Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history, reigned during a period of legend and controversy. Under her rule, the harem became an important arena for political struggles. This article will explore how Wu Zetian consolidated and expanded her power through harem politics.
Wu Zetian was originally a talented person of Tang Taizong, and later became the empress of Tang Gaozong Li Zhi. During Tang Gaozong's illness, Wu Zetian began to participate in court politics and gradually grasped real power. After the death of Tang Gaozong, Wu Zetian successively deposed his two sons, established himself as emperor, and established the Zhou Dynasty. Harem politics plays a key role in this process.
Wu Zetian satisfied his selfish desires by selecting beautiful women to enter the harem. These women are not only beautiful, but also smart and witty, and they have become Wu Zetian's henchmen. Wu Zetian used them to monitor and control the ministers of the court and understand the dynamics of the court. The status of these women in the harem gradually rose, and some were even crowned queens, and their families gained power as a result.
Wu Zetian used the harem to cultivate and promote his cronies. She managed the affairs of the harem by setting up harem officials, such as Shang Gong and Shang Yi. Most of these officials are Wu Zetian's henchmen, and they have a lot of power in the harem. In addition, Wu Zetian also established a female official system to select talented women to serve in the imperial court. These female officials have a high status in the harem, and some can even influence the decision-making of the imperial court.
Wu Zetian used the harem to suppress political opponents. By setting up a whistle-blowing system, she encouraged the women in the harem to expose the wrongdoing of the courtiers. Many courtiers were punished for being denounced by women in the harem, and some were even beheaded. As a result, the courtiers were full of fear of the women in the harem and did not dare to offend them easily.
Wu Zetian used the harem to balance the political power of the imperial court. She married her relatives into the harem to strengthen the alliance with the family. At the same time, she also married the daughter of the court minister into the harem by giving marriage, so as to win people's hearts. In this way, the harem has become a stage for political power competition, and all forces are trying to win Wu Zetian's support.
Wu Zetian skillfully used harem politics to consolidate and expand his power. She satisfied her selfish desires by selecting beautiful women into the harem, cultivated and promoted her cronies by establishing a system of harem officials and female officials, suppressed political opponents by setting up a whistleblowing system, and balanced the political power of the court through marriage and marriage. These measures made the harem an important pillar of Wu Zetian's rule. However, this harem politics also brought many negative effects, such as corruption, luxury, and the struggle for power, which gradually came to light after Wu Zetian's death, which eventually led to the decline of the Tang Dynasty.