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Secret History Of Empress Wu
''Secret History of Empress Wu'', also known as ''Wu Zetian Mishi'', is a Chinese television series based on the life of Wu Zetian, the only woman in Chinese history to assume the title of Empress Regnant. The series was directed by Cheng Feng and starred three actresses — Yin Tao, Liu Xiaoqing and Siqin Gaowa — as Wu Zetian, each playing the empress at a different stage of her life. It was first broadcast in mainland China on Hunan Satellite TV on 5 November 2011. Plot Wu Meiniang entered the palace at the age of 14 to become Emperor Taizong's concubine after her father courageously sacrified his life for the emperor's safety in the war. Emperor Taizong soon is told that she was destined to bring destruction to the Li family, so he refused to let her enter his bedchamber. Wu Meiniang was neglected for 12 years. Emperor Taizong eventually felled sick, and told his young son Li Zhi to secretly kill her. Wu Meiniang found out and decided to seduce Li Zhi in order to live. After ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yin Tao
Yin Tao (, born 6 December 1979) is a Chinese actress. In 2017, she became one of the Chinese actresses to win the "Grand Slam", after winning the three biggest awards including the Feitian Awards, Golden Eagle Awards and the Magnolia Awards. Biography Early life Born and raised in Chongqing, where she attended Chongqing Art School in 1996. Yin entered People's Liberation Army Arts College in 1999, majoring in drama, where she graduated in 2003. After graduation, Yin worked in Chinese People's Liberation Army Naval Song and Dance Troupe. Acting career In 2002, Yin participated in her first stage play while still in college ''Wait for You in Paradise''. Her performance was widely recognized, winning an array of trophies including the Golden Lion Award for Performance, the award for Excellent Performance at the 8th Cao Yu Drama Award, and the Best Leading Actress of the 5th Shanghai Magnolia Award. Yin's subsequent performances in TV series ''The Sky of History'', and ''Catching ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Emperor Of China
''Huangdi'' (), translated into English as Emperor, was the superlative title held by monarchs of China who ruled various imperial regimes in Chinese history. In traditional Chinese political theory, the emperor was considered the Son of Heaven and the autocrat of all under Heaven. Under the Han dynasty, Confucianism replaced Legalism as the official political theory and succession in most cases theoretically followed agnatic primogeniture. The lineage of emperors descended from a paternal family line constituted a dynasty. The absolute authority of the emperor came with a variety of governing duties and moral obligations; failure to uphold these was thought to remove the dynasty's Mandate of Heaven and to justify its overthrow. In practice, emperors sometimes avoided the strict rules of succession and dynasties' ostensible "failures" were detailed in official histories written by their successful replacements. The power of the emperor was also limited by the imperial burea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shangguan Yi
Shangguan Yi (; 608 – 4 January 665), courtesy name Youshao (), formally Duke of Chu (), was a Chinese poet and politician. He was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. In 664, with Emperor Gaozong displeased with his wife Empress Wu (later known as Wu Zetian) for her controlling behavior, and also he grew resentful of her controlling influence in the empire, Shangguan proposed that Empress Wu be deposed, a proposal that Emperor Gaozong was initially receptive to but disavowed once Empress Wu discovered it. Empress Wu then had Shangguan accused of plotting treason with Emperor Gaozong's oldest son, the former crown prince Li Zhong (who had been displaced by Empress Wu's son Li Hong), and Shangguan was executed. Empress Wu then began to attend state assemblies and to oversee the emperor's actions and decisions, hearing all the details of the government and obvious intervening in the government. also, His ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lady Helan
Lady Helan 贺兰氏, (7th century – 666 CE) was the Lady of Wei (魏国夫人) during the Tang Dynasty and the niece of Wu Zetian. The Lady of Wei was an honorific for relatives of the Emperor and Empress. She was involved in court politics during her lifetime. She was killed by being poisoned at a dinner party. Background Lady Helan was the daughter of Wu Shun and Helan Yueshi. Wu Shun was the first daughter of Wu Shiyue and Lady Yang, and the older sister of Empress Wu. Helan Yueshi was the son of the Duke of Yingshan (应山公) and died early. Lady of Wei Lady Helan and her mother, Wu Shun, were favored by Emperor Gaozong who gave her the title Lady of Wei and her mother that of Lady of Han. Emperor Gaozong wanted to keep Lady Helan as a concubine, but Empress Wu found out and had the Lady of Wei killed by poisoning. She then blamed Wu Weiliang and Wu Huaiyun for the murder and they were executed. Lady Helan's brother, Helan Minzhi, suspected Empress Wu of murdering his ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wu Shun
