Wu Zetian

Wu Zetian’s clan, the Wu Tang, hailed from the ancient Wenshui County, Bingzhou, which is now known as the city of Taiyuan, located in the Shanxi province. Her exact place of birth is a matter of historical debate. Some scholars argue that she was born in the imperial city of Chang'an, while others insist that she came from Lizhou, (modern-day Guangyuan in Sichuan). Her birth date was February 17, 624.

The year 624 was the seventh year of the reign of Emperor Gaozu of Tang. The year also witnessed a total solar eclipse which was visible across China. Her father, Wu Shihuo, was a rich timber merchant and her mother, the Lady Yang, hailed from the powerful Yang family. Wu Zetian had at least four siblings, two brothers, Wu Yuanqing and Wu Yuanshuang, and two sisters, Wu Shun, Lady of Han and Lady Wu, Lady of Guo.

Her family had significant influence in the royal court. During his youth, Emperor Gaozu of Tang spent time in the Wu household. After his ascension, he did not forget Wu Zetian’s family and bestowed upon them money, grain, clothes, and land. Wu Shihuo even went on to hold several ministerial posts, including the governorships of Yangzhou, Lizhou, and Jingzhou.

Like any other girl from an affluent family in ancient China, Wu Zetian did not have to worry about or learn household chores. Instead, encouraged by her father and an incredibly progressive society by contemporary standards, she could devote her time entirely to education. She was taught politics and other matters of governance, mathematics, writing, literature, and music. Ancient records reveal that she had big eyes, long neck, a big face, and square forehead and was considered beautiful according to the norms of her time.

When Wu Zetian turned 14, she was sent to the imperial court as the concubine of Emperor Taizong of Tang. On the day of her departure, her mother was inconsolable at the prospect of losing her daughter. However, Wu Zetian apparently told her the following, “How do you know that it is not my fortune to meet the Son of Heaven?" Realising the enormity of her daughter’s ambition, Lady Yang ceased crying.

Initially, she served as an ancient equivalent of secretary. She got the opportunity to continue her education. Her title, in those days, was cairen, which made her one of the consorts of the fifth rank in Tang's nine-rank system for imperial officials, nobles, and consorts.

During her early years in the palace, she did not receive much favour from Emperor Taizong but they did have sexual encounters. Sometime during the last few years of Emperor Taizong’s reign, she began an affair with his youngest son, Li Zhi, who later succeeded him as Emperor Gaozong of Tang.

Emperor Taizong died in 649 without having any children with her. According to the tradition that consigned any consort of a deceased emperor to a monastery if she had failed to provide him with a child, she was sent to Ganye Temple to live out her life as a Buddhist nun.

Li Zhi later visited her in the monastery and found her to be more beautiful, intelligent, and intriguing than ever. He brought her back with him and added her to his own harem.

By the early 650s, Wu Zetian had established herself in the Tang court as a Zhaoyi, the highest ranking of the nine concubines of the second rank. Her power and influence rapidly grew in a short period of time.

Emperor Gaozong’s wife then was Empress Wang and his favourite concubine was Consort Xiao. Empress Wang was well-aware of the extent of the relationship between the emperor and Consort Wu and sought to use her in her schemes against Consort Xiao, whom she considered her greatest adversary.

Empress Wang was successful in her endeavour, but failed to recognize Consort Wu for what she truly was. Consort Wu soon became the emperor’s most beloved concubine and in 652, their first child together, a son named Li Hong was born. A year later, she gave birth to their second son, Li Xián. By 654, both Empress Wang and Consort Xiao were not in favour with the emperor and attempted to defeat Consort Wu by forming an alliance together, but it was not successful.

In 654, Consort Wu’s daughter, Princess Si of Anding died soon after her birth. Consort Wu accused Empress Wang of strangulating her daughter. According to the testimony by several supposed eyewitnesses, Empress Wang was seen near the child’s room. Consort Wu convinced the emperor that Empress Wang, who did not have an alibi nor could provide a defence, had done so out of jealousy. The emperor sought to remove her from her position but could not because of a reluctant bureaucracy. Traditional historians generally believed that it was Consort Wu who had killed her own daughter.

In 655, however, Consort Wu got rid of both Empress Wang and Consort Xiao after accusing them of witchcraft. They were cruelly executed and Wu Zetian became the new Empress Consort of the Tang Empire. Within a year, her son, Li Hong replaced Consort Liu's son Li Zhong as the heir apparent. She was thorough and ruthless in her reprisals against the officials, nobles, and concubines who opposed her. She exiled a few and executed the rest. By 660, her authority and influence rivalled that of Emperor Gaozong.