Question

Who was Empress Wu? What did she do?

Answer 1

Empress Wu, also known as Wu Zetian, was the only woman to rule as emperor in Chinese history, having declared Buddhism the state religion and founded her own dynasty. Despite being an intelligent leader, she faced opposition primarily because of her gender. Her legacy is significant, reflecting the complexities of female leadership in a traditionally patriarchal society.

Step-by-step explanation:

Empress Wu, also known as Wu Zetian, was the only female emperor in the history of China during the Tang Dynasty. Born in 624 or 625, her ascent to power was both remarkable and contentious, beginning as a concubine and rising to become Emperor Gaozong's second wife. Upon Gaozong's death in 683, Wu Zetian became the empress dowager and regent for her son, effectively controlling the state's power. She was a devout Buddhist and even declared Buddhism as the state religion, reflecting her influence on religious politics at the time.

Wu Zetian's impact extended to the social sector; she prompted historians to compile biographies of notable women, challenging existing gender norms. In 690, she took the unprecedented step of founding her own dynasty, the short-lived Wu Zhou, and later assumed the title "Divine Empress Who Rules the Universe." Despite being regarded as an intelligent and competent leader, many saw her assumption of power as a usurpation, contributing to resistance that ultimately led to her abdication and the Tang Dynasty's restoration

Wu's rule faced opposition largely because she was a woman, which was against the patriarchal norms of the time. Nevertheless, she was not an anomaly in East Asia, as there were other female leaders, but her story was amplified later by Song historians with an air of amazement and distaste. Her retirement around the age of 80 marked a return to familiar power dynamics, but her legacy as a female ruler remains significant in Chinese history.

Answer 2

Answer:Was the first and only female emperor in Chinese history.

Step-by-step explanation:

Wu Zetian(17 February 624– 16 December 705),personal name Wu Zhao, was the first and only female emperor in Chinese history,and de facto ruler of the Tang dynasty from 665 to 705, ruling first through others and then (from 690) in her own right. From 665 to 690, she was first empress consort of the Tang dynasty (as wife of the Emperor Gaozong) and then, after his death, empress dowager (ruling through her sons Emperors Zhongzong and Ruizong). Unprecedented in Chinese history, she subsequently founded and ruled as female emperor of the Wu Zhou dynasty of China from 690 to 705.She was the only female sovereign in the history of China widely regarded as legitimate. Under her 40-year reign, China grew larger, becoming one of the great powers of the world, its culture and economy were revitalized, and corruption in the court was reduced. She was removed from power in a coup and died a few months later.