Podcasts about empress wu

We talk about the famous Wu Zetian, as well as Kings Munmu, Sinmun, and Hyoso in Silla.  These were the rulers at the same time that Uno no Sarara was overseeing things in Yamato.  Here we see a bit of tit for tat politics between Yamato and Silla.  We also get a tale of personal sacrifice from veterans of the Silla-Tang war against Baekje. For more notes and references, check out our blogpost page:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-149 Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 149: Kings, Queen, and an Empress   Uno no Sarara and her son, Crown Prince Kusakabe, sat in court.  The trappings of the recent mourning period had been put aside with the recent burial of Uno's husband, Ohoama, and they were now preparing for Crown Prince Kusakabe's coronation.  However, the matter in front of them had nothing to do with that.  Instead, they listened to an official recounting of what had transpired on the peninsula.  The court had explicitly sent an envoy to Silla to inform them of Ohoama's death, but it took much longer than it should have for Norimaro and his party to return.  There had even been an envoy mission from Silla while they were away. As Uno no Sarara listened intently, she found it harder and harder to keep her emotions in check.  She listened as the story of the Yamato mission was told, and as she heard of how her messengers were treated—how they weren't even allowed to tell the Silla court their news all because someone in Silla had decided that they weren't appropriate ambassadors. Silla had finally come to learn of Ohoama's death, and the mission returned home, but this treatment was inexcusable.  These were not just Yamato's messengers, they were carrying the royal word of Queen Uno no Sarara, head of the state and de facto ruler as they mourned the loss of her husband and predecessor.  To have them kept waiting because of some invented protocol was an affront to the nation, but it was also an affront to her. This. Would. Not. Do...     Greetings, everyone!  Thank you once again for tuning in.  As you may recall, last episode we covered the ceremonies around the death and burial of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tennou, as well as the unceremonious death of Crown Prince Kusakabe, leading to the throne being taken by his mother, Queen Uno no Sarara, aka Jitou Tennou.  One aspect of everything that was going on was the relations with the continent.  This included missions from Yamato to the continent—especially those involved with communicating information about the changes in the Yamato court.  So this episode I thought we could look at some of the things we see in the record and go over where things sat with regards to the continent. First things first, let's brush up on where we left off.  Back in episode 140 we talked about how the Silla-Tang alliance had broken down.  With Baekje and Goguryeo both defeated, the Tang had set up commanderies to oversea captured territory in both kingdoms, and even though Emperor Tang Taizong had promised Silla suzerainty over Baekje, his successor, Gaozong, had not adhered to that agreement.  In response, and with the help of Goguryeo rebels, Kind Munmu of Silla had fought back against the Tang forces, eventually consolidating everything south of the Taedong river, approximating the extent of the modern country of South Korea. Meanwhile, Goguryeo rebels continued to trouble the Tang, and King Bojang set up by the Tang dynasty would eventually betray them, allying with the northern Malgal people.  They would continue to fight to restore their sovereignty.  With pressure from Silla and Goguryeo, the Tang commandery pulled back from Pyongyang to Liaoyang—effectively putting the mountainous regions at the head of the Korean peninsula between them and their enemies.  Silla control was de facto, but would not be recognized formally by the Tang dynasty until the early 8th century.  That didn't meant they were completely at odds, however.  Silla would resume diplomatic mission to the Tang, despite their territorial disagreements. Silla's King Munmu, who had pushed back against the Tang, was succeed by his son, known as King Sinmun.  Sinmun had been Crown Prince during the wars against Baekje and Goguryeo.  Much as Ohoama and Uno no Sarara had been doing on the archipelago, he was working to centralize royal authority in Silla. In 681, as Silla was still mourning the death of King Munmu, a rebellion broke out.  It was led by a high ranking Silla official, and father-in-law to Sinmun, Kim Humdol.  It was quickly put down, and Kim Humdol and other officials who were implicated were executed.  This was actually a golden opportunity for the new King Sinmun to help purge the court of any rivals or ministers with less than absolute dedication to his plan to centralize authority. I kind of get the feeling that, for all of the past conflicts between their nations, Sinmun, Ohoama, and Uno might have gotten along quite well.  However, that didn't stop the fact that they were rulers of rival nations, and while they may have had similar concepts of leadership, they also were focused on their own rule and authority. To that end, Sinmun also reached out to the Tang court with tribute missions, and in so doing was at least recognized by the Tang court, who enfeoffed him as King of Silla.  This appears to have been a bit of polite fiction, but that was how a lot of this operated, ultimately.  King Sinmun would have held power in Silla regardless of the Tang court's approval, but the fiction that the court had bestowed his authority no doubt provided some diplomatic benefits, and a context within which to operate on the international stage.  It also no doubt allowed for increased trade, bringing in exotic and high status items, which would have been useful for boosting approval ratings back home. King Sinmun ruled until his death in 691.  He was succeeded by his son, known as King Hyoso.  However, Hyoso was young—about 5 years old when he took the throne.  And so his mother, Queen Sinmok, acted as regent for much of his reign—right up until her death in 700.  Hyoso ended up reigning for a decade, until 702, meaning that he and his mother reigned throughout Uno no Sarara's period as sovereign in Yamato. Hyoso's reign saw continued progress towards centralization of authority, as well as improved relationships with the Tang court.  Silla maintained diplomatic ties and tribute missions, and the Tang court conferred recognition on Hyoso as the King of Silla, in return. Speaking of the Tang Court, Emperor Tang Gaozong passed away before Ohoama had, departing this world in 683.  However, for all that he was the emperor, he had not really been the one running things for some time.  Gaozong came to the throne at roughly 21 years of age, and throughout most of his reign he had to share power with others in the court.  Originally this meant high ranking minister, but there was also his wife, Wu Zhao, aka Wu Zetian.  Wu had been a consort under Tang Taizong, and then continued as a consort for Gaozong as well.  Then, in 655, she was officially made empress. In 660, Gaozong began to suffer from an unknown illness, characterized by headaches, dizziness, , and occasional seizures and loss of vision.  Some have suggested it was a stroke or some form of hypertension.  Either way, these symptoms would plague him for the rest of his reign, and so he began to delegate more and more authority to Wu Zhao, who would handle things on his behalf. Thus, Wu was effectively already running things by the time of Gaozong's death in 683.  At that point, she became the Empress Dowager, and her third son became emperor Zhongzong—at least in name.  Because Wu Zhao maintained all of the power and authority at court.  She was, in fact, the regent, and a mere six weeks after Zhongzong took the throne he was removed by his own mother.  It seems that Zhongzong, who came to the throne at the age of 28, was showing signs of being a little too much under the influence of his wife, Empress Wei.  In fact, he is said to have considered giving her the Empire.  And so Wu had him deposed and exiled.  She then had his younger brother made Emperor Ruizong, though still under Wu Zhao's term as regent. Ruizong was about 22 when he took the throne under his mother in 684.  He would continue to reign until 690, when he abdicated the throne in favor of his mother.  From that point on, Wu Zhao ruled as the sovereign for another 15 years, until the year 705, declaring it a return of the ancient Zhou dynasty.  In other words, for all of Uno no Sarara's reign in Yamato, another woman, Wu Zhao, sat atop the traditionally patriarchal seat of power in the Tang—and later Zhou—court. Wu Zhao is more commonly known to us, today, as Wu Zetian.  This comes from her final title as reigning monarch:  Zetian Dasheng Huangdi, or Heaven-following Great Holy Emperor.  She is often depicted as a ruthless and politically savvy ruler who usurped the throne through her feminine wiles and violence.  We see how she dethroned her own son to avoid him giving up the throne to his wife.  She is also said to have had another son killed because of her ambitions, and is even accused of killing her own daughter just to blame a rival at court.  She is also depicted performing plenty of other unflattering acts. Of course, it is worth noting that she was not the one to write her own history.  After her reign, her epitaph was inscribed by her own political rivals.   It is notable that she is the only Empress to be recognized as ruling in her own right in the entire history of China.  Certainly there were others who reigned as regents, and women with tremendous power and influence, but none of them really held the throne uncontested. Given the animosity of the authors who wrote about her reign, we have to take anything we hear about Wu Zhao with a bit of salt.  On the other hand, Tang dynasty imperial politics were ruthless, and you didn't get to the top because you had a charming demeanor.   While there is no doubt more than a little slander written into the history books, one only has to look at the men who ruled before and after her to wonder whether she really did anything that was so much better or worse than what they did.  Just keep that in mind as we go through some of what she was accused of. Now what we are told is that with her younger son, Emperor Ruizong, she was only nominally pretending to be regent.  She didn't bother to hide behind a screen with him out front and we are told she openly whispered answers and commands that Ruizong would immediately parrot.  Ruizong never moved into the imperial suites of the palace, which his mother maintained.  Ruizong didn't even attend imperial functions, and officials were not allowed to meet with him privately.  An uprising in Yang state was said to be in part because of her rule, and it was suggested that she should step aside and let her son truly rule to restore confidence, but she was having none of it and had those who suggested it arrested.  Later, she would institute post boxes around government buildings for people to snitch on those around them who might be disloyal, and she instituted secret police, who investigated various rumors and false accusations with torture, leading to numerous executions. In 685 she is said to have had an affair with a Buddhst monk, Huaiyi, who was then conferred with various honors.  Then, in 686, she offered to return the throne to Ruizong, but Ruizong, realizing that there was no way she would let go of power, saw it as a test of his obedience, and declined.  In 688 she summoned senior members of the Li Family, the family of the Tang emperors, under the pretense of making sacrifices to the spirit of the Luo river, which flowed through the Eastern Capital of Luoyang.  Several of the Princes of the Li house were worried that she was going to slaughter them all, Red Wedding style, if they showed up, in order to secure the throne to herself, and so they plotted to rebel, but coordination was not the greatest back then, and two princes rose up before the others were ready.  They were crushed, and many other members of the Li family were implicated, arrested, and forced to commit suicide.  In 690, she completely did away with any dissembling and declared a new dynasty—the Zhou dynasty—declaring herself Shengshen Huangdi, or Holy Divine Emperor of the Zhou dynasty.  And yes, this is the same Zhou as the ancient Zhou dynasty—she was apparently claiming descent from the ancient rulers of Zhou. Her son was thus deposed and she ruled uncontested from 690 until her death in705.  She would go by various names.  Three years in and she would add "Jinlun", or "Golden Wheel" to her title, referring to the Buddhist concept of a Chakravartin, or Golden Wheel Turning Monarch. This latter title came in part as she is said to have elevated the foreign religion of Buddhism over the native Taoist religion.  She is also said to have built numerous temples around the capital cities and elsewhere.  In 692, the rising power of the secret police appeared to have been halted.  One of the officials in charge, Lai Junchen, attempted to have a handful of officials executed for false accusastions.  He told them that if they confessed to the accusations, their lives would be spared, and so many of them confessed to the false accusations, but Junchen conspired to have them executed anyway.  One of the officials was none other than the famous Di Renjie.  Renjie wrote a petition on his blanket and then hid that with the laundry that he sent to his family when it was time to change from winter to summer robes.  His family found it and submitted the petition to Wu Zhao, who became suspicious of Junchen.  For his part, Junchen has submitted forged petitions from the prisoners, thanking Empress Wu for preparing to execute them. Other accusations against Junchen's methods came to light, and so Empress Wu interrogated the prisoners personally.  They all disavowed their confessions, and so Wu commuted their sentences from death to exile.  Junchen continued to operate until 697, but there seems to have been a notable decrease in the number of executions after that point.  He would eventually go too far, and planning to accuse the Li and Wu princes and princesses of treason, but they acted first and he ended up being executed.  Without Lai Junchen, the secret police seem to have largely fallen apart. As for Di Renjie, he eventually worked his way back into the good graces of Wu and the court, eventually being recalled to Luoyang to serve.  Di Renjie's own legend grew, and in the 18th or 19th century he was recast as a kind of Tang dynasty detective in the historical crime drama genre popular at the time.  The book, "Di Gong An", or "Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee", was found by a Dutch Ambassador to China, Robert van Gulik, in a used bookstore in Tokyo, of all places.  Van Gulik would go on to translate the stories and penned a number of others using the style and characters of the original.  Judge Dee was cast as the "Sherlock Holmes of China" and has since become popular in both China and the West.  The first novel in the series was actually set in the time of Empress Wu. Robert van Gulik also had several scholarly works, including a translation of the Tang Yin Pi Shih, a 13th century manual for magistrates with examples of cases spanning approximately 1400 years, from the Qin to Song dynasty.  This work really helps to illuminate how the ancient justice system worked back then.  Fictional detectives aside, Empress Wu would continue to reign over an impressive period in history.  There were plenty of deadly politics, various attacks by outside forces, and more. Overall, it was a fairly prosperous time for the empires. When Wu passed away in 705, her son, Emperor Zhongzong, resumed the throne, ending the Zhou dynasty and resuming the Tang dynasty of the Li family.  Still, Wu Zhao, aka Wu Zetian, would be well remembered.  She was buried in the Qianling Mausoleum, near Chang'an, alongside her late husband, Emperor Gaozong.  Various other members of the Royal Li family were also buried there, and many of their tombs have been opened.  The paintings, statues, and artwork and funerary goods provide a tremendously detailed look at Tang court culture and society at this time.  Statues outside indicate officials and ambassadors from across the Tang courts sphere of influence.  There are depictions of court dress and the elaborate hairstyles, fabrics, and more, as the tombs generally include court men and women.  The famous mural of the Ambassadors is shown with Korean, western, and possibly even a Japanese envoy.  The murals also show architectural elements of ancient Chang'an and more. The tombs of Gaozong and Zetian clearly known, but currently have not undergone excavation.  Much like with the tomb of Qin Shihuangdi, the government has put a moratorium on opening the tombs until they can be sure that everything can be properly protected as they do so.  There is a huge concern that the tombs could be robbed or that priceless works could be damaged if they are opened improperly or without sufficient techniques to adequately preserve them. As noted above, although Empress Wu is often demonized by historians, we have to ask if her reign was truly so much different from others.  She was certainly a woman taking power in a male-dominated system.  Where a man projecting power was seen as normal, Empress Wu was seen as perverting the natural order.  An emperor taking to bed numerous consorts and concubines was considered only natural.  However, Empress Wu taking to bed various men for her own enjoyment was seen as licentious and indecent.  The double-standard seems pretty clear. I even have to wonder about things like the secret police.  While it certainly is alarming to see a government sending people out to arrest and charge people on the barest of evidence, often with little or no accountability or transparency, one should consider what justice looked like at the time, more generally.  Tang dynasty justice was often harsh, and torture was considered a standard practice to elicit a confession.  Once someone was accused of a crime, their guilt was assumed, and it was on them to prove their innocence.  This was a tall order, as the thinking of the day was often that if you hadn't done anything wrong, why would anyone risk falsely accusing you?  So clearly you had done *something* to disrupt the social order, even if it wasn't what you were actually accused of. Furthermore, there is a fine line between rooting out disloyalty to the regime and rooting out corruption.  Anonymous tips can be used to call SWAT to someone's house, but it can also be a way for a whistleblower to alert those in authority that something untoward is going on.  And something begun with the best of intentions, can easily be corrupted, especially in the wrong hands. And so I think we can give Empress Wu at least the benefit of the doubt that she seems to have tried to do right by the people and her country.  