The Turbulent Ascent of Wu Zetian

The Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE) witnessed one of history’s most extraordinary political upheavals when Wu Zetian ascended from imperial consort to China’s only female emperor. Facing fierce opposition from the aristocratic elite, Wu Zetian employed ruthless tactics to consolidate power. Among her most infamous tools were the kuli (酷吏, “cruel officials”)—legal enforcers who used torture, false accusations, and terror to eliminate her enemies.

Wu Zetian’s rise was unprecedented. Traditional Confucian ideology barred women from rulership, yet she defied norms by deposing her sons, dismantling the Li-Tang imperial clan, and establishing the short-lived Zhou Dynasty (690–705 CE). To suppress dissent, she encouraged public denunciations, creating an atmosphere of fear where even whispers of disloyalty could lead to execution.

Zhou Xing: The Architect of Terror

Among Wu Zetian’s early enforcers, Zhou Xing stood out. A low-ranking legal clerk under Emperor Gaozong, Zhou’s humble origins barred him from high office—until Wu Zetian’s purge of the aristocracy opened doors for ambitious outsiders.

Zhou Xing’s brutal efficiency made him indispensable. His first major case involved fabricating evidence against Tang imperial relatives, leading to mass executions that cleared Wu Zetian’s path to the throne. When critics accused him of manufacturing false charges, Zhou famously posted a notice at his office:

> “The accused always claim innocence—until their heads roll. Then, silence.”

Rewarded with promotions and even the imperial surname Wu, Zhou reveled in his power. Yet his downfall came swiftly. In 691 CE, he was accused of treason—ironically, by his protégé, Lai Junchen.

The Infamous “Please Step into the Vat”

Lai Junchen, another rising kuli, devised a poetic end for Zhou Xing. Over dinner, Lai feigned ignorance, asking Zhou how to extract confessions from stubborn prisoners. Zhou suggested roasting them alive in a heated vat. Lai promptly ordered the method prepared, then bowed:

> “The Empress commands you to answer for treason. Please, step into the vat.”

Zhou confessed immediately. Exiled and later murdered by vengeful families, his fate birthed the Chinese idiom qing jun ru weng (请君入瓮, “invite you into the vat”)—a metaphor for being hoisted by one’s own petard.

Lai Junchen: The Spider Weaving a Web of Fear

If Zhou Xing was ruthless, Lai Junchen was monstrous. Author of the Manual of Entrapment (Luozhi Jing), he systematized persecution. His tactics included:

– Targeting the Elite: He kidnapped noblewomen, including a Wang-clan bride, by threatening their families with treason charges.
– Randomized Terror: Writing officials’ names on stones, he threw pebbles to randomly select victims.
– Psychological Warfare: Even Wu Zetian’s relatives feared his whispers of conspiracy.

Lai’s arrogance proved fatal. When his associate Wei Suizhong accidentally insulted Lai’s wife, triggering her suicide, Wei panicked and preemptively accused Lai of plotting rebellion. Wu Zetian, though initially reluctant, was swayed by another official’s plea:

> “Lai Junchen hoards wealth, piles corpses like mountains, and chokes the roads with ghosts of the innocent. Why spare a traitor to the state?”

In 697 CE, Lai was executed. The public desecrated his corpse—a cathartic release from years of terror.

The End of the Reign of Terror

Wu Zetian’s purge of the kuli was deliberate. Having solidified her rule, she distanced herself from their excesses. The 14-year kuli era (684–697 CE) left scars:

– Legal Corruption: Trials became farcical; guilt was presumed.
– Social Paranoia: Officials like Su Daoyan coined the term mo leng liang ke (模棱两可, “equivocal”) to avoid taking stands.
– Legacy of Distrust: The Tang aristocracy never fully recovered.

Yet Wu Zetian’s pragmatism shone through. As historian Meng Man notes, she discarded the kuli once they outlived their usefulness, pivoting to competent administrators like future chancellor Yao Chong.

Conclusion: Power, Justice, and Historical Memory

Wu Zetian’s kuli exemplify the dark symbiosis between autocrats and their enforcers. Their stories—of ambition, cruelty, and poetic justice—reveal the fragility of power built on fear. Modern parallels abound, from Stalin’s purges to authoritarian regimes today.

The Tang Dynasty eventually restored the Li clan, but Wu Zetian’s reign endures as a cautionary tale: unchecked power corrupts, and even the mightiest tools are disposable. As Zhou Xing and Lai Junchen learned too late, those who live by the vat may perish by it.