Page 74 - All About History - Issue 59-17

Tang Dynasty China

“Today Wu is finally being

recognised as one of China’s
greatest rulers”

Wu has been the subject of a
Chinese TV series and stage
show in recent years

A younger Wu would have avenged the of countless female leaders in history like that of
brothers three-fold to reassert her authority. But Queen Hatshepsut of Egypt, when no one wished
Wu was growing increasingly frail. Quite clearly to record the rule of a woman, hoping instead that
losing her grip on the court, Wu had no choice but she would be erased from history.
to abdicate in favour of her son Ruizong, who had However, today Wu is finally being recognised
been biding his time in exile. While she retired as one of China’s greatest rulers. Although stories
to a life of lavish luxury, this was the end for Wu. of her villainy, baby killing and mutilations are
She died that same year, much to the chagrin of still difficult to shake — and may never truly be
her enemies, peacefully in bed. resolved — what we can rely on are facts.
Generations of scholars have argued over Wu, Under Wu, China enjoyed a period of
with some claiming she was a ruthless villain, stability and affluence that it had never seen
stopping at nothing to cut down her enemies, and before. Her reforms were not removed after her
others believing her to be far more sympathetic. death but kept in place, laying the foundations
The issue surrounds the sources, which were for China to become one of the most prosperous Wu Zeitan rebuilt Gaozong’s
almost certainly biased against her, and it’s a countries in the world — and that alone is certainly Great Wild Goose Pagoda,
problem that has emerged throughout the reigns worth carving in stone. adding five extra stories in 704
Spying for theEmpress

Inside Wu’s web of intrigue

Petition boxes All expenses paid

Masquerading as a place for Being a spy was risky business
commoners and court officials alike and Wu had to make it worth their
to voice their suggestions, these while. The empress was so reliant
petition boxes were actually a way to on her information network that
entrap those who plotted against Wu. she established a policy that spies
Her spies and secret police would would be paid to travel by public
use it to name those they suspected transportation in order to report back
as scheming and she quickly had the to the court, giving her a steady flow
people named eliminated. of interrupted and fresh information.
Rewards Accusation manual

Ratting out and spying on people was nasty Two of Wu’s secret police apparently
business, often putting the secret police in danger penned a guide entitled the Classic of
themselves. Asking people to spy simply out of Accusation, which served as a manual
loyalty was not going to work, so instead Wu made for their subordinates, teaching them
sure to reward those who foiled plots handsomely. how to accuse people of crimes and
This lust for rewards actually prompted many of manufacture details that made plots
her spies to implicate as many people as they seem likely. They were also said to create
could get away with, and one of her police tried to unique and horrific ways of torture
implicate Wu’s own sons and family members — in order to ‘persuade’ their targets to © Alamy, Getty Images, Thinkstock,
a step too far that ended in his execution. confess or give up crucial information.

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