The Tang court, by all accounts, was a nest of vipers, and I don't think she was a saint, but neither was she the devil incarnate. In fact, a lot of the accusations against Empress Wu would appear to be paralleled, years later, in the archipelago—possibly being parroted by men who were aware of the anti-Wu propaganda.  Kouken Tennou—who would also reign a second time as Shoutoku Tennou, was embroiled in conflict. Like Wu, she came to power in a court embroiled in familial politics.  She was known to be a supporter of Buddhism, and she was also said to have had an affair with a monk, Doukyou, upon whom she is said to have lavished power and authority.  She is also said to have modeled her nengo, the auspicious names for the year, off of Empress Wu.  After her death, her reign was used as a reason why there was not another regnant female sovereign on the throne until the Edo period, and she is often seen as the Last Female Sovereign, much as there was never another Empress regnant amongst the various Sinic dynasties. However, returning ourselves back to the 7th century, those histories had yet to be written.  Instead, one has to wonder how much communication there was between the continent and the archipelago.  Did Uno no Sarara realize that she was not the only woman taking charge at that time?  Was Empress Wu considered a model for her?  Or was she seen as more of a rival?  Or was it neither?  Did either one regard the other at all, embroiled as they were in their own, local and domestic pursuits? If they did, there isn't much, if anything, in the record. There is plenty to be said about relations with both Silla and the Tang dynasty in general, however.  Most of the focus was actually on Silla, to be honest—not surprising given Silla's place in the international arena in relation to Yamato. Last episode we mentioned that an embassy was sent to Silla to announce the death of Ohoama.  It was only several months after he had passed away, on the 19th day of 687.  The chief and assistant envoys were Tanaka no Ason no Norimaro and Mori no Kimi no Karita.  Norimaro is listed as Jikikwoshi rank—the lowest of the Jiki category, which was the 3rd of 6.  This put him about 24 ranks down in the 48 rank system.  Karita, on the other hand, was Tsuidaini, putting him at about 43 of 48 court ranks.  Normally, I don't pay too much attention to the ranks that are given in the Chronicles, mainly for two reasons.  First off is that you aren't always sure that the rank given in the Chronicle corresponds with the rank at the time of the event—sometimes we see ranks that are clearly anachronistic—typically later in their life.  Since people don't typically drop in rank, unless they are demoted, this usually gives you some information, but not always. The second reason I often don't pay attention is because it usually isn't germane to the story.  It is why I'll also drop the uji and the kabane, once we establish a particular person.  Otherwise it feels like word salad. Every once in a while I do like to look at the ranks, however, because they do give us information about things like the individual's general position in the court hierarchy.  In this case we see that, of the officials selected for this assignment, one was near the bottom of the upper half of the court, while the other was really in a much more junior position.  I believe this may also be important later on, because there was a certain expectation that the person representing a sovereign in diplomatic situations would have sufficient rank to indicate some amount of pull, back home. The mission of Norimaro and Karita to Silla may have been ordered in the first month of the year, but it seems it likely took time before it actually left—or something happened.  I say this because in the 9th month we see an embassy from Silla arrive, and they are apparently unaware of any changes in the archipelago.  The embassy was headed by the Prince Gim Sangnim.  We are also told that there were two other officials, Gim Salmo and Gim Insyul, both of Geupson rank.  Then there was So Yangsin of Daesa rank.  That was two of vice ministerial rank and one of lower official rank.  These ranks were connected both to their office and to their family, as Silla still used a fairly rigid system based on the rank of one's family, similar to the way that the old Kabane system worked before it was reformed under Ohoama in the previous reign. The embassy from Silla also included a student-priest, Chiryu.  Presumably Chiryu was from Yamato and had gone abroad to study, and was now making his way back home. It appears as though the embassy had no idea that Ohoama had passed away as we are told that they had to be informed by the Dazai—the Viceroy of Tsukushi.  Once they were informed, they all put on mourning clothing, turned towards the east—towards the capital of Yamato—and they bowed three times and then cried out lamentations three times. I would note that there is another record in the first month of the following year, which states that Gim Sangnim and his colleagues were informed of Ohoama's death and lamented three times.   That could just be a misplaced duplicate of the previous entry, about the embassy—possibly it got recorded multiple times and different ways and on different dates.  It isn't exactly clear.  Either way, it seems that this was not meant to be an official condolence envoy, but just a regular embassy bringing trade goods disguised as tribute.  In fact, in the 2nd month of 688 we are told that the Viceroy of Tsukushi presented the tribute from Silla to the capital.  It is said to have included gold and silver, thin silks, cloth, skins, copper, and iron.  There were also images of the Buddha, all kinds of coloured fine silks, birds, and horses.  Sangnim himself had presents of gold and silver, colored stuffs, and various rarieties—80 items all told.  Sangnim and his crew probably didn't travel to Asuka, because we are told that as of the 10th day of the 2nd month of 688 they were being entertained in the Tsukushi government house, where they were given various gifts by the court, and then they headed out on the 29th day of that month. A year after that, in the first month of 689, Norimaro and Karita returned from Silla, suggesting that the two embassies really had just passed each other—such were the issues with international travel back in the day. Now, normally, we don't hear much about what happened during these embassies.  The Nihon Shoki doesn't typically record anything, possibly because they just didn't have any records.  And the records in the Samguk Sagi often don't mention anything, either.  It is possible that it was just considered too routine to mention the ins and outs.  However, in this instance, we may have some insight, because it is mentioned later in the narrative. You see, four months behind Norimaro and Karita came the formal Silla condolence envoy.  It was headed by Gim Dona, of Geupson rank—so a vice minister instead of a prince heading up the embassy.  Silla also sent student-priests Meiso, Kwanchi, and others, along with a gold-copper image of Amida Buddha and a gold-copper image of Kannon and an image of Daiseishi Boddhisatva, along with colored silks and brocades. A month after they arrived, the condolence envoy received a message from none other than Queen Uno no Sarara herself, but this was not necessarily a good thing.  In fact, she appears to be dressing down the Silla envoys and the Silla court more generally, because of how things had gone with Norimaro and Karita—and this possibly also explains why it took so long for them to get to Silla and back. According to the Yamato court, Norimaro and Karita were sent to Silla to announce the death of Ohoama.  However, Silla protocol stated that persons charged to deliver a royal message had always had the rank of Sopan. This appears to be equivalent to the rank of Japchan, and indicates the third rank in Silla's system.  Because of this, Queen Uno's message goes on to state, Norimaro and Karita were not allowed to deliver their message about Ohoama's passing to the court.  However, back when Karu—Koutoku Tennou—had passed away in 654, Kose no Inamochi went to announce the funerals dates, and he was received by Gim Shunshun listened to the report.  So saying that it is someone of the third rank that is needed goes against precedent. Furthermore, when Naka no Oe passed away in 671, Silla sent Gim Salyu, who was of 7th rank, but now they send someone of 9th rank.  So if precedent was to be followed, wouldn't that also be a problem? This whole thing is really fascinating in that it demonstrates the kind of delicate balance and back and forth that was going on—and I suspect that it was growing even more specific as each country was adopting more rules and laws, and compiling them into codes.  It is notable that the Chronicles make sure to state the rank of each ambassador from Silla, at least in the last several reigns.  That suggests that the government was tracking such things, and that it was important. The rest of the screed by the Yamato court seems a little more about setting out Yamato's position on Silla-Yamato relations.  Here Yamato puts words into the mouths of former Silla officials, claiming that they always addressed Yamato's sovereign with deference.  Yamato claimed Silla had promised service to Yamato since the remote royal ancestors, promising that the oars of the ships bringing tribute to the archipelago would "never become dry", and yet this time, there was only one ship that came to offer condolences.  Furthermore, the Silla kings were to serve the sovereigns of Yamato faithfully, but they had now broken the faith. Therefore their tribute goods were sealed up and returned back. That said, they weren't completely breaking off communications.  This was a rebuke, certainly, but they were willing to keep channels open with hopes that relations might improve in the future. My read on all of this is that the Yamato envoys to Silla had been snubbed by that court for not being of appropriate station by Silla's rules.  Therefore, in a tit-for-tat move, Yamato was treating the condolence envoy similarly. That doesn't mean they didn't show them any hospitality, though.  Queen Uno no Sarara had the Viceroy, Awada no Mabito no Ason, give the student-priests Meiso and Kanchi, who had just come back with the condolence envoy, 140 kin of floss silk for their teachers back in Silla, in apparent gratitude.  And then a few days later they were entertaining the condolence envoys in Wogohori in Tsukushi, and giving them various presents for their trouble. This is likely the kind of "don't shoot the messenger".  Sure, they were returning the tribute and sending a message to Silla, but that wasn't the fault of Gim Dona and his colleagues.  And they were now taking a rather disappointing message back with them—I doubt anyone wanted to be in Gim Dona's shoes as he told the court what had transpired. Gim Dona and crew left shortly after that.  From there, we don't have a lot of information on what happened.  The Silla annals of the Samguk Sagi don't record Gim Dona's embassy, let alone what happened when they came back.  However, Silla  would send future envoys, and diplomatic relations between the two countries continued throughout the reign.  The Silla embassies from that point on are largely, for our purposes, unremarkable.  I may mention them if they relate to other items of note, but for the most part there is really only two other embassies of note, and they were in the year 693.  The first was from Silla, led by Gim Gangnam of Sasan rank, along with Gim Yangweon of Hannama rank—so 8th and 11th rank in the Silla hierarchy, apparently.  They had come to announce the death of King Sinmun, who had passed away the previous year.    And so, on the 16th day of the 3rd month, an embassy was prepared to depart for Silla.  It was headed up by Okinaga no Mabito no Oyu, of Jikikwoshi rank—much as Norimaro had been.  He and his proposed vice envoy, Ohotomo no Sukune no Kogimi, who was Gondaini rank—27th of 48—were both given gifts prior to their election as ambassadors, and were sent as condolence envoys, themselves. Meanwhile, let's take a look at Yamato's interactions with the Tang dynasty. First of all, we see a note in the 6th month of 689 that presents of rice were given to Xu Shouyen, Sa Hungko, and others from the land of the Great Tang.  So was this an embassy?  Not quite. Remember that little scuffle back in the 660s on the Korean Peninsula?  That special military operation by Silla and Tang forces against Baekje, where Yamato had tried to assist, only to have their navy bested by Tang forces? Well during the fighting , there had been numerous prisoners taken, on both sides.  Xu Shouyen and Sa Hungko were two such prisoners.  Except that "prison" in this case was largely being sent to live off the land.  They were probably forced to do labor, though if they had special skills, such as reading and writing, they may have been put to work in another way.  Indeed, we later see these two mentioned not as prisoners or even slaves, but as teachers of "pronunciation".  They were even given rice-land and stipends of their own.  Granted, this is decades after they first came to  Yamato, so this wasn't exactly a smooth ride. But it wasn't just Tang prisoners in Yamato.  Yamato soldiers had also been captured and taken prisoner by Tang forces.  And so, in the 9th month of 690, we see three priests who had gone to the land of Tang to study returned in the company of a Silla escort envoy, and they brought back with them a soldier, Ohotomobe no Hakama, from the Upper Yame district in Tsukushi. The three priests, Chishiu, Gitoku, and Jougwan all made their way to the capital, arriving several weeks after they first made landfall in Tsukushi.  At this point, Prince Kawachi was the Dazai in charge of affairs out there, and soon after the priests arrived at Naniwa and made their way to the capital, in Asuka, messengers going the other way made it out to Tsukushi with orders to give presents and gifts to the Gim Gohun, the escort envoy who had shuttled them all back from the continent. But even more impressive was the royal edict that was dated a week later for Ohotomobe no Hakama.  It lays out the circumstances of his capture and what happened to him that he stayed in the land of the Tang for so long.  You see, Hakama was one of many soldiers who was captured during the war to defend Baekje.  But three years after that conflict, the Tang dynasty was no longer trying to keep them prisoner.  This was a time when you didn't necessarily need to have buildings with walls to keep people prisoner—you just moved them to a new area where they could farm or otherwise set up a livelihood, or starve.  Travel was dangerous and expensive, especially if you didn't speak the language.  Nonetheless, if you did wish to return, there wasn't a lot stopping you, beyond just having the means to do so. And so this group of Wa soldiers got together and debated what to do.  We are told that it was four men—Hashi no Hoto, Kohori no Oyu, Tsukuhi no Satsuyama, and Yuge no Gen Jitsuni—the last one apparently having taken a local name on the continent.  Amongst themselves, they wanted to return to the archipelago not just to see their families and friends, but also to let people back home know about the changing conditions on the mainland.  As you may recall, around this time, Yamato was fiercely building up forces and defenses because they were convinced that there was going to be an attack by the Tang and Silla forces at any moment. The only problem that these four had in getting back was that they had, well, nothing.  They had neither the clothing nor provisions to make such a journey.  What would they eat and how would they pay for passage?  As such, they were unable to get back.  Hearing this, Ohotomobe no Hakama spoke up.  He declared that, as much as he also wished to return, he could at least help them out.  He offered to be sold into slavery so that his companions could obtain money with which to buy food and clothing. And so they did.  Hakama was sold, and he probably had no idea what happened to the four after that. It turns out, however, that they did make it back and were able to give the Yamato court some idea of what had happened.  Meanwhile, Hakama remained in a foreign land as a slave for some 30 years, until he was finally able to make it back to Yamato, apparently with the help of the three monks. This whole story was relayed to the court, and when the Queen heard it, she decided to act.  And thus the edict.  Not only did she recount his story and praise him for his loyalty, but he was granted certain honors.  First off, he was granted the rank of Mudaishi—the 39th rank in the court hierarchy, which gave him not a small amount of status, especially if he stayed in Tsukushi.  He was also granted5 pieses of coarse silk, 10 bundles of floss silk, 30 tan of cloth, and 1000 sheaves of rice.  On top of that, though, he received four chou of rice-land, which was given to him and his descendants, until at least his great-grandchildren.  Finally, his parents, siblings, and children, were also exempted from having to ever provide corvee labor. Now, nobody could give him back his 30 years, but this was quite the consolation prize, at the time.  To basically get rank and status, a stipend down four generations, and exemption from forced labor for him and his relatives, that was pretty incredible, if you think about it. Hakama wasn't the only one who had suffered in the country of the Great Tang and was rewarded for it.  Mononobe no Kusuri, from Iyo, and Mibu no Moroshi, in Higo, were also paid out handsomely in consolation for their sufferings,  though we aren't given details on their stories, or even when they came back. There are also other descriptions of Tang men, but it seems that these were individuals in a similar position to Xu Shouyen and Sa Hungko—they had been captured and were now living in Yamato.  That they were integrating into Yamato society seems clear from the fact that they were given rank and similarly treated like vassals of the throne. What we don't see, however, are any further diplomatic missions.  Those wouldn't start up for a while, and so even if Queen Uno no Sarara had wanted to confer with another female monarch, it would have to have been done through the auspices of Silla, who at t his point seem to have largely controlled the flow of goods, people, and thus information between the straits. And with that, I think we can close out this episode.  Moving forward, we have more details about a lot of different things, and yet others are still lacking.  It is my goal to try and be a little more selective about the passages we pull from the Chronicles.  We don't need to go over every natural disaster or prayer to the wind-gods.  We will take a look at things like the completion of the Fujiwara capital, as well as the 22 volumes of the Asuka-Kiyomihara law codes.  And then there are a few persons of note that we should probably mention as well, such as the appearance of Fujiwara no Fubito.  We should also talk about some of the other royal edicts that were made. All of that for later.  For now, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

