Title: Wu Zhao
Description: The story chronicles Wu Zhao's humble beginnings as the daughter of a provincial official and follows her path to the inner palace, where she improbably rose from a fifth-ranked concubine to emperor. Using Buddhist rhetoric, architecture, court rituals, and a network of "cruel officials" to cow her many opponents in court, Wu Zhao inaugurated a new dynasty in 690, the Zhou. She ruled as emperor for fifteen years, proving eminently competent in the art of governance, balancing factions in court, staving off the encroachment of Turks and Tibetans, and fostering the state's economic growth.
Subjects: Biography, Empresses, Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 500 to c 1500, Biography: general, c 500 CE to c 1000 CE, History, Biography / Autobiography, History: World, Asia - China, Historical - General, Women, History / General, General, 624-705, China, Empress of China,, Wu hou,, China, kings and rulers, China, history, 221 b.c.-960 a.d.
Places: China
People: Wu hou Empress of China (624-705)