Wu Zeitan and her unlikely journey to become Empress Regnant of China
While Dowager Empress Cixi (who I wrote about here) certainly had the powers of an Empress Regnant, only one woman in Chinese history can justifiably claim that title. Like Cixi, over a thousand years later, the woman, who is best known as Wu Zeitan, would use cunning, intrigue and perhaps murder to become the Empress of China. She is also the only woman to have her own dynasty, the Zhou Dynasty.
Wu Zeitan’s birth name is lost to history, and she would only be known by this title after her death. Her family name is certainly Wu, which did remain constant throughout her life. Her family was well off and close friends with Emperor Gaozu, which brought them into the royal circle. Wu was provided an extensive education for a girl of the time, and was encouraged by her father to read. When she was fourteen years old, she was selected to become a concubine of Emperor Taizong, son of Emperor Gaozu.
She entered the imperial harem as a concubine of the fifth rank. Taizong was a father multiple times over and had three sons with his beloved, late, wife, Empress Wende. Wu allegedly had sexual contact with Taizong once, but for the most part served as a lady in waiting to the Emperor. Her intelligence and capability to read and write led Wu to become a secretary of sorts for the Emperor, and…