“With the heart of a serpent and the nature of a wolf, she gathered sycophants to her cause and brought destruction to the just. She slew her sister, butchered her brothers, killed her prince, and poisoned her mother. She is hated by men and gods alike.”Jonathan Clements came back on to talk about his book on Wu Zetian (623–705), the only woman ever to rule China in her own name. Rising from lowly concubine/chambermaid to God-Emperor, she outmanoeuvred courtiers, generals, monks and poets alike - sometimes with charm, sometimes with a knife - and ruled over the empire at the height of the Silk Road.Jonathan describes Wu's ascent through the Tang court: a place of whispered plots, divine omens, and women struggling to survive. Along the way we encounter girls on top, a boob-shaped tomb, a harem of 120 pretty boys, dogs on sticks, a honey-trap gone wrong, and an inadvisable attempt to train a cat not to eat a parrot.A story of power, paranoia, and the perilous art of surviving your own success.If you find this journey into Tang politics, gender, and myth entertaining and informative then follow the show, share with a friend, and leave a review telling people what bit you liked best.If you click here you can text me with feedback. Or email russellhogg@proton.me if you want a response

This week, I am thrilled to welcome Dr Elizabeth Norton back to the podcast for the third time as we dive into the stories behind her upcoming book, Women who Ruled the World, 5000 Years of Female Monarchy. In this book, as you can probably guess, Dr Norton looks at female rule over the past five millennia, from Cleopatra of Egypt to Empress Wu of China, Catherine the Great to Elizabeth II, this book has it all - political pawns, fighters, murderers, victims, but all of them have something in common, they dared to rule, often in a world where the very notion was deemed impossible .

The Rakes discuss The Moon in the Palace by Weina Dai Randall. In response to the question what inspires or interests Dai Randall about a time period, she said: “To me, the period of time is not as important as the historical figure or the event itself.” This focus is evident in her the book that imagines the early years of Empress Wu. Known as Mei, she enters the palace as a teenager in 639 and becomes a concubine to Emperor Taizong. She falls in love with one of his son's Li Zhi. As their lives are dictated by the emperor, they hide their relationship. Join our discussion about how we should characterize historical figures, how we define romance, political violence, and happy endings. Support us on our Patreon!Visit our website for transcripts and show notes: reformedrakes.comFollow us on social media:Twitter: @reformedrakesInstagram: @reformedrakesBluesky: @reformedrakesBeth's SubstackChels' SubstackEmma's SubstackThank you for listening!

Our Trailblazer episodes continue this week with Jeannie Lin, one of the first authors to write historical romance featuring Asian characters set in Asia. Her debut romance, Butterfly Swords, is set in Tang Dynasty China. In this episode, we talk about the craft of romance, about preparing for and resisting rejection while finding her own path to publication, about how she honed her storytelling, and about the way cultural archetypes find their way to the page. We also talk about the lightning fast changes in romance over the last twelve years. Thank you to Jeannie Lin for making time for Fated Mates. Transcript availableThis episode is sponsored by The Steam Box (use code FATEDMATES for 10% off) and Chirp Audiobooks.Next week, we're talking Sarah's Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, which will release March 22 in a new trade paperback format. After that, our next read along is Diana Quincy's Her Night With the Duke, which was on our Best of 2020 year-end list! Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, or at your local bookstore. You can also get it in audio from our partner, Chirp Books!Show NotesThis week, we welcome romance author Jeannie Lin, whose newest book in the Lotus Palace Mysteries series, Red Blossom in Snow, comes out next week on March 21, 2022. Hear us talk about Jeannie Lin's books on our 2020 Best of the Year episode, our Road Trip Interstitial, and our So You Want to Read a Historical episode.The Tang Dynasty lasted from 618-907, and Empress Wu reigned from 624-705. RWA's Golden Heart Award was phased out in...

