According to the Cambridge History of the Sui and Tang Dynasties of China, "For this woman who dared to overthrow the Li-Tang royal family and rule like a man, despite the vicious attacks and hostile attitudes of Confucian historians, Wu Cao clearly had special talents, a gift for politics, and was very good at manipulating the power structure of the court." She was able to seize power extraordinaryly because of her outstanding talents, determination, and ability to identify people, coupled with her ruthlessness, unscrupulousness, and political opportunism. Her cruelty and revenge towards her enemies and adversaries is something that few in Chinese history can match. ”
The only female emperor in history
Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history to be universally recognized. This empress is unique among the more than 400 emperors in Chinese history, not only because of her feminine status, but also because of the merits of her life.
As we all know, Wu Zetian sat in a supreme position for 15 years, and her life was both wise and decisive and meritocratic, as well as cruel suppression and killing, especially for li tang sects, and countless children of the clan who were killed were countless.
Wu Zetian's absurd love life in his later years is also the most criticized point all along.
According to the Old Book of Tang, the more famous Wu Zetian's face head, or male favorites, xue huaiyi, Zhang Yizhi, Zhang Changzong, Shen Nanxuan and so on.
The first year of the Shenlong Dynasty, that is, the first month of 705 AD, coincided with the time when Wu Zetian was 82 years old and seriously ill and bedridden. At this time, the empress was only surrounded by Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong's brothers, and the chancellor Zhang Kamzhi and Cui Xuanwei, together with the ministers Jinghui, Huan Yanfan, Yuan Shuji and others, launched a mutiny.
They led more than 500 forbidden troops, rushed into the palace, killed Erzhang, and surrounded Wu Zetian's palace, forcing him to abdicate, known as the "Divine Dragon Revolution".
Why is Wu Zetian still revered after his abdication?
Many people may think that Wu Zetian died after his abdication, but in fact, Wu Zetian lived for a while.
The history books record that after the Shenlong coup, the new Monarch, Wu Zetian abdicated as the Emperor Taishang, died shortly after, went to the emperor's name, erected a wordless monument, and was buried with Emperor Gaozong.
Compared with later generations, there is also a misunderstanding, some people think that Wu Zetian was seized of power, so it is not good to live in the remaining days. But in fact, although Wu Zetian was forced to abdicate the palace, she was still highly respected after her abdication, and whenever there was a festival, Emperor Zhongzong would lead his courtiers to bow down in front of the palace gate.
It is not difficult to guess why such treatment can be achieved. Even if Wu Zetian is wrong, he is a son of man, such as Li Xian, Li Dan, etc., and it is not filial piety to kill his mother; and as a courtier, it is unfaithful to kill the king.
At that time, after Wu Zetian abdicated, it was her third son, Li Xian, who succeeded to the throne as Emperor Zhongzong of Tang. After Emperor Zhongzong's death, it was Wu Zetian's fourth son, Li Dan, who succeeded to the throne as Emperor Ruizong of Tang.
It should be known that the ancient feudal society attached great importance to filial piety and morality and the hierarchy of honor and inferiority, so even if Wu Zetian in his later years had no power, the two emperors on the throne were her own sons, and Wu Zetian, who was the emperor's mother, naturally spent his old age safely. Emperor Zhongzong even honored her as the "Zetian Dasheng Emperor", and it was not until after her death that the imperial title was removed and he was called "Zetian Dasheng Empress".
The key lies in Wu Zetian's "merits"
As a child of Wu Zetian, the emperor naturally did not make unfilial acts, so why did these ministers of the court not put forward any opinions?
In fact, although Wu Zetian's ability to become the King of God was not in line with the system, during her reign, she did many meritorious things. Therefore, even if there are many ministers who are working against Wu Zetian, they also know that Wu Zetian, the emperor, has done a very good job and made many contributions to the country.
Admittedly, she was indeed a talented, capable, politically ambitious and visionary woman. The ministers just didn't want Wu to be emperor, she had such a great credit to Li Tangjiangshan, as long as Jiangshan returned to the hands of the Li family, they would not hurt Wu Zetian.
And at the end of the day, there is no hatred between them. Wu Zetian was sitting on the throne, and she and the Li family were even relatives, even relatives of the concubines. Even after Wu Zetian abdicated, she was still a member of the Li family, and in the end it was just a family affair of the emperor. Naturally, the ministers did not dare to speak wildly.
Moreover, after Wu Zetian's death, in fact, the martial family's life was still quite good, and they still held great power, which was not worse than that of Wu Zetian's time.
After Emperor Zhongzong of Tang came to power, Wu Sansi and others still held great power. On the contrary, the five ministers who launched the coup d'état led by Zhang Kam-chi were instead reprimanded and even killed. When Li Dan became emperor, in the name of Wu Sansi's rebellion, he ordered the purging of the Wu clique.
It was not until the time of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, who took power after eliminating Princess Taiping, that the martial family was basically wiped out.
brief summary
Although Wu Zetian was a woman, she had to admit that she did better than many male emperors and men in the past. She is good at governing the country, attaches importance to talents, and knows people well. Under the rule of Wu Zetian, the people of the Tang Dynasty were rich and culturally prosperous, laying the foundation for long-term peace and stability for the rule of Kaiyuan.
References: Cambridge History of The Sui and Tang Dynasties of China, Old Book of Tang
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