From Concubine to Empress: Wu Zetian’s Ascent

In 655 AD, Wu Zetian achieved what few women in Chinese history had ever accomplished—she was formally installed as Empress Consort by Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty. This crowning moment marked the culmination of an 18-year struggle that began in 637 when she first entered the imperial palace as a low-ranking concubine. Her journey to the throne was fraught with political intrigue, personal rivalries, and relentless ambition.

Wu Zetian’s rise was neither smooth nor uncontested. The imperial court was a battleground where factions vied for influence, and the position of empress was particularly contentious. The deposed Empress Wang and Consort Xiao, her primary rivals, had once held significant sway over Emperor Gaozong. Yet through calculated alliances, strategic marriages, and ruthless maneuvering, Wu Zetian secured her place as the most powerful woman in the empire.

The Purge of Empress Wang and Consort Xiao

Even after her coronation, Wu Zetian faced threats from those she had displaced. Empress Wang and Consort Xiao, though stripped of their titles and imprisoned, remained potential rallying points for opposition. Their confinement in a desolate corner of the palace was harsh—locked in a windowless cell with only a small opening for food.

The situation took a dramatic turn when Emperor Gaozong, perhaps out of lingering guilt or nostalgia, visited the imprisoned women. His momentary sympathy—asking after their well-being—was a dangerous signal. Empress Wang, sensing an opportunity, pleaded for clemency, requesting that their prison be renamed the “Hall of Repentance” as a symbolic gesture of their redemption.

Wu Zetian, ever vigilant, swiftly intervened. She confronted Emperor Gaozong, arguing that any leniency would undermine her authority and embolden their enemies. Persuaded, the emperor authorized their execution—but left the method to Wu Zetian.

What followed was a brutal and symbolic display of power. Empress Wang and Consort Xiao were subjected to a horrific fate: beaten, mutilated, and drowned in wine vats. This act was not merely about eliminating rivals; it was a message to the court—Wu Zetian would tolerate no dissent.

Cultural and Psychological Aftermath

The executions sent shockwaves through the Tang court. Stories circulated that Wu Zetian, haunted by their deaths, banned cats from the palace—fearing that Consort Xiao’s dying curse (to be reincarnated as a cat and strangle Wu in revenge) might come true. While historical records suggest she later kept cats, the legend reflects the psychological warfare of court politics.

Wu Zetian’s methods mirrored those of Empress Lü Zhi of the Han Dynasty, who famously mutilated her rival Consort Qi. Some historians argue that accounts of Wu’s cruelty may have been exaggerated by later scholars hostile to her rule. Yet the underlying truth remains: in a patriarchal system where women’s power was precarious, eliminating rivals was often a matter of survival.

Securing the Throne: The Succession Crisis

With the后宫 stabilized, Wu Zetian turned to the next challenge—ensuring her son’s succession. The current crown prince, Li Zhong, was the adopted son of the deposed Empress Wang. His continued presence was an existential threat.

Wu Zetian’s allies, led by the court official Xu Jingzong, argued that Li Zhong’s status as a “temporary” heir (chosen before Wu had borne a son) was illegitimate. They invoked Confucian principles of primogeniture, insisting that the empress’s biological son, Li Hong, was the rightful heir. Under mounting pressure, Li Zhong abdicated, and Li Hong was installed as crown prince in 656.

Reshaping the Imperial Court

Wu Zetian’s final task was purging the court of opposition. Key adversaries like Chancellor Chu Suiliang, who had vehemently opposed her rise, were systematically removed. Using accusations of conspiracy, Wu and her supporters exiled or demoted dissenting officials, replacing them with loyalists like Li Yifu and Xu Jingzong.

This restructuring was methodical. By targeting the most vocal opponents first, Wu Zetian weakened resistance without provoking outright rebellion. The gradual nature of these purges allowed her to consolidate power while maintaining an illusion of stability.

Legacy and Historical Reflection

Wu Zetian’s early reign as empress set the stage for her unprecedented later rule as China’s only female emperor. Her tactics—ranging from political marriages to brutal suppression of rivals—reveal the precariousness of women’s power in imperial China. Yet they also underscore her strategic brilliance.

Modern historians debate the extent of her cruelty, but few deny her effectiveness. By securing the throne for her lineage and neutralizing opposition, Wu Zetian transformed the Tang Dynasty’s power structure. Her reign challenges traditional narratives of female subservience, offering a complex portrait of ambition, resilience, and ruthlessness in a male-dominated world.

In the end, Wu Zetian’s story is not just one of personal triumph but a reflection of the lengths required to defy—and ultimately redefine—the boundaries of power.