Consort Wu may refer to:
Wu Zhao, commonly known as Wu Zetian, alternatively Wu Hou, and during the later Tang dynasty as Tian Hou, was the de facto ruler of the Tang dynasty, as an empress consort, first through her husband Emperor Gaozong and then as an empress dowager, through her sons Emperors Zhongzong and Ruizong, from 665 to 690, not unprecedented in Chinese history. She subsequently became empress regnant of the Wu Zhou dynasty of China, ruling from 690 to 705, unprecedented in Chinese history. She was the only legitimate female sovereign in the history of China. Under her 40-year reign, China grew larger, corruption in the court was reduced, its culture and economy were revitalized, and it was recognized as one of the great powers of the world.
Emperor Gaozong of Tang, personal name Li Zhi, was the third emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, ruling from 649 to 683; after January 665, he handed power over the empire to his second wife Empress Wu, and her decrees were carried out with greater force than the decrees of Emperor Gaozong's. Emperor Gaozong was the youngest son of Emperor Taizong and Empress Zhangsun; his elder brothers were Li Chengqian and Li Tai.
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, personal name Li Xian, and at other times Li Zhe or Wu Xian, was the fourth Emperor of the Tang dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 684 and again from 705 to 710. During the first period, he did not rule, and the entire power was in the hands of his mother, Empress Wu Zetian and he was overthrown on her orders after opposing his mother. In the second reign period, most of the power was in the hands of his beloved wife Empress Wei.
Emperor Ruizong of Tang, personal name Li Dan, also known at times during his life as Li Xulun, Li Lun, Wu Lun, and Wu Dan, was the fifth and ninth emperor of Tang Dynasty. He was the eighth son of Emperor Gaozong and the fourth son of Emperor Gaozong's second wife Empress Wu. He was wholly a figurehead during his first reign when he was controlled by his mother, and he was the titular and puppet ruler of the Tang Empire from 684 to 690. During his second reign after his mother's death, significant power and influence was exercised by his domineering sister Princess Taiping.
Empress Wu of Zhou, or Wu Zetian (624–705), was an empress consort and empress dowager of the Tang dynasty, and the only regnant of her Zhou state. She was the only empress regnant of China's history.
Shangguan Wan'er was a Chinese politician, poet, and imperial consort of the Wu Zhou and Tang dynasties. Described as a "female prime minister," Shangguan rose from modest origins as a palace servant to become secretary and leading advisor to Empress Wu Zetian of Zhou. Under Empress Wu, Shangguan exercised responsibility for drafting imperial edicts and earned approbation for her writing style. She retained her influence as consort to Wu's son and successor, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, holding the imperial consort rank of Zhaorong (昭容). Shangguan was also highly esteemed for her talent as a poet. In 710, after Emperor Zhongzong's death, Shangguan was killed during a palace coup that ended the regency of Empress Dowager Wei.
Liu Shi (柳奭), courtesy name Zishao (子邵), was a chancellor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. His niece was Emperor Gaozong's first wife Empress Wang; as Emperor Gaozong's favors for her waned, Liu found himself in a precarious position. In 654, he resigned his chancellor post, but was not able to escape being exiled in 655 when Empress Wang was deposed and killed, in favor of Empress Wu. In 659, as part of a campaign of Empress Wu's attempt to take vengeance on anyone who opposed her ascension, Emperor Gaozong issued an edict to have Liu executed.
Li Zhong (李忠), courtesy name Zhengben (正本), formally Prince of Yan (燕王), was a crown prince of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He was the oldest son of Emperor Gaozong and was created crown prince in 652 even though he was not the son of his then-wife Empress Wang. After Empress Wang was displaced by Empress Wu in 655, however, Li Zhong was caught in Empress Wu's crosshairs and was forced to yield the crown prince position to his younger brother Li Hong, born of Empress Wu, in 656. He was later further reduced to commoner rank and put under house arrest, and when the chancellor Shangguan Yi failed in his attempt to persuade Emperor Gaozong to depose Empress Wu in 664 and was executed, Empress Wu took the opportunity to accuse Li Zhong of being complicit in Shangguan's plans. Around the new year 665, Emperor Gaozong at the urgent request of Empress Wu ordered Li Zhong to commit suicide. He was posthumously honored an imperial prince, but not a crown prince, during the second reign of his brother Emperor Zhongzong.