Empress Wu Zetian rose from royal concubine to become the only female ruler in China's 2,000 years of imperial history. Today she is seen as ruthless, tyrannical and willing to murder her own family to hold onto the throne. However this female leader has suffered from a millennium of bad propaganda. Many of the shocking and devious actions she took to claim and hold power overshadow the good she did for her people. Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lindsayholiday Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091781568503 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyteatimelindsayholiday/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@historyteatime Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday and help me make more fascinating episodes! Intro Music: Baroque Coffee House by Doug Maxwell Music: Lau Tzu Ehru by Doug Maxwell #HistoryTeaTime #LindsayHoliday Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In its many thousands of years of history, China has had only one official ruling monarch who was a woman. Sure, there were powerful Empress Consorts who pulled the strings of weak Emperor husbands, but Empress Wu Zetian ambitiously, and ruthlessly, upended convention to claim the throne in her own name.Born to a prosperous and well-connected family sometimes in the first half of the 620s, Wu joined the Imperial Court at the age of 14 in the privileged position of concubine to the Emperor. Instead, she became a trusted scribe and advisor who was sent to live out her life in a monastery after his death.But his son, Emperor Gaozong, brought her back to court, where she promptly began having babies with him, something his official wife was never able to do. It took many years, but through devious, even violent means, Wu Zeitan would clear the Court of all rivals to her power and become Gaozong's legal wife, and Empress Consort of China. This was an open door to full control of China; Wu Zeitan only needed to walk through it - and she did.Listen ad-free at patreon.com/trashyroyalspodcast.To advertise on this podcast, reach out to info@amplitudemediapartners.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In its many thousands of years of history, China has had only one official ruling monarch who was a woman. Sure, there were powerful Empress Consorts who pulled the strings of weak Emperor husbands, but Empress Wu Zetian ambitiously, and ruthlessly, upended convention to claim the throne in her own name. Born to a prosperous and well-connected family sometimes in the first half of the 620s, Wu joined the Imperial Court at the age of 14 in the privileged position of concubine to the Emperor. Instead, she became a trusted scribe and advisor who was sent to live out her life in a monastery after his death. But his son, Emperor Gaozong, brought her back to court, where she promptly began having babies with him, something his official wife was never able to do. It took many years, but through devious, even violent means, Wu Zeitan would clear the Court of all rivals to her power and become Gaozong's legal wife, and Empress Consort of China. This was an open door to full control of China; Wu Zeitan only needed to walk through it - and she did. Listen ad-free at patreon.com/trashyroyalspodcast. To advertise on this podcast, reach out to info@amplitudemediapartners.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China has had many influential and ambitious Empresses in its history, such as Empress Wu, but Zhao Feiyan certainly gives them all a run for their money. Zhao Feiyan was born into a relatively poor family, but due to her talent as a dancer, she was able to get the attention of the emperor, and from there, hijinx ensued. Join me on today's episode to learn about China's most underrated and controversial Empress. Bibliography Contributors to Wikimedia projects. “Emperor Cheng of Han.” Wikipedia, March 21, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Cheng_of_Han. ———. “Imperial Chinese Harem System.” Wikipedia, March 4, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Chinese_harem_system. ———. “Zhao Feiyan.” Wikipedia, March 8, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhao_Feiyan. ———. “Zhao Hede.” Wikipedia, March 21, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhao_Hede. Encyclopedia Britannica. “Han Dynasty,” July 20, 1998. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Han-dynasty/Cultural-achievements-of-the-Han-dynasty. Jacks, Lauralee. “Zhao Feiyan - Her Notorious Reputation as a Wanton Empress.” History of Royal Women, January 21, 2022. https://www.historyofroyalwomen.com/zhao-feiyan/zhao-feiyan-her-notorious-reputation-as-a-wanton-empress/#google_vignette. Keats School. “The Dancing of the Han Dynasty.” Accessed March 30, 2024. https://keatschinese.com/china-culture-resources/the-dancing-of-the-han-dynasty/. ChinaFetching.com. “Zhao Feiyan - From Dancer to Queen of Han.” Accessed March 30, 2024. https://www.chinafetching.com/zhao-feiyan. Schottenhammer, Angela (1 August 2003). "Slaves and Forms of Slavery in Late Imperial China (Seventeenth to Early Twentieth Centuries)." Slavery & Abolition. 24 (2): 143–154. doi:10.1080/01440390308559161. ISSN 0144-039X. S2CID 143643161. Fairbank, John King and Merle Goldman 1992. China: a new history. 2nd enlarged edition 2006. Cambridge, MA; London: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-01828-1 MacMahon, Keith (2013), Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao, Rowman & Littlefield, p. 11, ISBN 9781442222908 Book of Han, vol. 97, part 2. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35. Lee, Lily Xiao Hong & Stefanowska, A.D. (2007). Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: Antiquity through Sui, 1600 B.C.E-618 C.E. M.E. Sharpe, Inc. Milburn, Olivia, and Xuan Ling. 2021. The Empress in the Pepper Chamber: Zhao Feiyan in History and Fiction. Seattle: University of Washington Press. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/j.ctv1p2gjd6

¡Bienvenid@s de nuevo! En este episodio os invitamos a explorar con nosotras la vida y el legado de la emperatriz Wu Zetian, una de las mujeres más poderosas de la historia china. Nacida en el año 624 de la era común, Wu Zetian pasó de ser una concubina durante la dinastía Tang. a ganarse un lugar en la corte imperial y pasar a convertirse en la única emperatriz reinante de China. A lo largo de su reinado, realizó importantes reformas políticas, culturales y religiosas, desafiando las normas tradicionales y dejando una huella indeleble en la historia de China. ¡Descubre por qué su figura sigue siendo objeto de fascinación y controversia por partes iguales! Recuerda localizar el gazapo si quieres participar en el sorteo de una taza de Mujeres con Historia y envíanoslo desde cualquiera de nuestros métodos de contacto, tienes de tiempo hasta el 15 de mayo incluido. Series y películas: -Ppelícula Empress Wu, Emperatriz Wuu de 1963, dirigida por Li Han-Hsiang. - Película Empress Wu, de 1939 y dirigida por Peilin Fang -Teleserie La emperatriz de China o La leyenda de Wu Mei-niang de 2014 dirigida por Yik Chun Go Libros: - Bilogía: El palacio de la luna Emperatriz Wu 1, y La emperatriz de la Luna, Emperatriz Wu 2, de Weina Dai Rande - Libro La Emperatriz Wu, de Lin Yutang Comic y novela gráfica: - Serie de novelas gráficas: Women Who Were Kings 2, dedicado a Wu Zetian, de Queenie Chan - Serie: The Comic Library of Chinese History, volumen 16, de Han Yang Dong Man - Wu Zetian, de Takeshi Mine

Lily and Esther, flawed women and good friends, bring to light the ‘other' side of the so called “weaker sex” and put some truly horrible women up with the big bad boys. Until we have women who are just as horrifying as some men, we will never get the respect/fear we deserve.Lily Phillips https://twitter.com/lily_comedyEsther Manito https://twitter.com/esther_manitoA Turtle Canyon Comedy productionhttp://www.turtlecanyoncomedy.comOther Turtle Canyon podcastsLast Night Out - https://www.podfollow.com/1626986781Up Your Footfall - https://www.podfollow.com/1559039647Secret Artists with Annie McGrath - https://www.podfollow.com/1484654152Congrats on the new... - https://www.podfollow.com/1546243423If You're Happy, Do You Know It? - https://podfollow.com/1438256386/linksRandom Conversations About Movies - https://podfollow.com/1624004755Positive Soup! - https://podfollow.com/1618425085

Discover the life of Empress Wu Zetian - the first and ONLY Empress of China. Join us as we explore the Tang Dynasty, touch on some medieval gossip, and discuss the impact Empress Wu had on the lives of the people of her empire. Support the show

The words filth and perversion barely begin to scratch the surface of what's on offer in this interview with Empress Wu and her singular penchant for scenes that expand into systems that fuck gender, the body, notions of inside and outside, as well as existence itself. Here in the free preview, we discuss Wu's journey into pro-Domme work as well as her thoughts on sex work decriminalization. Paid listeners will receive the full hour and fifteen minute interview featuring specifics of her wild Dominance practice. Get the complete interview on Patreon for $11/month or Substack for $8/month. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/94681123?pr=true  Substack: https://askasub.substack.com/podcast  To support the pod and join our thriving ask a sub community of kinky pocket friends, Join Patreon starting at $5/month!  Submit questions for this podcast as voice memos to podcast@askasub.com  Go here for information on how to record a voice memo   Subscribe to the subby substack here. Twitter | @Lina.Dune | @askasub2.0 CREDITS Created, Hosted, Produced and Edited by Lina Dune With Additional Support from Mr. Dune Artwork by Kayleigh Denner Music by Dan Molad

The only Empress regnant in China's history. She established her own dynasty, married two emperors, and ruled China more effectively than either of her two husbands-- in her own right. Support the showShow Notes: https://www.thepithychronicle.com/resourceshttps://www.tiktok.com/@thepithychroniclershttps://www.instagram.com/the.pithy.chronicle/

China first became a country 3500 years ago, but in all that time, only one woman has served as the ruler of China in her own right. In 665 AD, Empress Wu Zetian sneakily ascended to the throne, where she remained in charge until her death 40 years later. But her journey to get there? It's complicated to say the least! Join a VERY enthusiastic Desiree on this week's episode of Kickass Women of Color as she digs deep into the astonishing (and bloody!) life of Wu Zetian.

Delve into the history of the most brutal rulers the world has known. While figures like Joseph Stalin and Benito Mussolini readily come to mind, brutality in leadership has existed long before the 1930s. Discover why figures such as Attila the Hun and Empress Wu, despite their harsh reigns, may not be the most villainous rulers in history. How were their actions perceived by their contemporaries, and what factors influenced these perceptions? #cruelestrulers #brutalleaders #JosephStalin #BenitoMussolini #AttilatheHun #EmpressWu #tyrants #despots #history #worldleaders #weirdhistory Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Maura and Chloé talk about Empress Wu (624AD-705AD); the Chinese badass known for being the first and only female emperor of China. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Empress Wu Zetian is the only woman in Chinese history to rule in her own name, but, similarly to Empress Theodora, her story is steeped in rumors, political agendas, and missing documents. There is no way for people today to truly know the truth of her story or the accuracy of her legacy. The legend paints her as a murderous, vindictive, power-hungry vixen. In recent years some historians have called for her to be recognized as a proto-feminist. A woman who “broke the glass ceiling” and rose higher than any female before or after her in Imperial China. Empress Wu was a woman far ahead of her time, but her legacy has been blighted and silenced over the centuries.Featured Guests: Jonathan Clements, a historian, professor, and TV presenter who specializes in the history of East Asia, and Mike Dash, a New York Times bestselling author and historian. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before we return to a string of wonderful guests from the horticultural world, we must take a moment to savour the treasures currently on show at East Ruston Old Vicarage, a thirty-two acre wonderland on the Norfolk coast. From the big, bold and brilliant Brumansias to the tumble of climbers filling up the walls on the house and a look at some of the stars in the Desert Wash, owner Alan Gray is joined by Thordis for a meander through some of the best bits in the garden this summer. PLANT LIST Salvia 'Kisses and Wishes' Heliotropium arborescens 'Lord Roberts' Pelargonium 'Gazelle' Erigeron karvinskianus 'Lavender Lady' Petunia exserta Verbena bonariensis Eschscholzia californica Lychnis coronaria Geranium incanum Aloiampelos striatula/Aloe striatula Musa basjoo Berkheya purpurea Nolina longifolia Echium pininana Pelargonium 'Paul Crampel'  Lantana camara Limnanthes douglasii Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer' Helichrysum Lychnis coronaria 'Gardeners' World' Astrantia 'Roma' Astrantia major 'Ruby Wedding' Astrantia major 'Shaggy' Podophyllum 'Spotty Dotty' Hosta 'Empress Wu' Hosta plantaginea Fuchsia microphylla ssp. hemsleyana 'Silver Lining' Athyrium otophorum 'Okanum' Blechnum chilense Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' Eragrostis 'Totnes Burgundy' Phlebodium aureum 'Davana'  Coniogramme emeiensis Dahlia 'Karma Choc' Rosa x odorata 'Bengal Crimson' Nicotiana glauca Punica granatum Abutilon 'Ashford Red' Lobelia tupa Dahlia coccinea Cuphea ignea Cuphea cyanea Cuphea 'Roxy'  Vitis coignetiae Tetrapanax papyrifer 'Rex' Salvia patens 'Giant form' Phuopsis stylosa  Begonia rex 'Black Knight' Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Pink Chaos' Adiantum venustum Solenostemon Kong Series Impatiens walleriana/Impatiens sultanii

Wu Zetian is known as China's only recorded female Emperor. She founded the Zhao dynasty, smack in the middle of the prestigious Tang dynasty, which was filled with powerful male rulers.Wu was initially a highly educated consort of Emperor Taizong. She went on to become the wife of the next emperor, Gaozong.Her path towards being a consort (or "concubine", as it was termed back then), was curated for her. But her path to being a ruler was cursed with bloodshed, poisonings, corruption, kidnappings, casual executions, summary executions, false accusations of witchcraft, putting in place puppet kings, and of course, drowning people in wine. And this was at a time when Confucian ideology formed the crux was Chinese society, which viewed women as meek, obedient, and best to run a household.Wu said to no all of that.Between 665 AD and 705 AD, Wu ruled China with an iron fist.She killed her enemies one by one, including other wives and consorts of the emperor. She did not trust the aristocracy, because they were hell-bent on kicking her off the throne.Instead, all her policies aimed at appeasing the common folks -- setting up agriculture and trade opportunities, fortifying the borders of the country, and allowing commoners to participate in the civil services.In the past, she was seen as a ruthless ruler who did not care for her people, her political allies, or her family. However, today history treats her as benevolent, smart, engaging, and politically savvy. And of course, a great ruler.ALSO!! Please fill out our merchandise survey – https://forms.gle/ENMZgR4LBjjK9ThT9Find out more at - https://ivmpodcasts.com/miss-conduct-blogYou can follow our hosts on Instagram.Miss Conduct: https://instagram.com/missconductpodRagavi: https://www.instagram.com/ragi.dosai/Nisha: https://www.instagram.com/just.nishful.thinking/You can listen to this show and other incredible shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app. You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

