In ancient Chinese history, Wu Zetian was the only empress of the generation recognized by history. However, there is a question, is the name of the empress "Wu Zetian"? As long as you are on the road, casually find someone to ask, it is estimated that most of them will shake their heads and say that they do not know. Even asking those scholars who study Tang history will not necessarily answer this question.
For Wu Zetian, the historical evaluation has always been different, and the angles have also been different. It is mainly due to the Confucian idea of preferring sons to daughters. In fact, during the reign of Wu Zetian, the state policy was stable, the military strategy was proper, the culture was revived, and the people were prosperous, and it laid the foundation for long-term peace and stability for his grandson Tang Xuanzong's Kaiyuan prosperous life, and Wu Zetian made great contributions to history! Therefore, for this well-known and only empress in Chinese history, if you can't even figure out the name, it is a little embarrassing! To this end, we carefully examined various materials, especially the life of Wu Zetian, and finally came to a conclusion. Wu Zetian is a honorific title, and her name is her own order---- Wu Cao!
In the seventh year of the reign of Emperor Gaozu of Tang (624 CE), Wu Zetian was born in Chang'an (present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi Province) in Wenshui County, Hezhou (now east of Wenshui County, Shanxi), the second daughter of the Tang Dynasty warrior Andhma Yang. What was Wu Zetian's name when he was a child is not recorded in the history books. At the age of fourteen, he entered the harem as a talented person of Tang Taizong, who gave him the title of "Wu Mei". "Wu Mei" should be regarded as a title. When Emperor Gaozong of Tang was first known as Zhaoyi, Zhaoyi should be regarded as a title. There are many titles in Wu's lifetime, sometimes changing several times a year. According to the Old Book of Tang, the Book of Heavenly Empress Benji:
In the sixth year of Yonghui (655), Emperor Gaozong was called emperor, and Empress Wu was also known as Tianhou. After the xianqing year, Emperor Gaozong "suffered a lot of wind and disease, and the hundred divisions played, and all of them were entrusted to the queen of heaven to make a detailed decision." Since then, the internal auxiliary state has been in power for decades, and its power is no different from that of the emperor, which was then called "two saints". In December of the first year of Hongdao (683), Emperor Gaozong collapsed, and the crown prince ascended the throne, and the empress dowager was made empress dowager. In April of the fourth year of the Arch (688), he was awarded the title of Ruishi (武承嗣造), wen ri: "Our Lady of the Prophet, Yongchang Emperor"; in May, the Empress Dowager added the title of "Holy Mother of God and Emperor".
Our Lady of God-Emperor
Find a seal of "Our Lady of God and Emperor" with the words "Emperor's Seal" engraved around it. According to the chronological test of Wang Guanghui and Jin Zhengxin's "Luoyang Eye", this seal was made. It may be that at the time of the four years of the arch, Wu Zetian had not yet been weighed, so he sealed the seal of the "Holy Mother God Emperor", but soon Wu Zetian changed his title to Emperor, so the "Emperor's Seal" was engraved around the seal.
According to historical records, in the first month of the first year of the first year (690), the Divine Emperor took the name of "Zhao" (瞾) (zhao); on September 9, ge Tang Order, changed the name of the country to Zhou, changed the Yuan Tianzhi, and added the honorific title to "Emperor of the Holy Spirit". To this end, Wu Zetian made the "Great Zhou Holy Spirit Emperor". On the side are the words "Seal of Wu Shuo". In other words, Wu Zetian had his own name, and it was his own destiny. In this regard, Wang Guanghui and Wu Shebin, the restorer of Shangyang Palace, used the Luoyang Eye to conduct chronological testing. However, the original embryo of the jade seal was made by the previous generation. In addition, Wu Zetian also made the "Wuzhou Holy Spirit Emperor" Seven Treasures.
Emperor Shengshen of the Great Zhou Dynasty (Seal of Wu Cao)
In September of the second year of longevity (693), the "Emperor of the Golden Wheel Of the Holy Spirit" was added. In May of the third year of longevity (694), he changed his name to Yuan Yanzai and was given the title of "Emperor of the Holy Spirit of the Golden Wheel of Yuegu". In January of the first year of the Reign of The Divine Ancestor (695), he was given the title of "Emperor of the Holy Spirit of the Golden Wheel of the Ci Clan". In February, go to the "Ci Clan Yuegu" honorific title; in September, add the honorific title "Heavenly Book Golden Wheel Holy Spirit Emperor". Since then, she herself has not changed her title.
