The Rise of an Unlikely Ruler

Wu Zetian’s ascent to power was as improbable as it was unprecedented. Born into a minor aristocratic family during the Tang Dynasty, she entered Emperor Taizong’s palace as a cairen (a mid-ranking concubine) at just 14. Her sharp wit and political instincts first surfaced during an encounter with Taizong’s untamable horse, Lion Foal. When the emperor jestingly asked his consorts how they might subdue the animal, young Wu boldly proposed using violence—a response that both amused and intrigued Taizong. Though dismissed as youthful audacity, this moment foreshadowed her ruthless pragmatism.

After Taizong’s death in 649, Wu—like childless imperial consorts—was consigned to a Buddhist nunnery. But fate intervened when Emperor Gaozong, Taizong’s son, recalled her to court. Their relationship defied norms: she had been his father’s concubine, yet Gaozong elevated her to zhaoyi (a higher consort rank), then deposed his existing empress to install Wu in 655. This coup split the court, with Gaozong’s uncle, Chancellor Zhangsun Wuji, leading opposition. Wu outmaneuvered them by rallying allies who framed the dispute as a “household matter,” beyond bureaucratic reproach.

Consolidating Power Through Reform

As empress, Wu systematically eliminated rivals. Zhangsun Wuji was forced to suicide; dissenting officials were exiled. When Gaozong’s health declined, Wu became de facto regent, mastering state affairs. After his death in 683, she deposed two sons—Emperors Zhongzong and Ruizong—before proclaiming herself Shengshen Huangdi (Holy Divine Emperor) in 690, founding the short-lived Zhou Dynasty.

Her pre-coronation reforms reshaped Tang governance:
– Social Engineering: Replacing the Clan Records with Surname Rankings stripped aristocratic families of hereditary privileges, elevating commoners like her own Wu clan.
– Administrative Overhaul: Renaming Luoyang as the “Divine Capital” and revising official titles signaled a break with tradition.
– Institutional Innovation: She expanded civil service exams, introducing imperial interviews (precursor to殿试) and military exams (武举), enabling talents like general Guo Ziyi to rise.

Governance: Meritocracy and Military Prowess

Wu’s reign (690–705) defied gendered expectations. She declared, “The realm is vast—how can one person govern without wings of talent?” Her policies included:
– Agricultural Incentives: Officials promoting land reclamation were rewarded; those causing population displacement were punished. Under her, registered households surged from 380,000 to 615,000.
– Border Security: General Wang Xiaojie reclaimed the Anxi Four Garrisons from Tibet (692), restoring Silk Road access. Military-agricultural colonies (tuntian) in the northwest, like those overseen by Lou Shide, stockpiled years of grain reserves.

Yet her rule had shadows:
– Tyrannical Measures: Secret police and torture suppressed dissent, breeding paranoia.
– Excesses: Later years saw lavish construction projects, straining resources.

Why Wu Zetian? The Tang Context

Her singularity owed much to Tang’s unique milieu:
– Cultural Fluidity: The dynasty’s mixed Sino-nomadic heritage relaxed Confucian gender norms. Elite women like Princess Taiping and Shangguan Wan’er wielded influence.
– Weak Rivals: Gaozong’s ineptitude and her sons’ malleability created a power vacuum.
– Institutional Openness: Exam reforms under earlier Tang rulers provided tools to bypass aristocratic gatekeepers.

Legacy: The Weight of the Unworded Stele

Wu’s death in 705 saw Tang restoration, but her imprint endured:
– Exam System: Her innovations became permanent, democratizing officialdom.
– Gender Paradox: While her success wasn’t replicated, she expanded elite women’s agency.
– Historical Ambiguity: Her wordless stele—inviting posterity to judge her—captures her complexity. As Tang historian Guo Moruo noted, she “shattered ceilings yet walked a path strewn with contradictions.”

In bridging the Golden Ages of Taizong and Xuanzong, Wu Zetian proved that even in patriarchal imperial China, brilliance and ambition could rewrite destiny—if only for one extraordinary woman.