Out of thousands of years of Chinese history only one women managed to rule China independently. Wu has been written off as a power hungry usurper but she was also one of China's best rulers and did many great things for the country. Join me and my bestie Lindsey to uncover the life of China's only Empress. Bibliography Magazine, Smithsonian. "The Demonization of Empress Wu." Smithsonian.com. August 10, 2012. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-demonization-of-empress-wu-20743091/. Mark, Emily. "Wu Zetian." World History Encyclopedia. April 29, 2022. https://www.worldhistory.org/Wu_Zetian/. "Wu Zetian." Wikipedia. April 16, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Zetian. "Wu Zhao: Ruler of Tang Dynasty China." Association for Asian Studies. May 19, 2020. https://www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/wu-zhao-ruler-of-tang-dynasty-china/. Www.facebook.com/historyofroyalwomen. "Empress Regnant of the Zhou Dynasty - Wu Zetian." History of Royal Women. June 14, 2020. https://www.historyofroyalwomen.com/wu-zetian/empress-regnant-zhou-dynasty-wu-zetian/.

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is one of the greatest flower shows on earth and a highlight of the horticultural calendar. Here on Talking Dirty we get just as excited about it as everybody else and - as you'd expect - we've been lapping up all the plants and combinations!  So, fresh from Main Avenue and the Great Pavilion, Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis are here to share their favourites from across the show. And, as you can see from the plant list, there was plenty to catch their eyes! #rhschelsea #chelseaflowershow #gardendesign PLANT LIST x Semponium 'Destiny' Aeonium 'Sunburst' Aeonium 'Kiwi' Aeonium 'Schwarzkopf' x Semponium 'Sienna' Agave univittata 'Quadricolor' Agave victoriae-reginae Aeonium 'Green Tea' Aeonium tabuliforme Clivia miniata 'Steve's Pastel Green Throat' Clivia miniata 'Hirao' Petunia exserta Begonia sutherlandii 'Saunder's Legacy' Begonia 'Regal Minuet' Begonia 'Namur'  Begonia 'Helter Skelter' Streptocarpus saxorum Nasturtium 'Baby Rose' Hosta 'Wheee!'Hosta 'Empress Wu' Hedera helix 'Pink 'n' Curly' Delphinium elatum 'Ruby Wedding' Primula japonica 'Miller's Crimson' Adiantum aleuticum 'Imbricatum'  Iris 'Mrs Alan Gray'  Selaginella kraussiana Soleirolia soleirolii Blechnum chilense Podophyllum 'Spotty Dotty' Anemone leveillei Cercis siliquastrum Lamium orvala Digitalis 'Glory of Roundway' Acer davidii  Lychnis fos-cuculi ‘Alba' Rosa glauca Baptisia ‘Twilight' Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke' Baptisia ‘Dutch Chocolate' Leucanthemum vulgare Euphorbia palustris Smyrnium perfoliatum Nicotiana langsdorffii Campanula patula Verbena 'Bampton' Acaena microphylla Stipa gigantea Eschscholzia californica 'Ivory Castle' Salvia 'Violette De Loire' Salvia 'Royal Bumble' Eschscholzia californica 'Thai Silk' Series Papaver somniferum 'Lauren's Grape' Gladiolus communis subsp. byzantinus Echium ‘Red Feather' Bupleurum longifolium 'Aureum' Centranthus ruber var. coccineus Centaurea 'Jordy' Rose 'Dusky Maiden' Rosa 'Jacqueline du Pré' Anchusa 'Loddon Royalist' Geum 'Mai Tai' Iris 'Blue Rhythm' Salvia nemorosa ‘Crystal Blue' Salvia nemorosa 'Blue Hills' Aquilegia 'Ruby Port' Briza media Briza media 'Limouzi' Peony 'Dark Eyes' Cosmos bipinnatus 'Rubenza' Verbascum 'Petra' Camassia leichtlinii 'Alba' Luzula nivea Amsonia tabernaemontana 'Storm Cloud' Galactites tomentosa Galactites tomentosa 'Alba' Parrotia persica Centaurea 'Purple Heart' Lupinus 'Masterpiece' Gladiolus colvillei 'The Bride' Prunus lusitanica 

Our Trailblazer episodes continue this week with Jeannie Lin, one of the first authors to write historical romance featuring Asian characters set in Asia. Her debut romance, Butterfly Swords, is set in Tang Dynasty China. In this episode, we talk about the craft of romance, about preparing for and resisting rejection while finding her own path to publication, about how she honed her storytelling, and about the way cultural archetypes find their way to the page. We also talk about the lightning fast changes in romance over the last twelve years. Thank you to Jeannie Lin for making time for Fated Mates. This episode is sponsored by The Steam Box (use code FATEDMATES for 10% off) and Chirp Audiobooks.Next week, we're talking Sarah's Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, which will release March 22 in a new trade paperback format. After that, our next read along is Diana Quincy's Her Night With the Duke, which was on our Best of 2020 year-end list! Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, or at your local bookstore. You can also get it in audio from our partner, Chirp Books!Show NotesThis week, we welcome romance author Jeannie Lin, whose newest book in the Lotus Palace Mysteries series, Red Blossom in Snow, comes out next week on March 21, 2022. Hear us talk about Jeannie Lin's books on our 2020 Best of the Year episode, our Road Trip Interstitial, and our So You Want to Read a Historical episode.The Tang Dynasty lasted from 618-907, and Empress Wu reigned from 624-705. RWA's Golden Heart Award was phased out in 2019. Twitter was launched in 2006 and Goodreads in 2007. Goodreads was acquired by Amazon in 2013. Borders Books closed in 2011. People mentioned: author Jade Lee, who also writes as Kathy Lyons; author Barbara Ankrum; author Shawntell Madison; author Amanda Berry; author Bria Quinlan; author Eden Bradley of Romance Divas forum; author Kate Pearce; actor Tony Leung; Piatkus editor Anna Boatman; agent Gail Fortune.

In this episode, Kelsie shares her interview of soon-to-be Dr. Cony Marquez, with Brooke and they discuss Empress Wu and Empress Dowager Cixi. Support our work at www.patreon.com/remedialherstory Find lesson plans at http://www.remedialherstory.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/remedialherstory/support

On today's episode, we have the tender brutalist and professional dom, Empress Wu join us for a philosophical and vulnerable conversation about liberation through kink. Together we talk about why bad bitches date emotionally immature people, the sublime nature of sadism, and the need to examine your own internalization of social norms. If you enjoyed today's podcast, then please subscribe, leave a review, or share this podcast with a friend! And, join the movement by becoming a part of the conscious objectors patreon. Your support is what powers this work and the larger societal change we are fighting towards! Let's continue to challenge our assumptions and grow together. Join the community here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=54121384 Modern Anarchy Community: Instagram Facebook Patreon Empress Wu's Community: Instagram Website Resources Esther Perel Louise Bourgeois - The Couple Deleuze and Guattari Desire, the Big Other, & the Wall of Language | Psychoanalysis of Jacques Lacan Mel Chen - Toxic Animacies, Inanimate Affections Atlanta Shooting and the Legacy of Misogyny and Racism Against Asian Women What EXACTLY Is A 'Service Top' In The BDSM Kink Community? Sublime Borders: Schiller's Will and Nietzsche's Will-to-Power The Art of Cruelty BDSM 101: Praise Kink / Affirmation Play Red Canary Song Kink Out Events Veil Machine

He's back and he's brought ALL the plants to talk about! Ian Roofe - one of our original Get Gardening team - returns to regale us with his favourite plants of the moment, which leads into an exciting conversation about planting in the Exotic Garden at East Ruston Old Vicarage and some climber inspiration from Ian's own garden. With thanks, as ever, to the brilliant online plant community who've supplied copious pictures to help illustrate the plants. From the Frustrated Gardener to Cotswold Garden Plants to Wanderlust Plants in Seattle (https://www.wanderlustnursery.com/ (https://www.wanderlustnursery.com)). PLANT LIST Meconopsis betonicifolia Althaea cannabina Nicotiana alata 'Tinkerbell' Nicotiana langsdorffii Dahlia excelsa Dahlia imperialis Dahlia campanulata Sorbaria kirilowii var. arborea Cotinus coggygria Catalpa bignonioides Ailanthus altissima Tetrapanax papyrifer 'Rex' Magnolia delavayi Ailanthus altissima Decaisnea fargesii Hosta 'Empress Wu' Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii' Phygelius x rectus 'African Queen' Paulownia tomentosa Primula 'Francisca' Tanacetum parthenium Erigeron annuus Salvia 'Penny's Smile' Cosmos bipinnatus 'Xsenia' Catalpa x erubescens 'Purpurea' Catalpa bignonioides 'Nana' Acer platanoides 'Crimson King' Acer platanoides 'Drummondii' Acer negundo 'Aureovariegatum' Acer negundo 'Flamingo' Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' Sanguisorba hakusanensis 'Lilac Squirrel' Salvia bullulata Helichrysum italicum Verbena officinalis var. grandiflora 'Bampton' Diascia personata 'Coral Spires' Sphaeralcea 'Childerley' Sphaeralcea ‘Newleaze Coral' Clematis x durandii Cionura oreophila Clematis urophylla Stachyurus praecox Abeliophyllum distichum Trachelospermum asiaticum 'Golden Memories' Hardenbergia violacea Geranium maderense Geranium pratense 'Summer Skies' Geranium 'Blue Cloud' Ballota pseudodictamnus Stipa/Nassella tenuissima Sternbergia lutea Philadelphus 'Belle Étoile' Philadelphus 'Starbright' Ligustrum quihoui Elaeagnus angustifolia 'Quicksilver' Toona sinensis 'Flamingo' Lonicera hildebrandiana Lonicera etrusca 'Superba' Aeonium 'Mardi Gras'

Our chum Jonathan Clements returns with his passion for Chinese history, this time to tell the tale of the exceptional Medieval Empress Wu.

Real Monsters: Lethal Ladies Mary Tudor and Empress Wu, with special guest Kelly Evans Journalist and dogged student of all things forensic, Wess Haubrich, examines the nitty, gritty details you didn't know about famous (and not so famous but equally weird) crimes and their unseen motivations. Thanks for reading! You can also support the Real Monsters' podcast Wess does to get even deeper into these cases. Find it wherever you get your podcasts, on patreon or here: http://www.realmonsters.live Follow the Show on Facebook here Twitter here. We're also on Instagram and Snapchat. Make a donation here to keep the podcast running at any of these links: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=WLPEMHK7SH43Y https://www.patreon.com/realmonsters https://www.buymeacoff.ee/realmonster http://www.cash.app/$RMPodcast https://www.givebutter.com/realmonsters We are also on Venmo! (message us for further details) Or tip us via Vocal Media too by heading to this link. Follow the Show on Facebook hereTwitter here. We're also on Instagram and Snapchat. #crime #truecrimepodcast #history #justice --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/realmonsters/message

Campanula 'Blue Heron' Dianthus 'Red Penny' Echinocereus Sweet peas -- Lathyrus annuus Peonies -- Paeonia lactiflora Joseph Tychonievich, Rock Gardening: Reimagining a Classic Style (Timber Press, 2016). Hostas: Fire Island, Sum and Substance, Blue Mouse Ears, Empress Wu, Devil's Advocate, Halcyon. Heucheras, oxalis, lysomachia Mountain laurel -- Kalmia latifolia Winter-growing gladiolus -- Joseph really like gladiolus alatus Facebook: Joseph Tychonievich Instagram: @tychonievich

We're going way, way back, y'all! Today's subject is the first and only Empress Regnant of China, Wu Zetian (624-705).  Man, there was a time when everybody was just killing everybody else, huh? Couldn't trust anyone. The educated, beautiful, charming, and conniving Empress Wu likely killed a few hundred people herself in pursuit of power, and may or may not have killed her own baby daughter as a stepping stone to the throne. Listen now and decide for yourself!You can find The Sewing Circle on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to your other favorite shows. You can find all my sources at sewingcirclepodcast.com/listennowFOLLOW ME @tsc_pod on both Twitter and Insta 

Empress Wu shattered the glass ceiling in her rise from low level wife to de facto ruler to Divine Ruler in her own right. Sources on Wu give vastly different accounts of her, ranging from proud, capable feminist to seriously evil dictator. Either way she dominated for more than fifty years and became the only female emperor in 4,000 years of Chinese history.This episode belongs in the series Women Who Seized Power.Check out the website for more details and sources.

