspirators, and thereafter ruled alongside Gaozong as co-sovereign (“Two Sages”).
Breaking the Ultimate Taboo
Wu’s ambition didn’t stop at regency. After Gaozong’s 683 AD death, she deposed two sons (Emperors Zhongzong and Ruizong) before declaring herself Emperor in 690 AD—the only woman in Chinese history to rule as emperor rather than empress. Adopting the new name “Zhao” (meaning “shining like the sun and moon”) and establishing the Zhou Dynasty, she reigned for 15 years until age 81.
Legacy of China’s Female Emperor
Wu Zetian’s reign (690-705 AD) transformed Tang society. She:
– Promoted meritocracy over aristocracy, expanding the examination system
– Commissioned the first Chinese-written commentary on the Buddhist Diamond Sutra
– Patronized arts and architecture, including the colossal Longmen Grottoes statues
– Established an extensive intelligence network to monitor opposition
Though later Confucian historians condemned her as a usurper, modern reassessments acknowledge her administrative brilliance. From timber merchant’s daughter to emperor, Wu Zetian’s life remains unmatched in audacity—a testament to how one woman navigated, manipulated, and ultimately conquered the rigid patriarchy of imperial China.