The Fractured Dynasty: A Mother’s Favoritism and Its Consequences

The Tang Dynasty witnessed one of China’s most dramatic family sagas through the children of Empress Wu Zetian. While bearing four sons (Li Hong, Li Xian, Li Zhe, and Li Dan) and one daughter (Princess Taiping), Wu’s maternal affections followed a striking pattern. She openly favored her youngest daughter, whose assertive personality mirrored her own, while viewing her sons as disappointments—deeming them either too soft-hearted (Li Hong), insufficiently authoritative (Li Xian and Li Zhe), or outright timid (Li Dan).

This maternal bias set in motion a chain of tragedies. Crown Prince Li Hong died suddenly in 675 at the Palace of Combined Fragrance—historians still debate whether natural causes or poisoning claimed him. His successor Li Xian composed the poignant “Melon Terrace Song” pleading for his mother’s mercy, but was still exiled and forced to suicide. Third son Li Zhe (later Emperor Zhongzong) would inherit the throne, only to be deposed within months by his domineering mother.

The Exile Years: A Marriage Forged in Crisis

Following his abrupt dethronement in 684 for attempting to appoint his father-in-law as chancellor, Li Zhe began a 14-year exile in remote Fangzhou (modern Hubei). This period cemented his dependence on Lady Wei, whose political acumen and emotional support became his lifeline. The couple endured constant surveillance, especially after the failed 684 rebellion of Xu Jingye, who had rallied troops under the banner of restoring Li Zhe.

Wei’s influence grew exponentially during their isolation. When Li Zhe fell into despair, she stabilized him with strategic counsel and intimate care, even while pregnant with their fourth child. Their shared trauma birthed a fateful pact—Li Zhe vowed that if restored to power, Wei would enjoy unprecedented autonomy. This promise would later enable her meteoric rise and disastrous political maneuvers.

The Second Reign: Webs of Influence

Restored as crown prince in 698 through chancellor Di Renjie’s intervention, Li Zhe navigated a court still dominated by his mother’s faction. Wei recognized the power held by four key figures: Princess Taiping (Wu’s daughter), the Wu clan nephews (especially the charming Wu Sansi), and the brilliant poetess Shangguan Wan’er, head of the imperial secretariat.

Wei orchestrated strategic marital alliances—marrying their daughter Princess Yongtai to Wu Sansi’s nephew, and youngest Princess Anle to Wu Sansi’s son. However, this web collapsed when Princess Yongtai and her husband were executed for criticizing Wu Zetian’s lovers, the Zhang brothers. The 705 coup led by Zhang Jianzhi finally ousted Wu Zetian, placing Li Zhe (now Emperor Zhongzong) on the throne with Wei as empress.

The Empress’s Gambit: Courtly Chaos and Sexual Politics

Wei’s reign as empress marked a dramatic escalation of Tang court decadence. Installing her lover Wu Sansi as chancellor, she established parallel power structures:

– Political Theater: She adopted Wu Zetian’s practice of attending court behind a curtain, issuing edicts that bypassed traditional channels (the infamous “oblique appointments” where offices were sold for bribes).
– Cultural Manipulation: Court scholars like Zheng Yin rewrote musical rituals to compare Wei to silkworm goddesses, while omens like “five-colored clouds” over her palace were touted as divine endorsements.
– Sexual Court: Beyond Wu Sansi, Wei took multiple lovers including the monk Huifan, physician Ma Qinke, and chef Yang Jun. Her promiscuity became an open secret, with censor Wei Yuejiang’s public accusation leading to his execution.

Princess Anle mirrored her mother’s excesses, demanding the unprecedented title of “Imperial Crown Princess” while building the extravagant Dingkun Pool estate. When Crown Prince Li Chongjun rebelled in 707, killing Wu Sansi, Wei and Anle barely escaped—using Shangguan Wan’er’s quick thinking to rally defenses at the Xuanwu Gate.

Poison and Legacy: The Dynasty’s Downfall

By 710, dissent reached critical mass. Official Yan Qinrong’s memorial detailing Wei’s affairs and power abuses finally stirred Zhongzong to consider deposing her. In response, Wei and Anle poisoned him with a tainted pancake during the Dragon Boat Festival.

The aftermath proved disastrous. Wei’s attempt to rule as regent collapsed within weeks when Princess Taiping and Li Longji (future Emperor Xuanzong) launched a coup. Wei was beheaded, her faction purged, and the Tang Dynasty nearly buckled under accumulated excesses.

Historians view Zhongzong’s reign as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked consort power and political decadence. Wei’s story particularly illustrates how Wu Zetian’s precedent inspired—but ultimately doomed—later Tang women seeking authority. The era’s artistic legacy remains paradoxical: while producing remarkable poetry (like Shangguan Wan’er’s works) and architectural marvels (Dingkun Pool), its political unraveling foreshadowed the An Lushan Rebellion that would nearly topple the Tang forty years later.