The Unprecedented Rise of a Female Emperor

In 690 AD, at the remarkable age of 67, Wu Zetian shattered centuries of patriarchal tradition by declaring herself emperor of the newly established Zhou Dynasty, replacing the Tang. This bold move—unthinkable in Confucian society—provoked fierce resistance from Tang loyalists and conservative officials who viewed female rule as unnatural. Facing invisible enemies who paid lip service while plotting rebellion, Wu needed an intelligence network to expose dissent. Her solution? A chilling system of mass surveillance and state terror that would redefine imperial authority.

The Copper Box Revolution: Institutionalizing Paranoia

In March 686 (垂拱二年), Wu unveiled her first innovation—a four-sided bronze receptacle placed prominently in Luoyang’s government square. Resembling a modern mailbox but painted in symbolic colors (green, red, white, black), this “铜匦” (tóng guǐ) served distinct purposes:

– Green (East): Petitions for official appointments
– Red (South): Policy critiques
– White (West): Legal appeals
– Black (North): Secret denunciations

This Orwellian apparatus transformed every citizen into a potential informant. But Wu went further—she eliminated barriers to reporting. Peasants could demand government-provided horses to travel capital, enjoying five-rank official待遇 during journeys. Successful informants received promotions; failed accusations faced no penalty. The message was clear: loyalty paid, silence risked suspicion.

From Paupers to Prosecutors: The Making of Wu’s Enforcers

The informant system birthed a new bureaucratic class—the 酷吏 (kù lì, cruel officials). These were not conventional administrators but ruthless operatives selected for their lack of scruples and total dependence on Wu’s favor. Two典型案例 illustrate their profiles:

### Case 1: Hou Sizhi – The Illiterate Inquisitor
A failed饼 vendor turned servant, Hou leveraged audacity into power. After accusing a Tang-loyalist governor of rebellion, Wu granted him a nominal rank. Dissatisfied, Hou demanded promotion to御史 (imperial censor)—despite being illiterate. His justification? “The mythical獬豸 (xiè zhì) beast detects evil without literacy.” Wu, impressed by his metaphor for instinctive persecution, complied.

### Case 2: Lai Junchen – The Prisoner-Turned-Persecutor
A gambler’s bastard with a criminal past, Lai first tried informing from jail. When a Tang-affiliated magistrate blocked him, Lai bided time until Wu purged Tang loyalists. Presenting himself as a victim of “counterrevolutionary suppression,” his eloquence and handsome features won him a censor position. His subsequent manual《罗织经》(The Art of Fabrication) systematized false accusation techniques.

These “four-withouts, three-haves” officials (无身份,无道德,无出头之日,无依无靠; 有野心,有胆量,有手段) became Wu’s刀刃 against hidden opposition.

Engineering Fear: The Machinery of Judicial Terror

Lai Junchen’s playbook outlined six steps for manufacturing treason cases:

1. Target Selection: Identifying potential threats
2. Mass Denunciation: Coordinating hundreds of false accusations
3. Arrest: Detaining suspects without evidence
4. Interrogation: Employing tools like the “十枷” (Ten Great Shackles), including:
– 喘不得 (Breath-Stealer)
– 求即死 (Beg-for-Death)
– 求破家 (Family-Destroyer)
5. Forced Implication: Extracting names of “co-conspirators”
6. Document Forgery: Creating coherent false confessions

The 684-697 period saw 40+ major purges, even ensnaring celebrated officials like狄仁杰. At its peak, ministers bid tearful farewells to families each morning, unsure of evening returns. Palace maids nicknamed officials “鬼朴” (ghost fodder).

The Southern Bloodbath: When Terror Went Off-Script

In 693, rumors of “代武者刘” (Liu replacing Wu) triggered the六道使事件—six envoys dispatched to massacre exiled Tang loyalists. In广州,万国俊 executed 300+ without trial. His reward? Promotion. Emulating him, other envoys killed 500-900 each, turning rivers red with blood.

The Double-Edged Sword of Terror

While crushing opposition, Wu’s system eroded governance:
– Pros: Eliminated organized resistance, stabilized her rule
– Cons: Created paralyzing fear, damaged state functionality

By the late 690s, even Wu recognized the toxicity. As we’ll explore next, her eventual dismantling of the apparatus—famously using Lai Junchen’s methods against him in the “请君入瓮” (kindly step into your own vat) episode—marked a pivotal turn toward rehabilitation. Yet the scars of this reign of terror would endure, offering timeless lessons about power, surveillance, and the price of absolute control.

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