penitencebedamned:Women In History Month | Week 1: Leading Women: Wu Zetian The Wuhou empress was a

penitencebedamned:Women In History Month | Week 1: Leading Women: Wu Zetian The Wuhou empress was a highly competent ruler, using men of her own choice, regardless of their social standing. Although her motives were to secure her own authority, the consequences of her policies were to be of great historical importance. The transformation of Chinese society in the Tang period from one dominated by a military and political aristocracy to one governed by a scholarly bureaucracy drawn from the gentry was promoted by her policy. The significance of this aspect of her rule was long obscured by the prejudice of Chinese historians against an usurping empress and her many acts of cruelty toward opponents. She established the new unified empire on a lasting basis and brought about needed social changes that stabilized the dynasty and ushered in one of the most fruitful ages of Chinese civilization.Source: Charles Patrick FitzGerald, The Empress Wu -- source link

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