The Zizhi Tongjian records that on September 5 of the first year of the first year of the reign (690), the courtiers said that a phoenix flew out of the Ming Hall and landed on the sycamore tree of the Suzhengtai in Shangyang Palace. So Wu Zetian led everyone to go to the light to see, what he did not expect was that the phoenix flew away after seeing Wu Zetian, and tens of thousands of suzaku gathered in the hall behind him, refusing to leave. The ancients have always believed in Xiangrui, and the courtiers knelt down and said, The phoenix is you, and when it sees you and leaves, it is hinting at your ascension to the throne. These Suzaku are us, and if you don't ascend the throne, it's against Providence, and Suzaku won't leave.
At the age of 67, Wu Zetian seemed helpless to ascend the throne as emperor and changed the name of the country to Zhou, which was the establishment of Wu Zhou. In fact, it was not some providence, but a deliberate arrangement of Wu Zetian, and the phoenix was a peacock. The reason why the red bird refuses to leave here is because it has been hungry for a long time, and the court is all bird food, just for xiangrui. Wu Zetian, the only orthodox female emperor in Chinese history, was also one of the oldest emperors to ascend the throne.
Her father was a founding hero of the Tang Dynasty, her mother was born in the Sui Dynasty royal family, and wu Zetian followed her mother to live in Chang'an when she died at the age of twelve. Speaking of her father, who died of illness because of Li Yuan's death, Li Shimin looked at her father's face and summoned her to the palace at the age of fourteen. Feng Wupincairen, she should not have been favored by Li Shimin, because she sat in this position for twelve consecutive years. Since the elderly Emperor Taizong was seriously ill, Wu Zetian also had to consider the future, and Wu Zetian was never an ordinary person.
Because of their feelings for Li Zhi, in May of the first year of Yonghui (650), when they were commemorated again, the old love between the two rekindled. Coincidentally, at that time, Empress Wang had no children and fell out of favor, and her love enemy Xiao Shufei was favored and had children, and in order to attack Xiao Shufei, Empress Wang suggested that Wu Zetian be included in the palace. This decision doomed Wang Xiao's tragedy, for Wu Zetian, she was a good hand in politics, and the palace fight was naturally not bad. In the first year of entering the palace, she gave birth to her son Li Hong, who quickly caused Consort Xiao to fall out of favor and worship zhaoyi the following year.
The New Book of Tang and the Zizhi Tongjian record that she used the death of her eldest daughter, Princess Andingsi, to depose Empress Wang, and Consort Xiao shufei to be implicated and deposed. At the same time, Changsun Wuji, Han Yan, Lai Ji, and others were dismissed one after another, and the Guanlong clique was severely hit. It was also Li Zhi's health that was not good, otherwise Wu Zetian would not have had the opportunity to handle government affairs, and by becoming an empress, a queen of heaven, and an empress, she stepped into the court step by step as a woman. Capable and supportive, Li Dan and Li Xian did not dare to oppose their mothers, and she became the empress smoothly.
Wu Zetian was the emperor, and the Wu family naturally received extremely high rights, and Wu Chengsi and Wu Sansi wanted the position of prince many times. Originally, Wu Zetian was a little hesitant, but in his later years, Wu Zetian still chose to return the power to his son instead of his nephew. In fact, the reason is also very simple, it is the prime minister Di Renjie said a paragraph to her, Di Renjie said this: The aunt and nephew are closer to the mother and son, which is closer? He also told her that when her son ascended the throne, she would be enshrined as an ancestor in the Taimiao Temple in the future. This is a matter of course, but I have never heard of my nephew ascending the throne and enshrine my aunt in the Taimiao Temple.
Moreover, all aspects of the court expressed their support for Li Tang, so she took Li Xian back to Luoyang. With an heir, she began to indulge in pleasure, because of the face, the relationship between the monarch and the courtier also began to strain. In the first month of the first year of Shenlong (705), Wu Zetian became seriously ill, and the chancellor Zhang Kamzhi launched a coup d'état, killing Erzhang and forcing Wu Zetian to pass the throne to Li Xian. In fact, the benefits of the throne to his son were obvious, and Li Xian, after ascending the throne, had great respect for her, and every ten days he would bring people to visit her. Of course, this is also the reason why she is so capable that everyone obeys.
On November 26 of the first year of shenlong (December 16, 705), Wu Zetian died of illness at the age of 82, and the imperial title was removed. She was only known as the Empress Zetian Dasheng, and was buried with Li Zhi in Qianling. At the same time, she also pardoned Wang Xiao and chu Suiliang and other relatives, but Empress Wang obviously could no longer be buried with Li Zhi, even if she was Yuanbei. In fact, Wu Zetian and Li Zhi had feelings, and when Li Zhi died, she thought that she must be buried with him. However, some people say that she is out of guilt for her husband and son, but in fact, Datang has become strong in her hands, what is she sorry for?
References: Zizhi Tongjian, New Book of Tang, Old Book of Tang