Although Empress Wu ZeTian is famous she was also a very ruthless ruler who had anyone who got in her way put in prison or killed, including her own children! She's well known in Chinese history. Her husband, Emperor Gao Zong, is also well known for the Tang Dynasty time period.

The only woman to rule in her own right through out China's imperial history, Wu Zetian remains a controversial figure to this day. Was her reputation of exceptional cruelty and sexual immorality deserved? Listen and find out. Instagram: QandRpod Email: QueensandRebelspod@gmail.com Sources: - Tung, Jowen R. Fables for the Patriarchs: Gender Politics in Tang Discourse. Rowman and Littlefield, 2000. - Rothschild, N. Harry. Emperor Wu Zhao and Her Pantheon of Devis, Divinities, and Dynastic Mothers. Columbia University Press, 2018. - Dash, Mike. “The Demonization of Empress Wu.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 10 Aug. 2012, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-demonization-of-empress-wu-20743091/. - Valdez, Teresa “No One Mourns the Wicked: The Female Emperor Wu Zhao.” StMU History Media, 10 Nov. 2017, stmuhistorymedia.org/no-one-mourns-the-wicked-the-female-emperor-wu-zhao/. - Meekins, Jeannie. Wu Zetian: First Empress of China: A 15-Minute Biography. Learning Island, 2019. - Lee, Yuen Ting “Wu Zhao: Ruler of Tang Dynasty China.” Association for Asian Studies, 19 May 2020, www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/wu-zhao-ruler-of-tang-dynasty-china/.

Today we will be discussing one of the most controversial women in Chinese history: Empress Wu Zetian, the only woman to ever rule China. Historians have depicted her as a ruthless monster and an ineffective ruler, but was this really the case?

The late 600s and early 700s were a tumultuous time for continental east Asia. From the war between the Tang Dynasty and the Kingdom of Silla to the rise to power of Empress Wu Zetian and the emergence of Balhae as Koguryo's successor state, big things were happening which would come to influence Japan's place in the east.If you'd like to see some interesting photos of some of the gigantic Buddha statues sponsored by Empress Wu as well as a statue of Balhae's founder, check out the supplemental post!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/AHistoryOfJapan)

What you'll hear: 1:07 Introduction 2:00 Arrival at court 3:27 Return to favour 4:33 Ascent to power 7:36 Death and legacy

Most people are looking for the next big thing.  Larry Namer is the man who is creating it.Learn more about FanVestor:  www.fanvestor.comEpisode SummaryLarry is best known for founding the international mega hit cable TV show E! Entertainment, which has been shown in over 140 countries.Throughout his career he's been able to parlay chance meetings and coincidences into bestselling projects.Now, through his company Metan Global Entertainment Group, he's making an international movie about Empress Wu, the only female ruler in China's history, as well as developing programming for the Chinese market. He's also recently gotten involved in a FanVestor, a new fintech venture.And that's the just the beginning … In this episode, I sit down with Larry to learn more about his focus on China's media market, how he sees the entertainment industry evolving as a result of the pandemic, and a new venture that he's just gotten involved with.I had a chance to hear about Larry's adventure filled journey from New York to L.A. during the early days of cable television - to his work in Russia and China's media industries, as well as his experience trying to adapt live Broadway theatre into movies for television.Larry has an eye for spotting big opportunities, and the ability to take them from idea to execution.  Join me and learn more about some of the innovative new projects he's developing.Do you have something to share?  You can contact us at:  https://insidefashionlive.net/contact/   or visit our website at https://insidefashionlive.net

     This week- two men on missions of redemption, both with accents Dave can't understand.      After a nice long prison term, Di is summoned to find out just how a bunch of government drones are being burned from the inside out before the coronation of Empress Wu. Based on one of the most significant detective novels of all time and with fights choreographed by the brilliant Sammo Hung, Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (Di renjie: Tong tian di gou)has an impressive pedigree that it would take some massive bungling to mess up...      Finally coming home after his time in the Army, Richard has a little business to clear up with his brother's friends. Arguably Shane Meadows' best work to date and with a powerhouse performance by the great Paddy Considine, Dead Man's Shoes is a heart-wrenching tale of revenge and guilt.      All that and Kevin gets smug in his better choices, Tyler demanded all his best lines be removed, and Dave idly runs a fork around an outlet. Join us, won't you?EPISODE 170- REVENGE WIRES

The life of Empress Wu, China's only female Emperor.   Special thanks to John Casertano for guest hosting this episode!

“There’s a part of me that’s going to enact a sadism on you from the inside.” // It’s YAPIT: COVID-19 Lightning Round Edition, recorded live on Instagram May 2nd 2020. //In which I really try my best to game-ify YAPIT even though I don’t have a game brain and cannot follow my own rules. //We cover: masks, medical fetishism, nano-objects, virtual reality, bug-chasing, spit, and breath play. //Death ethics, Zoom fart trolls, Thomas the Tank Engine lead recalls, how the crisis will change porn, the question “if you had a clone how would you fuck it?”, ovipositors, and sourdough starters also come up because how could they not? //“You’re a femme fatale, the fluids from your body have the power to destroy me.” //Empress Wu is an NYC-based dominatrix and cultural activist, primarily operating via performance, curation, writing, and production to explore the semiotics of sex work, and its effect on the body politic. In her spare time, she can be found loudly preaching conspiracy theories about slime videos. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Repost time! This week, I (Clare) finally got around to posting the extremely sanitized version of Empress Wu Zetian's biography on the website. In honor of that, here are the episodes we did about Wu, the only female Emperor in Chinese history. Here's the articles about Wu: https://rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com/empress-wu-zetian-without-questions/ ORIGINAL EPISODE DESCRIPTION Not quite in time for Valentine's Day, it's an episode about possibly the baddest bitch to ever exist: Wu Zetian! The only female emperor in Chinese history, Empress Wu ruled in her own right, which is cool, but to get there, she had to murder a bunch of people, which is less cool. Also featured: a LARPing crown prince, the statue of a fallen dancing boy, dueling concubines, a nunnery turned whorehouse, and an alleged murder that was probably just an elaborate setup for a really bad sex joke. Have fun! Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: Jonathan Clements, Wu: The Chinese Empress who schemed, seduced and murdered her way to become a living God https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-demonization-of-empress-wu-20743091/

Repost time! This week, I (Clare) finally got around to posting the extremely sanitized version of Empress Wu Zetian's biography on the website. In honor of that, here are the episodes we did about Wu, the only female Emperor in Chinese history. Here's the articles about Wu: rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com/empress…stions/ ORIGINAL EPISODE DESCRIPTION It's Part II of our series on Empress Wu, the only female emperor of China! In this conclusion to our series, Wu goes through crown princes like Kleenex and then declares herself a living God--as you do. But surprisingly, she's not even close to being the craziest person in the royal family! I KNOW! Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: Jonathan Clements, Wu: The Chinese Empress who schemed, seduced and murdered her way to become a living God https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-demonization-of-empress-wu-20743091/

In this episode Tiaga Prem discusses: -Observing life beyond our story -Empress Wu and Understanding Zen -the One in All and the All in One -Mirror Neurons -Spiritual Reminder, this is not your first trip -Going out of your mind Thank you to our sponsors Seed + Minds Dye to reach Tiaga Prem Singh email tiagaprem@thedharmatemple.com or @tiagaprem on Instagram

"Riding someone while biting them is like consuming them from both ends.” / “The esophagus is the thinking man’s rectum.” / Worship, biting, vampirism, feeding frenzies, body farms, eating pubes, menstrual blood, ripping into each other, the act of service of giving someone your life force, the Cannibal cop, Der Metzgermeister, eating the placenta of someone you love, what part of her own body Wu would like to eat, what Yu-Gi-Oh! fan fiction has to do with all this, and how Wu would prepare you. /Empress Wu is an NYC-based dominatrix and cultural activist, primarily operating via performance, curation, writing, and production to explore the semiotics of sex work, and its effect on the body politic. In her spare time, she can be found loudly preaching conspiracy theories about slime videos. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“While my mouth is open, he gets lost among my teeth, sliding down my throat, not being able to escape my mouth.” //In truly one of the most deranged episodes in the history of this podcast, Empress Wu and I speculate about the thrall of cannibalism, figurative and in some cases literal. Mukbang videos, a client called Mental Dental, vore, giantess fetishists, vomiting fetishists, eating each other out, drinking cum and piss, the romance of only having so much meat to give, the moment in sex when you're so close you never want to leave, and how cannibalism flips consumption inside out. //Empress Wu is an NYC-based dominatrix and cultural activist, primarily operating via performance, curation, writing, and production to explore the semiotics of sex work, and its effect on the body politic. In her spare time, she can be found loudly preaching conspiracy theories about slime videos. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the year 700, a humble mountain monk named Shenxiu was called to the Chinese capitol by the Empress Wu. Within just a few years he almost single handedly made Zen the foremost religious school in China and was universally recognized as the greatest spiritual teacher of his time. Emperors bowed to him, thousands converted. For the first time, Zen was cool. But within decades of his death, Shenxiu's name was written into history as the biggest loser in Zen, his teaching was universally mocked, and even his poetry was said to be weak. What could turn such a beloved teacher into a laughingstock so quickly? Was his reputation deserved? Was his poetry really that bad??? This month on History of Zen, Dave takes a look at the story of Shenxiu, the famous anti-hero of the Platform Sutra, and what we can know about him beyond the legendary histories. We look at the so-called Northern School of Zen he comes from that all later Zen would define itself against to see if its was really as weak and corrupted as would later be said, delving into the books and teachings of Shenxiu and his forbears themselves to see what they have to say in their own defense. Along the way the sangha discusses the pitfalls of success, whether or not there’s such a thing as “true history,” and why explaining the joke is never as satisfying as laughing out loud.

Chinese Empress Wu Zetian   Want answers? Send your questions, comments and thoughts about life to universe@thelinlife.com   Thank you so much for listening to The Lin Life Universe. I hope you've been enjoying it. Please leave a review! 

REAL MONSTERS- Mary Tudor & Empress Wu with Special Guest Host- Kelly Evans Mary I (18 February 1516 – 17 November 1558), also known as Mary Tudor, was the Queen of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death. She is best known for her aggressive attempt to reverse the English Reformation, which had begun during the reign of her father, Henry VIII. The executions that marked her pursuit of the restoration of Roman Catholicism in England and Ireland led to her denunciation as "Bloody Mary" by her Protestant opponents.Wu Zetian (17 February 624 – 16 December 705),[3][4] alternatively named Wu Zhao, Wu Hou, during the later Tang dynasty as Tian Hou, in English as Empress Consort Wu or by the deprecated term[5] "Empress Wu", was a Chinese sovereign who ruled unofficially as empress consort and empress dowager and officially as empress regnant (皇帝) during the brief Zhou dynasty (周, 690–705),[3] which interrupted the Tang dynasty. Wu was the sole officially recognized empress regnant of China in more than two millennia.

