WU ZETIAN A famous person in China's History

The Empress Wu, or Wu Zetian, was the only woman in the history of China who took the imperial throne. Although other women have influence over power from the position of emperatrices consorts or regents, Empress Wu was the only one who reigned as sovereign, to proclaim his own dynasty, you have called Zhōu. in a bid to make his reign evoke the splendor of ancient idealized Zhou dynasty. This new dynasty briefly interrupted the Tang Dynasty, which would be restored after his forced abdication, months before his death. The usual Chinese name of the Empress is currently Wǔ Zétiān (Traditional Chinese: Simplified Chinese.

This name is a combination of his surname and his name Wu Zetian posthumous. His name was Wǔ Zhào staff, took that name when it became with power, and for which came to invent a character, in order to have a unique name. Previously, it had been known by various names. During his reign, he used the name of Shèngshén Huángdì, using the title coined by the huángdì first emperor Qin Shi Huang, and that translates into Spanish as "emperor". The woman claimed that the post of huángdì shocked many of the intellectuals of the time, they saw in the ascent to the throne of a violation of a woman Confucian standards. Empress Wu tried to quell these criticisms through its sponsorship of Buddhism, promoting interpretations of the Buddhist doctrine that gave legitimacy to his reign. Youth [editing] Born into a family of aristocratic Shanxi, originally from the town of Wénshu. His father Wo Shìhuo (577-635) had been an ally of the founder of the Tang dynasty, Li Yuan, which awarded him the title of Duke of Taiyuan, Tàiyuán Jùngōng), while his mother, Mrs Yang Yang Shì) (579 -670), With whom he had married Wu Shihu in remarriage, was related to the imperial family of the Tang dynasty prior to the Sui dynasty. It is not clear where the Empress Wu was born.

It is possible that was born in the town of Lìzhōu, where his father was intended, or perhaps in the capital Chang'an. As a girl, perhaps 638 or 636, entered the harem of Emperor Tang Emperor Taizong of Song, the fifth rank of concubines. In 649, Emperor Taizong of Song emperor died and was succeeded by his son Tang Emperor Gaozong. The young concubine become part of the harem of the new emperor. According to the traditional history, after the death of Emperor Wu the couple would have entered a Buddhist monastery and, later, the new emperor, prendado for its beauty, would be incorporated into his harem. Many historians today cast doubt on this version and are more likely than not the younger Wu never passed by the monastery, but after the death of Emperor Taizong of Song emperor, remained in the palace. It is likely that before the death of Emperor Taizong of Song had already begun a clandestine relationship with the Crown Prince, which would explain his stay in the harem of Gaozong, where he held the post of second-ranking concubine.

The fact that the couple had been Wu concubine of a father and son was a source of scandal for more Confucian moralists of the time. Their presence in the harem was seen favourably by the consort of Gaozong, the Empress Wang, I see it as a rival to the concubine, with whom he was confronted. However, the ambition and capability of handling the concubine Wu, in this era called Wo Mèiniáng, lead to attain the position of empress consort. In the year 654, a newborn daughter was murdered by Wu and Wu accused the concubine Wang Xiao and Empress of the crime. Thus, Wu managed to be named empress consort and, according to tradition, she herself was responsible for torturing to death his rivals, the concubine and Empress Xiao Wang. Some Chinese historians have maintained that the murder of the girl would have been the work of its own to indict Wu for his rivals, but it is likely that this legend has been spread by his enemies. Since November 660, worsened the health status of Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu began to govern from the shadows. His power increased when he ministers to run the court in January Shàngguān Yi 665. Legend has it attaches black all kinds of outrages to the Empress Wu, it would have been poisoning the emperor in the last years of his life in order to bring itself the reins of power.

It also said that he killed his eldest son, who would have faced it. After the death of the emperor, in the year 683, was his third son, Emperor Tang Zhongzong, who ascended to the throne, but after six weeks, Wu used his power to dismiss him and give the throne to his other son, the emperor Tang Ruizong, who, like his brother, Governor so rated for a brief period, until his mother decided to ratify in a public official and his power, becoming the first and only woman in the history of China who took the throne Imperial. Already in December 689, had imposed the invention of twelve new characters, among whom was the character (zhào), which adopted a new name.

Eleven months later, in October 690, proclaimed the new Zhou Dynasty and assumed the name "emperor (Huangdi) Shenshen." Subsequently, in 695, his name would be as imperial "emperor Tiance Jinlun Shengshen" His reign was marked by the promotion of Buddhism, become official religion in 691, which earned him much popular support. Moreover, Buddhism was used as a legitimization of his reign to the point where a monk related to the empress (and lover also, according to legend) came to advocate the theory that the Buddha Maitreya, the Buddha of the future, was a woman. Along with this religious policy, Empress Wu continued his style of government based on a form of brutal despotism, with purges and persecutions of those who were hostile to their power.