Empress Wang was an empress of the Chinese Tang Dynasty. She was the first wife and empress of Emperor Gaozong and became empress shortly after he became emperor in 649. She, however, did not bear any sons for him and was not favored. Therefore, in apprehension that one of his concubines, Consort Xiao, who was both favored and had a son, might seek to displace her, she recommended a former concubine of Emperor Gaozong's father Emperor Taizong, Consort Wu, to be Emperor Gaozong's concubine as well, hoping to divert favor from Consort Xiao. Soon, however, Consort Wu became dominant in the palace and overwhelmed both Empress Wang and Consort Xiao, eventually accusing them of using witchcraft and conspiracy to poison against Emperor Gaozong. Emperor Gaozong reduced both Empress Wang and Consort Xiao to commoner rank and put them under arrest in 655, replacing Empress Wang with Consort Wu. Soon, as recorded in the New Book of Tang and Zizhi Tongjian, Empress Wang and Consort Xiao were cruelly executed on the new Empress Wu's orders; Executed in one of four horrific tortures in ancient China.
Consort Xiao, Pure Consort Xiao or Xiao shufei, was a concubine of Emperor Gaozong of Tang. She was initially favored by him and bore him a son and two daughters -- Li Sujie and the Princesses Yiyang and Gao'an—but later, after her romantic rival Empress Wang introduced another concubine, Consort Wu, to Emperor Gaozong, Emperor Gaozong became enamored with Consort Wu. Empress Wang and Consort Xiao instead joined forces to try to counter Consort Wu, but in 655, Emperor Gaozong deposed both of them on accusations of witchcraft and replaced Empress Wang with Consort Wu. Soon, they were executed on the new Empress Wu's orders.
Li Sujie (李素節), formally the Prince of Xu (許王), was an imperial prince of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He was the fourth son of Emperor Gaozong, born of his one-time favorite Consort Xiao. After Consort Xiao and Emperor Gaozong's wife Empress Wang were deposed and executed due to the machinations of Emperor Gaozong's second wife Empress Wu, Li Sujie was under the watchful eyes of Empress Wu, and was several times demoted on false accusations of misbehavior, In particular, as Emperor Gaozong's health deteriorated and government affairs fell to Empress Wu, Li's grief increased. During the Tianshou era, with Wu finally establishing her own dynasty, she continued to massacre Tang imperial clan members as she perceived them as threats, and she summoned Li Sujie and his older brother Li Shangjin (李上金) to the then-capital Luoyang. When they arrived near Luoyang, Empress Dowager Wu had him strangled, while Li Shangjin committed suicide.
Li Hong, formally Emperor Xiaojing with the temple name of Yizong (義宗), was a crown prince of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He was the fifth son of Emperor Gaozong and the oldest son of his second wife Empress Wu, and he was made the crown prince in 656. As he grew older, he often came in conflict with his ambitious and powerful mother Empress Wu, and it is commonly believed by traditional historians that she poisoned him to death in 675. His father Emperor Gaozong, then still reigning, posthumously honored him with an imperial title.
Han Yuan (韓瑗), courtesy name Boyu (伯玉), formally Duke of Yingchuan (潁川公), was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. He drew the ire of Emperor Gaozong by opposing the removal of Emperor Gaozong's first wife Empress Wang and replacement by his favorite concubine, Consort Wu and was exiled. He died in 659, just in advance of a wave of reprisals initiated by the new Empress Wu and her allies that would have resulted in his execution had he not died.
Empress Liu, formally Empress Sumingshunsheng or Empress Suming (肅明皇后) in short, was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. She was the wife of Emperor Ruizong.
Liu Yizhi (劉禕之), courtesy name Ximei (希美), was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the first reign of Emperor Ruizong. He was initially a trusted advisor of Emperor Ruizong's powerful mother Empress Dowager Wu, but later offended her by suggesting privately that she should return imperial powers to Emperor Ruizong, and in 687, she ordered him to commit suicide.
Wu Zetian is a Chinese television series based on the life of Wu Zetian, the only woman in Chinese history to assume the title of Empress Regnant and became the de facto ruler of China in the late seventh century. Directed by Chen Jialin, the series starred Liu Xiaoqing as the title character. It was first broadcast on CCTV in China in 1995 and subsequently aired by television stations in other countries.
Secret History of Empress Wu, also known as Wu Zetian Mishi, is a Chinese television series based on the life of Wu Zetian, the only woman in Chinese history to assume the title of Empress Regnant. The series was directed by Cheng Feng and starred three actresses — Yin Tao, Liu Xiaoqing and Siqin Gaowa — as Wu Zetian, each playing the empress at a different stage of her life. It was first broadcast in mainland China on Hunan Satellite TV on 5 November 2011.
The Empress of the Dynasty is a Taiwanese television series based on the life of Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history. Directed by Li Yueh-fung and produced by Lin Hui-chun, the series starred Angela Pan as Wu Zetian. It was first broadcast in Taiwan on CTV from 18 November 1985 to 10 January 1986.
Lady Wu may refer to: