Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history, used a variety of resourcefulness and methods during her reign to enable her to survive in her later years without being liquidated. Among them, the combination of rigidity and softness is a means skillfully used by Wu Zetian in his later years.
First of all, Wu Zetian adopted a wise and tactful strategy in political maneuvers. She is good at using scheming, political marriages and other means to consolidate her dominance. Wu Zetian advocated equal emphasis on Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, so that the society under his rule formed a relatively balanced pattern. She promoted the development of Buddhism, strengthened her position in society with the support of monks, and maintained relationships with Confucian scholars to ensure the stability of her rule. This combination of rigidity and softness allowed her to effectively balance the forces of all parties during her reign and avoid too much hostility.
Second, Wu Zetian also adopted a flexible strategy in the military aspect. During her reign, she not only maintained a strong military force, but also paid attention to military cooperation. She sent powerful generals to strengthen the defenses of the frontier, and at the same time, through marriages and other means, skillfully exploited the contradictions between the various tribes to guard against potential threats. This combination of rigidity and softness effectively maintained the country's security, so that she was not threatened from the outside in her later years.
In addition, Wu Zetian has also excelled in governing the country's economy. She pursued a series of economic reforms to encourage the development of agriculture, handicrafts and commerce, and to increase the country's revenues. At the same time, she adopted a liberal tax policy to reduce the burden on the people and promote social and economic prosperity. This combination of rigidity and softness provided strong support to the state, allowing her to maintain relative social stability in her later years.
Finally, Wu Zetian is good at using cultural means to strengthen his prestige. She attaches great importance to the development of literature and art, appreciates talented and beautiful women, and advocates the appreciation of literary style and elegance. Through this cultural means, she skillfully constructed her image and won the support and support of the people. This combination of rigidity and softness strengthened the foundation of her rule to a certain extent, allowing her to enjoy a relatively peaceful rule in her later years.
On the whole, the reason why Wu Zetian was not liquidated in his later years was mainly due to her multifaceted combination of hardness and softness. She is adept at using political, military, economic and cultural means to skillfully balance the interests of all parties and maintain the stability of the country. This use of wisdom and strategy enabled Wu Zetian to leave a unique political legacy in Chinese history.