China's Only Female Emperor You Would Not Want to Mess With

As China's only female emperor, Wu Zetian worked her way up to a position of power and prominence during the Tang Dynasty, establishing a legacy that would last thousands of years. One of history's most successful and controversial rulers, Wu Zetian married two emperors, birthed a couple more, and got rid of anyone that stood in her way. The line between fact and fiction with Wu Zetian is blurry, but stories about her life and rule are fascinating.

#WuZetian #ChineseHistory #WeirdHistory

[Dracoofthevas]

She was actually an extremely good monarch. She didn't only cut taxes, but also built rice storage and with that saved poor people from starving on multiple occasions. Not to mention, she gave woman rights unheard of before. She also had woman ministers. Not to mention she promoted peace, Buddhism and a lot more just legal system.
This is exactly why she has a bad reputation. The ones keeping the histories were Confutionist men, who were all about "Men over everything" and hated women (except as house slaves and mothers), Buddhism, and also a just legal and ruling system (that didn't give them extra rights). For them it was horrible, 'coz it didn't conform to their ideology, and took away their privileges.
Just imagine, if in 14th century Europe, suddenly a Muslim woman would have became Queen of the Holy Roman Empire and lowered taxes, helped the poor and declared rights for woman, and religious freedom. Everything evil you can imagine would have been written about her too...

[maiyukinoshita]

For a woman in that time (women are considered merely possessions and were expected just to be a mother) to be able to climb the highest social status and rule an empire, is truly remarkable.

[brandonpotts]

She maybe was a monster but...for her to make the moves she made as a woman in the social climate of that time is really remarkable. She was not playing around.

[aarons]

I saw a fascinating documentary on her sometime during the last year. She was ruthless and savvy. She could be cruel but she opened up doors for ordinary folks that they'd normally not be able to walk through!

[zach]

She was mentioned before by Eskify. Man, that's something. She killed her way to the top. Living as a concubine with the other women at the Emperor's palace feels like a version of the Bachelor or Bachelorette. In the end, she was the only woman in China who reigned as empress. She ruled successfully.

[sadunicorn]

Everyone always gives the Empress crap for her ruthlessness as of her successors and predecessors didn’t do the same to secure their own power. She was a woman so ofc she had to be more brutal otherwise she would have been killed for daring to have ambition for the crown. She was the only woman in Chinese history to become an empress in her own right that’s impressive, terrifying and honestly ICONIC

[annbrookens]

Since history is recorded and preserved by the victors, it's really hard to piece together the truth from so long ago. This was a very interesting history!

[madame_weeb]

Can we please get a complete story on Sultana Hurrem, the first Empress of the Ottoman Empire... Please..

[haileys.]

Could you do more “what life was like” videos for ancient civilizations? Those are my favorite!

[TsukabuNosoratori]

I think she was both clever and crazy at the same time. There's a great line in the Chinese drama "Ruyi's Royal Love" that says "Life in the Forbidden City is nothing but suffering." There could be some truth in that, even if it comes from a fantasy VERY loosely based on history.

[lerneanlion]

Yes, finally! Thank you for making a video about Wu Zetian! I have been waiting for this video for years! So thank you so much!

[idtyu]

As a Buddhist, reciting her verse on dharma sounded like she had a really deep connection with Buddhist teachings and at least in her early years where she wrote it, she couldn't have been so violent or malicious.

[kereckelizabeth]

Great video, as always. But small mistake. She was not the only Chinese empress. Maybe the first, but definitely not the last. Empress Dowager T'zu hsi (1835 - 1908) is definitely worthy of a video too.

[ShadyNJ]

This would be a great HBO or Netflix series.

[xhosagibran]

I love how the subject’s about a Chinese woman but has Japanese women in the thumbnail.

[ChesRepOfTwn台灣中華民國]

Many mistakes in the pictures used in this video. For example Taizhong's picture is wrong, only emperors in the Song dynasty wears that, which is three centuries later.

[d.l.l.]

I read the book about her, “Empress.” It said the two concubines haunted her so badly she had to leave her palace and go live in another one.

[teamjoffery]

I’d be interested to learn more about China’s golden age- how people lived, who ruled and why this age was so amazing. Also why China hasn’t had another age like this, with most having a decent quality of life.

[Die-CastMetal]

“The only lives that truly matter are those who respect the lives of others”.

[jjjj_jjj]

The drawing at 7:11 is a portrait of an empress in Qing dynasty.