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In the long history of China, there is a legendary woman, her name is Wu Zetian. She was the only orthodox female emperor in Chinese history, one of the oldest and longest-lived emperors. Like Empress Lü of the Han Dynasty, she was known as "Lü Wu". However, what we are going to discuss today is, should Wu Zetian be called the emperor of the Tang Dynasty?
In fact, Wu Zetian should not be listed as emperor of the Tang Dynasty, she was the emperor of Wu Zhou, a unique period defined by historians to distinguish the other Zhou dynasties. Although there was only one emperor in this Zhou Dynasty, Wu Zetian, it did exist and occupied one-20th of the 289-year reign of the Li and Tang dynasties.
Wu Zetian began to participate in imperial politics during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and was honored as the "Queen of Heaven" and the "Two Saints" along with Emperor Gaozong. When Emperor Gaozong died, the edict demanded that the crown prince Li Xian ascend the throne, but the ruling of the Queen of Heaven was required in military affairs. This allowed Wu Zetian to grasp the core power of the empire and become the empress dowager of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang and Emperor Ruizong of Tang, effectively becoming the ruler of the time, even though the emperor of Li and Tang was still reigning. During this time, she continued to weaken the power of the Li and Tang clans, support her supporters, and consolidate her position and power, making her influence continue to rise, especially in the decision-making of major policies.
Finally, on September 9, 690, Emperor Ruizong of Tang and 60,000 people asked for the name of the country to be changed, and Emperor Ruizong of Tang voluntarily gave the surname Wu. Seeing that the time had come, Wu Zetian changed the state title from Tang to Zhou, moved the capital to Luoyang, honored himself as "Holy Spirit Emperor" and changed his yuan to "Tianzhi", and passed the throne to Li Tang's emperor, giving him the surname Wu. In the process, Wu Zetian changed dynasties and became emperor of Wu Zhou. Although she continued to follow Li Tang's system and bureaucratic system, and was also known by later generations as "Zhengqi Kaiyuan, Zhi Hongzhen Guan", the monarch and the national name had changed, becoming Wu Zhou.
In the evolution of Chinese feudal dynasties, the surname of the monarch was very important, it represented the dynasty's bloodline. Even within the same country, once the surname of the monarch changes, it means a turn and break in the dynasty. This has profound significance in China's feudal patriarchal system. In addition, in a patriarchal society, the state still needs an orthodox and legally rational royal male to maintain stability, even if it is a woman or a courtier who actually holds power. This man can act as a puppet to meet the expectations of the population and ministers.
Therefore, Wu Zetian asked the Tang Emperor to abdicate and ascend the throne himself, changing the name of the country, the surname of the monarch, and the city, which actually represented a change of dynasty. Although she continued the policies of Wu Zhou, she was emperor of Wuzhou for 15 years, from 690 to 705, not of the Tang Dynasty.
To sum up, although Wu Zetian is known as an outstanding ruler in the history of the Tang Dynasty, she was actually the emperor of Wu Zhou, a historical period that occupies a unique place in Chinese history. Her reign was an important chapter in China's feudal history, demonstrating the complex interweaving of power, politics and culture, leaving an indelible mark on future generations.
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