In the first year of the Shenlong Dynasty (705), Zhang Kamzhi and others were called Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong, and the Wu clan was located in the crown prince. Peng Shen, Emperor (Emperor Zhongzong Li Xian) was given the title of "Emperor Zetian Dasheng". In November, then the heavens will be gradually, leaving the temple, the tomb, and the emperor to go, called "then the heavenly saint empress". It was the Immortal Residence Hall of the Shangyang Palace, at the age of eighty-three. "Then the Heavenly Saint Empress". Golden Wheel: The Buddhist scriptures say that among the kings of the wheel, the king of the golden wheel is the most holy; when the king comes out, the kingdoms are salty.
Before Wu ascended the throne, Buddhism was particularly revered to overwhelm Taoism, which Li Tang revered. In July of the first year of the Tianzhi (690), Wu Zetian changed tang to Zhou and changed to Yuan Tianzhi), and July should be the second year of the zaichu, And Fa Ming and other ten monks presented the "Great Cloud Sutra", saying that the empress dowager was born under Maitreya Buddha, and the contemporary Tang was the lord of Futi (human world), and created public opinion for the Wu clan. Then the heavens are promulgated by the world, so she uses the Buddhist language to honor herself
List of Wu Zetianzun numbers:
1. In the fifth year of Xianqing (660), Emperor Gaozong suffered from a head wind disease, dizziness, and could not handle major state affairs, so he ordered Empress Wu to act as an agent of the government.
2. In the second year of Qianfeng (667), Emperor Gaozong was ill for a long time and ordered the crown prince To supervise the country. In the autumn and August of the first year of the first year of the First Yuan Dynasty (674), Emperor Gaozong was called Emperor, and Empress Wu was called "Queen of Heaven".
3. In December of the first year of Hongdao (683), Emperor Gaozong of Tang died of illness and died of his last will: Crown Prince Li Xian ascended the throne before the coffin, and those who could not adjudicate major military affairs were decided by Empress Wu. Four days later, Li Xian ascended the throne as Emperor Zhongzong of Tang. Empress Wu was revered as the Emperor "Empress Dowager".
4. In February of the first year of guangzhai (684), Emperor Zhongzong wanted to make Wei Xuanzhen, the father of Empress Dowager Wei, a servant, but Pei Yan did not listen, so Empress Wu deposed Emperor Zhongzong of Tang as the King of Luling and moved to Fangzhou. Li Dan, the fourth son of Yu Wang, was made emperor for Emperor Ruizong of Tang, and Empress Wu was in charge of the dynasty and ruled from the dictatorship.
5. In May of the fourth year of the arch (688), the empress dowager added the title of "Holy Mother of God and Emperor"
6. In the first month of the first year of the first year of zaichu (690), the Divine Emperor took the name of "Zhao" (瞾) (zhao); on September 9, ge Tang Order, changed the name of the country to Zhou, changed the yuan tianzhi, and added the honorific title to "Emperor of the Holy Spirit".
7. In September of the second year of longevity (693), the "Golden Wheel Holy Spirit Emperor" was added.
8. In May of the third year of longevity (694), he changed his name to "Emperor of the Holy Spirit of the Golden Wheel of Yuegu".
9. In January of the first year of the Reign of The Divine Beings (695), the emperor of the Ci clan Yuegu Golden Wheel of the Holy Spirit was added to the day.
10. In February of the first year of the Shengsheng Dynasty, go to the honorific title of "Ci Shi Yuegu"; in September, add the title of "Emperor of the Holy Spirit of the Golden Wheel of heaven".
11. In the first month of the first year of the Shenlong Dynasty (705), the Wu clan was forced to give up the throne with the crown prince Li Xian, who was emperor Zhongzong of Tang. Emperor Zhongzong's honorific title was "Emperor Zetian Dasheng", and the Wu Dynasty ended.
12. In November, then the heavens will be gradually gradually, and the temple, the tomb will be returned, and the emperor will be ordered, and the title will be called "then the Heavenly Saint Empress". It was the Immortal Residence Hall of the Shangyang Palace, at the age of eighty-three. "Then the Heavenly Saint Empress". In the same year, "Then Tianmen" was changed to "Ying Tianmen".
13. On the 26th day of the 11th lunar month of the first lunar year of the Shenlong Dynasty (December 16, 705), Wu Died of Illness at Shangyang Palace at the age of 83. The posthumous system went to the imperial title, called "Then the Heavenly Saint Empress".
14. In May of the second year of shenlong (706), he was buried with Emperor Gaozong in Qianling, leaving a wordless stele.
The name of Wu Zetian (則天) should be the honorific title of the emperor (Emperor Zhongzong Li Xian): "Then Heavenly Saint Emperor". "Zetian" is the honorific title. Wu Cao is the name of the empress. The Seal of Wu Zetian was sealed after the honorific title.