  Did you know that the most popular giant hosta is Empress Wu?   At maturity the plan is 5 feet tall with an 8 foot spread.   Pictures don't really do the Empress Wu hosta justice. Because of its size and fast rate of growth, Empress Wu demands soil that is consistently moist but not soggy.   Empress Wu was bred by Brian and Virginia Skag out of Lowell, Indiana. On February 23, 2010, they finally received their patent for the impressive Empress Wu hosta.           Brevities   #OTD   It was on this day in 1799, the Scottish botanist David Douglas was born.    Douglas was responsible for the identification over 200 new plant species in North America including the famous Douglas-fir.   Douglas never received a formal education, and he was primarily a plant collector rather than a published scientist.   Despite his lack of formal training, Douglas sent more plants to Europe than any other botanist of his time.   During his expeditions, Douglas was often accompanied by his little Scottish terrier named Billie.   Douglas's career ended tragically in 1834 when he was killed while exploring in Hawaii.   There is a memorial to Douglas and Honolulu which says:   "Here lies Master David Douglas - an indefatigable traveler. He was sent out by the Royal Horticultural Society of London and gave his life for science."   And on the second bronx tablet there is a quote by Virgil:   "Even here the tear of pity springs, And hearts are touched by human things."         #OTD   Today is the anniversary of the death of the landscape gardener and botanist William Robert Guilfoyle, who died on this day in 1912.   Guilfoyle was the architect of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne.   It took Guilfoyle over 35 years to transform the Botanic Gardens into what is now is widely accepted as one of the world's greatest botanical landscapes.   When the author of Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle, saw the garden, he said it was absolutely the most beautiful place he had ever seen.           #OTD   It's the anniversary of the death of Nathaniel Lord Britton; an America botanist and taxonomist who died on this day in 1934.   Britton married the famous brylogist Elizabeth Gertrude Knight. Together, they used Kew Gardens in London as their inspiration for the New York Botanical Garden.   Britain and the botanist Joseph Rose named Regina Carnegiea in 1908 as a tribute to his philanthropy.   In obituary of Britton, botanist Henry Rusby shared this charming anecdote:   "Attracted one day, by the beauty of some drawings that lay before him, I inquired as to their source. When told that he, himself, was the artist, I asked in astonishment, 'Can you draw like that?'  'Of course,' he said. 'What you suppose I did all that hard work in the drawing class for?'"         #OTD  And it was on this day in 1903 that the author George Orwell was born.   Over the past few decades Orwell's diaries have been made public. Across from his entry for October 3, 1946, there is a map for a fruit and vegetable garden. Orwell hoped to set up a small farm on the property, that he called Barnhill, on the island of Jura.   In reality, Orwell's health was not good when he was on the island. Before he arrived, he had actually received a diagnosis of tuberculosis. Working in the vegetable garden was considered good for him because, at that time, being in fresh air was considered part of the treatment for tuberculosis.   The last entry in his diary is for December 1949. It reads:   “Snowdrops all over the place. A few tulips showing. Some wallflowers still trying to flower.”       Unearthed Words Here are some quotes from George Orwell:   "Outside my work the thing I care most about is gardening, especially vegetable gardening."    "The plant is blind but it knows enough to keep pushing upwards towards the light, and it will continue to do this in the face of endless discouragements."   “So often like this, in lonely places in the forest, he would come upon something--bird, flower, tree--beautiful beyond all words, if there had been a soul with whom to share it. Beauty is meaningless until it is shared.”        Today's book recommendation: Gardener's Latin by Bill Neal   This text remains one of the best resources for helping you to understand Latin plant names and to help you become a better gardener with that knowledge. Neal includes horticultural fats, fables, and wisdom from other gardeners; from Virgil to Vita Sackville-West.     Today's Garden Chore Order yourself some 2 inch floral pins (Click here to see the ones I order from Amazon).   I use them all the time in the garden - especially when I'm creating with succulents.   Recently I was sharing images of some head planters I put together and even a large succulent wreath. Floral pis help make those creations possible and help train the plants where you want them to grow.           Something Sweet   Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart   It was on this day in 1929, that the American illustrator and writer Eric Carle was born.   Carle gave a commencement address at Bates College in 2007. He concluded these words:   "Love your partner and tend your garden. Simplify, slow down, be kind."     And it was Eric Carle who said, "Whatever our eyes touch should be beautiful."     Carle has an extensive knowledge and love of nature. His early books include Nature Thoughts, Flower Thoughts, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and The Tiny Seed.   And here's a quote from Carle's most memorable work:   “On Saturday, he ate through one piece of chocolate cake, one ice-cream cone, one pickle, one slice of Swiss cheese, one slice of salami, one lollipop, one piece of cherry pie, one sausage, one cupcake, and one slice of watermelon. That night he had a stomach ache.”            Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

I sit down and watch number 3 of the continued series about the famed Detective Dee. This one gets right back into the supernatural realm to solve the mystery of being falsely accused of treason. Accused of wrongdoing by Empress Wu, Detective Dee faces a formidable foe while investigating a crime wave that's marked by strange and seemingly supernatural occurrences

It's Part II of our series on Empress Wu, the only female emperor of China! In this conclusion to our series, Wu goes through crown princes like Kleenex and then declares herself a living God--as you do. But surprisingly, she's not even close to being the craziest person in the royal family! I KNOW! Sadly, this is the last new episode for awhile. We're taking a break for a minute so that we can rest and research for season two. HOWEVER, we will continue to update the website with new material, so please be sure to check that out. Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: Jonathan Clements, Wu: The Chinese Empress who schemed, seduced and murdered her way to become a living God https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-demonization-of-empress-wu-20743091/

Not quite in time for Valentine's Day, it's an episode about possibly the baddest bitch to ever exist: Wu Zetian! The only female emperor in Chinese history, Empress Wu ruled in her own right, which is cool, but to get there, she had to murder a bunch of people, which is less cool. Also featured: a LARPing crown prince, the statue of a fallen dancing boy, dueling concubines, a nunnery turned whorehouse, and an alleged murder that was probably just an elaborate setup for a really bad sex joke. Have fun! Visit the Website! rudehistoryeducation.wordpress.com Got Something to Say to Us? rudehistorypodcast@gmail.com Social Media! @rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook rudehistoryeducation on tumblr Sources: Jonathan Clements, Wu: The Chinese Empress who schemed, seduced and murdered her way to become a living God https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-demonization-of-empress-wu-20743091/

In the 7th century Tang dynasty of China, a lowly ranked concubine rises to place herself on the throne to rule her own established dynasty against all odds. Her legacy is left blank and historians have demonized Empress Wu throughout centuries. Who is this dragon queen of the east? https://chaiconvos.wixsite.com/podcast/single-post/2016/05/09/This-is-your-first-post-1

In the 7th century Tang dynasty of China, a lowly ranked concubine rises to place herself on the throne to rule her own established dynasty against all odds. Her legacy is left blank and historians have demonized Empress Wu throughout centuries. Who is this dragon queen of the east? https://chaiconvos.wixsite.com/podcast/single-post/2016/05/09/This-is-your-first-post-1

Women might have more control over their own destinies today than at any previous time in history. But in the great game of geopolitics, contemporary women rulers hold little sway. Even Angela Merkel, often referred to as the world’s most powerful woman, is merely the head of a weak coalition government in Germany, home to just one percent of the world’s people. To find women who truly dominated vast swaths of the planet requires a journey to the past—to the Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa, Britain’s Queen Victoria, the 16th-century African warrior Queen Aminatu, China’s Empress Wu. And no women in history have had more power over the known world than the ancient Egyptian rulers Cleopatra and Hatshepsut, who presided over her country’s busiest building era. How did these most powerful of women rulers succeed in a man’s world? And what lessons might their histories offer for a 21st-century world where women remain so badly represented in the uppermost ranks of societies? UCLA archaeologist and author of The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt Kara Cooney, University of Manchester Egyptologist Joyce Tyldesley, author of Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt, and moderator Bettany Hughes, a historian and documentary filmmaker, took part in a Zócalo/Getty panel discussion titled “Did Women Ever Rule the World?” on Aug. 8, 2018 at The Getty Center, to examine the legacies of the women who actually ruled the world.

689 CE – Mysterious forces are conspiring to prevent China’s Empress Wu from formally taking the throne. Detective Dee is recruit to solve the case. The post W014: Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010) appeared first on .

Amy McNair, University of Kansas; Note: This lecture was in two parts, however due to technical difficulties, only the first portion of this lecture is available.

Katy and Nathan drink a Chinese inspired cocktail called the Lotus Flower and dish about the #Wuthless Wu Zetian. Joined by our friend Natalie we try to uncover this complicated historical figure. Baby murdering bitch or badass ruler?   Intro music by J Sparks Featuring Beyond Belief. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Licensed under creative commons by Attribution license 4.0 International --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/queenshistorypodcast/support

Title Meaning: “Hundredth!” It’s a Q&A between you listeners and myself on topics far and wide! They range from yet further exploration of Empress Wu, to the nature of Chinese alcohol, my favorite Chinese movies, Chinese classes and slavery within the Empire and even today, China’s relations with Southeast Asia and why it seems to be a particularly difficult place to conquer across time, the end of the Ming Dynasty, the surprisingly contentious history of silk, and finally a question likely to land me in hot water: a question on how China might change in the century to come (bring it on, Fifty Cent Party!) Enjoy!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Title Meaning: “Hundredth!” It's a Q&A between you listeners and myself on topics far and wide! They range from yet further exploration of Empress Wu, to the nature of Chinese alcohol, my favorite Chinese movies, Chinese classes and slavery within the Empire and even today, China's relations with Southeast Asia and why it seems to be a particularly difficult place to conquer across time, the end of the Ming Dynasty, the surprisingly contentious history of silk, and finally a question likely to land me in hot water: a question on how China might change in the century to come (bring it on, Fifty Cent Party!) Enjoy!

The Tang Dynasty has been restored following Empress Wu's eldest son's coup d'etat. But dynastic restoration does not equate to societal reformation, and many of the problems Wu inherited or exacerbated remain. Throw into that mix a decade long period of palatial infighting between princes and princesses, and we have a period so chalk full of intrigue, espionage, and assassination... that classical historians have preferred to steer around this decade rather than even deign to acknowledge it. Time Period Covered: 705-712 CE Notable Historical Figures: Deposed Empress Wu Zetian [d. 705] Li Xian (Emperor Zhongzong of Tang) [2nd r. 705-710] Li Dan (Emperor Ruizong of Tang) [2nd r. 710-712] Li Longji (Emperor Xuanzong of Tang) [r. 712- ] Princess Taiping Empress Wei [d. 710] Princess Anlou [d. 710] Wu Sansi [d. 707] Crowned Prince Li Chongjun [d. 707]  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Tang Dynasty has been restored following Empress Wu's eldest son's coup d'etat. But dynastic restoration does not equate to societal reformation, and many of the problems Wu inherited or exacerbated remain. Throw into that mix a decade long period of palatial infighting between princes and princesses, and we have a period so chalk full of intrigue, espionage, and assassination... that classical historians have preferred to steer around this decade rather than even deign to acknowledge it. Time Period Covered: 705-712 CE Notable Historical Figures: Deposed Empress Wu Zetian [d. 705] Li Xian (Emperor Zhongzong of Tang) [2nd r. 705-710] Li Dan (Emperor Ruizong of Tang) [2nd r. 710-712] Li Longji (Emperor Xuanzong of Tang) [r. 712- ] Princess Taiping Empress Wei [d. 710] Princess Anlou [d. 710] Wu Sansi [d. 707] Crowned Prince Li Chongjun [d. 707]

In four thousand years of Chinese history, Empress Wu stands alone as the only woman to rule in her own name. She died in her eighties after decades of successful governance, but her sons could not hold the kingdom she established for them and the dynasty she founded soon fell from power. The Confucian scholars who recorded her history—outraged by the idea of a woman ordering men—depicted a murderous, manipulative harlot that has ever since obscured her achievements. In The Moon in the Palace (Sourcebooks, 2016), Weina Dai Randel  seeks to polish Empress Wu’s tarnished reputation, offering a new look at her and her times, the obstacles she faced and the gifts that enabled her to overcome them. Wu Mei is five years old when a Buddhist monk predicts her future as the mother of emperors and bearer of the mandate of Heaven. By thirteen, she has already entered the Imperial Palace as a Select, one of a small group of maidens chosen to serve the Taizong Emperor. But the palace is a vast and complex hierarchy, and Mei one untried girl among the two thousand women it contains. Her first friend betrays her trust, her emperor has little use for her, and his youngest son seems all too willing to pay her the attention that his father withholds. Meanwhile, intrigue within the palace threatens the emperor and all those who depend on him. In this poisonous atmosphere, even a junior concubine may find it difficult to keep her head. Mei, capable and smart, is not easily daunted, but she worries that she will soon find herself out of her depth. Mei’s story continues in The Empress of Bright Moon (Sourcebooks, 2016), due for release in early April 2016. In both novels, Randel paints in rich and compelling prose a wonderfully believable and nuanced portrait of a long-vanished court and the young woman who must navigate its treacherous paths. C. P. Lesley is the author of Legends of the Five Directions (The Golden Lynx, The Winged Horse, and, soon, The Swan Princess), a historical fiction series set in 1530s Russia, during the childhood of Ivan the Terrible. Find out more about her at http://www.cplesley.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In four thousand years of Chinese history, Empress Wu stands alone as the only woman to rule in her own name. She died in her eighties after decades of successful governance, but her sons could not hold the kingdom she established for them and the dynasty she founded soon fell from power. The Confucian scholars who recorded her history—outraged by the idea of a woman ordering men—depicted a murderous, manipulative harlot that has ever since obscured her achievements. In The Moon in the Palace (Sourcebooks, 2016), Weina Dai Randel  seeks to polish Empress Wu’s tarnished reputation, offering a new look at her and her times, the obstacles she faced and the gifts that enabled her to overcome them. Wu Mei is five years old when a Buddhist monk predicts her future as the mother of emperors and bearer of the mandate of Heaven. By thirteen, she has already entered the Imperial Palace as a Select, one of a small group of maidens chosen to serve the Taizong Emperor. But the palace is a vast and complex hierarchy, and Mei one untried girl among the two thousand women it contains. Her first friend betrays her trust, her emperor has little use for her, and his youngest son seems all too willing to pay her the attention that his father withholds. Meanwhile, intrigue within the palace threatens the emperor and all those who depend on him. In this poisonous atmosphere, even a junior concubine may find it difficult to keep her head. Mei, capable and smart, is not easily daunted, but she worries that she will soon find herself out of her depth. Mei’s story continues in The Empress of Bright Moon (Sourcebooks, 2016), due for release in early April 2016. In both novels, Randel paints in rich and compelling prose a wonderfully believable and nuanced portrait of a long-vanished court and the young woman who must navigate its treacherous paths. C. P. Lesley is the author of Legends of the Five Directions (The Golden Lynx, The Winged Horse, and, soon, The Swan Princess), a historical fiction series set in 1530s Russia, during the childhood of Ivan the Terrible. Find out more about her at http://www.cplesley.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In four thousand years of Chinese history, Empress Wu stands alone as the only woman to rule in her own name. She died in her eighties after decades of successful governance, but her sons could not hold the kingdom she established for them and the dynasty she founded soon fell from power. The Confucian scholars who recorded her history—outraged by the idea of a woman ordering men—depicted a murderous, manipulative harlot that has ever since obscured her achievements. In The Moon in the Palace (Sourcebooks, 2016), Weina Dai Randel  seeks to polish Empress Wu’s tarnished reputation, offering a new look at her and her times, the obstacles she faced and the gifts that enabled her to overcome them. Wu Mei is five years old when a Buddhist monk predicts her future as the mother of emperors and bearer of the mandate of Heaven. By thirteen, she has already entered the Imperial Palace as a Select, one of a small group of maidens chosen to serve the Taizong Emperor. But the palace is a vast and complex hierarchy, and Mei one untried girl among the two thousand women it contains. Her first friend betrays her trust, her emperor has little use for her, and his youngest son seems all too willing to pay her the attention that his father withholds. Meanwhile, intrigue within the palace threatens the emperor and all those who depend on him. In this poisonous atmosphere, even a junior concubine may find it difficult to keep her head. Mei, capable and smart, is not easily daunted, but she worries that she will soon find herself out of her depth. Mei’s story continues in The Empress of Bright Moon (Sourcebooks, 2016), due for release in early April 2016. In both novels, Randel paints in rich and compelling prose a wonderfully believable and nuanced portrait of a long-vanished court and the young woman who must navigate its treacherous paths. C. P. Lesley is the author of Legends of the Five Directions (The Golden Lynx, The Winged Horse, and, soon, The Swan Princess), a historical fiction series set in 1530s Russia, during the childhood of Ivan the Terrible. Find out more about her at http://www.cplesley.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wu Zhao sits on the Throne of Heaven as divine sovereign in her own right. But challenges from expansionistic neighbors such as the Tibetans, the Turks, and the Khitan will throw her regime's stability into question, an ongoing economic crisis will spiral out of control, and her scandalous affair with two pretty-boy half-brothers will throw the entire imperial court into turmoil, potentially spelling an end to her singular era of rule. Time Period Covered: 690-705 CE Major Historical Figures: Tang/Zhou Dynasty: Wu Zhao [The Holy Empress Regnant Zetian] (r. 690-705) Prince Li Xian [former Emperor Zhongzong] (re-confirmed as heir in 698) Prince Li Dan [former Emperor Ruizong] Princess Taiping Minister Wei Yuancheng Xue Huaiyi, head of White Horse Temple (d. 695) High Inquisitor Lai Junchen (d. 698) Zhang Yizhi (d. 705) Zhang Changzong (d. 705) Turkic Khannate: Qapaghan Khan [Mouchou] (d. 716) Tibetan Empire: Tridu Tsongsan Tsampo [King of Tibet] the mGar Clan (d. 698) Khitan Tribe: Chieftain Li Qincheng (d. 697) Chieftain Sun Wanzheng (d. 697) Major Works Cited: Clements, Johnathan. Wu: the Chinese Empress Who Schemed, Seduced and Murdered Her Way to Become A Living God. Dash, Mike. “The Demonization of Empress Wu” in The Smithsonian found at: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-demonization-of-empress-wu-20743091/?no-ist Fitzgerald, C.P. The Empress Wu. Guisso, Richard W. L. “The Reigns of the empress Wu, Chung-tsung and Jui-tsung (684-712)” in The Cambridge History of China, vol. 3. Guisso, Richard W.L. Wu Tse-T'ien and the Politics of Legitimation in T'ang China. Liu, Xiu. Jiu Tangshu. Sima, Guang. Zizhi Tongjian. Woo, X.L. Empress Wu the Great.

A white stone bearing a prophecy tells of an era of eternal prosperity, a disastrous rebellion spells the doom of the majority of the imperial Li Clan, an obscure sutra tells of the reincarnation of a goddess to rule over the world, the written word itself is altered to fit the times… all of these are will fit together today to explain how and why the 66-year-old Empress Dowager of Tang will manage to become the first and only woman Emperor of China in the year 690. Time Period Covered: 689-693 Major Historical Figures: Empress-Regnant Wu Zhao of Zhou, Sage Mother, Divine Sovereign, Maitreya the Peerless [r. 690-705] Li Dan (Emperor Ruizong of Tang) [r. 689-690] Chancellor Li Zhaode Chancellor Ji Xu Heir-Expectant Wu Chengsi Prince Li Chuan of Dengzhou [d. 689] Prince Li Cheng [d. 689] Prince Li Chen [d. 689] High Inquisitor Lai Junchen An Jingcan (he has guts) Major Works Cited: Guisso, Richard W. L. “The Reigns of the empress Wu, Chung-tsung and Jui-tsung (684-712)” in The Cambridge History of China, vol. 3. Chen, Jinhua. “Sarira and Scepter. Empress Wu's Political Use of Buddhist Relics” in the Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, vol. 25 No. 1-2 (2002). Kory, Stephen N. “The Remarkably Resonant and Resilient Tang Dynasty Augural Stone” in Tang Studies, 26 (2008). Liu, Xiu. Jiu Tangshu. Sima, Guang. Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 206.

With her husband dead, Empress Wu is unrivaled in Chang'an, but that situation is tenuous as she has no legal basis for that power. Her eldest (surviving) son will take up the throne as Emperor Zhongzong for... all of two months before she decides he's got to go. Her timid, youngest son will fit her style much better as Ruizong, but when the high lords of the realm are exposed as conspiring against her, she will unleash her full fury on their ranks, employing tactics and methods that will decimate the literati class. Time Period Covered: 683-686 CE Major Historical Figures: Empress Dowager Wu Zhao Li Xian (Emperor Zhongzong) [r. 684] Li Dan (Emperor Ruizong) [r. 684-689] Empress Wei Wei Xuanzhen Li Jingye [d. 684] Chancellor Pei Yan [d. 684] General Cheng Wuding, "Terror of the Turks" [d. 684] High Inquisitor Lai Junchen [d. 697] High Inquisitor Zhou Xing [d. 691] Monk Xue Huaiyi

With her husband dead, Empress Wu is unrivaled in Chang'an, but that situation is tenuous as she has no legal basis for that power. Her eldest (surviving) son will take up the throne as Emperor Zhongzong for... all of two months before she decides he's got to go. Her timid, youngest son will fit her style much better as Ruizong, but when the high lords of the realm are exposed as conspiring against her, she will unleash her full fury on their ranks, employing tactics and methods that will decimate the literati class. Time Period Covered: 683-686 CE Major Historical Figures: Empress Dowager Wu Zhao Li Xian (Emperor Zhongzong) [r. 684] Li Dan (Emperor Ruizong) [r. 684-689] Empress Wei Wei Xuanzhen Li Jingye [d. 684] Chancellor Pei Yan [d. 684] General Cheng Wuding, "Terror of the Turks" [d. 684] High Inquisitor Lai Junchen [d. 697] High Inquisitor Zhou Xing [d. 691] Monk Xue Huaiyi  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The more than two-decade period following Wu Zhao’s ascension as Emperor Gaozong’s empress-consort will serve to point out three things: how weak the emperor is, how powerful Empress Wu has become, and how there is absolutely nothing she won’t do to keep it that way. By the middle of the episode, she’ll be considered even at the time the co-equal ruler of her husband, on of the so-called “Two Holy Ones.” But power is a slippery fish to hang on to… especially when you have no legal means of maintaining it, and several sons just waiting in the wing to snatch it all away. Time Period Covered: 656-683 CE Major Historical Figures: Emperor Gaozong of Tang (Li Zhi) [r. 649-683] Empress Consort Wu Zhao Crowned Prince Li Hong (Emperor Xiaojing [posthumous title]) [652-675] Crowned Prince Li Xián [653-684] Crowned Prince Li Xiǎn (Emperor Zhongzong) [b. 656- , r. 684] Li Zhong, Prince of Liang [d.665] Chancellor Zhangsun Wuji [d. 665] Chancellor Shangguan Yi [d. 665] Chancellor Xu Jingzong [retired...  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, we continue Mystery Month with the 2010 wire-fu historical action flick Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame! In 7th century China, in the wake of a series of mysterious spontaneous combustions, Detective Dee (Andy Lau) is brought in to stop an assassination attempt of Empress Wu on the eve of her coronation. Director Tsui Hark and fight director Sammo Hung provide some great wire-fu action sequences among the convoluted plot that is typical of these kinds of Chinese epic modern films. Despite the sometimes-confusing nature of the plot and the dry characters, there’s plenty of great action choreography and some insane images (watch for some deer-on-man kung fu action) to make it worth a watch. It’s available on Netflix, so be sure to watch with our review and drinking game below!

During the Tong Dynasty, Chinese women were often treated as second-class citizens. This made the rise of Empress Wu even more extraordinary. But did her work have a lasting effect? Learn more about how -- or if -- Empress Wu permanently changed China. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Gregory Levine, UC Berkeley

Gregory Levine, UC Berkeley