Wu Shun (武顺) (623-665, common era) was the Lady of Han during the Tang dynasty and the older sister of Wu Zetian. The Lady of Han was an honorable title for relatives of the Emperor and Empress. Wu Shun was allegedly the mother of Li Xian, the crown prince, and the rumors eventually led to his demise. In all likelihood, her bloodthirsty and power-hungry sister Empress Wu, who had become a full-fledged power behind the throne after January 665, ordered her poisoning. Background Wu Shun was the daughter of Wu Shiyue and Lady Yang. Wu Shiyue was an army commander of Yingyang Prefecture during the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui and Minister of Revenue during the reign of Taizong of Tang. Lady Yang was from the noble Yang family of the Hong Nong region. Wu Shun had two half brothers from Wu Shiyue's previous marriage and two sisters: Wu Zhao and the Lady of Guo. She married Helan Yueshi, the son of the Duke of Yingshan . They had two children, a son Helan Minzhi and a daughte ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Princess Taiping
Princess Taiping (, lit. "Princess of Great Peace", personal name unknown, possibly Li Lingyue (李令月)) (after 662 – 2 August 713) was a royal princess and prominent political figure of the Tang dynasty and her mother Wu Zetian's Zhou dynasty. She was the youngest daughter of Wu Zetian and Emperor Gaozong and was influential during the reigns of her mother and her elder brothers Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong (both of whom reigned twice), particularly during Emperor Ruizong's second reign, when for three years until her death, she was the real power behind the throne. She is the most famous and influential princess of the Tang dynasty and possibly in the whole history of China thanks to her power, ability and ambition. She was involved in political difficulties and developments during the reigns of her mother and brothers. Indeed, after the coup against Empress Dowager Wei, she became the real ruler of Tang. During the reign of Emperor Ruizong, she was not restri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Imperial Consorts Of Tang China
The ranks of imperial consorts have varied over the course of Chinese history but remained important throughout owing to its importance in management of the inner court and in imperial succession, which ranked heirs according to the prominence of their mothers in addition to their strict birth order. Regardless of the age, however, it is common in English translation to simplify these hierarchy into the three ranks of Empress, consorts, and concubines. It is also common to use the term "harem", an Arabic loan word used in recent times to refer to imperial women's forbidden quarters in many countries. In later Chinese dynasties, these quarters were known as the back palace (後宮; ''hòugōng''). In Chinese, the system is called the Rear Palace System (後宮制度; ''hòugōng zhìdù''). Early history There exists a class of consorts called Ying (媵; ''yìng'') during early historical times in China. These were people who came along with brides as a form of dowry. It could be t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pure Consort Xiao
Consort Xiao, Pure Consort Xiao or Xiao shufei (蕭淑妃, personal name unknown) (died after 16 November-3 December 655), was a concubine of Emperor Gaozong of Tang (Li Zhi). She was initially favored by him and bore him a son and two daughters -- Li Sujie and the Princesses Yiyang and Gao'an—but later, after her romantic rival Empress Wang (Gaozong), Empress Wang introduced another concubine, Wu Zetian, Consort Wu (later known as Wu Zetian), to Emperor Gaozong, Emperor Gaozong became enamored with Consort Wu. Empress Wang and Consort Xiao instead joined forces to try to counter Consort Wu, but in 655, Emperor Gaozong deposed both of them on accusations of witchcraft and replaced Empress Wang with Consort Wu. Soon, they were executed on the new Empress Wu's orders. Background Little is known about Consort Xiao's background. What is known is that she was already a concubine of Li Zhi when he was crown prince under his father Emperor Taizong of Tang, Emperor Taizong, as her s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Empress Wang (Gaozong)
Empress Wang ( 628 – between 16 November–3 December 655) was an empress of the Chinese Tang Dynasty. She was the first wife and empress of Emperor Gaozong and became empress shortly after he became emperor in 649. She, however, did not bear any sons for him and was not favored. Therefore, in apprehension that one of his concubines, Consort Xiao, who was both favored and had a son, might seek to displace her, she recommended a former concubine of Emperor Gaozong's father Emperor Taizong, Consort Wu (later known as Wu Zetian), to be Emperor Gaozong's concubine as well, hoping to divert favor from Consort Xiao. Soon, however, Consort Wu became dominant in the palace and overwhelmed both Empress Wang and Consort Xiao, eventually accusing them of using witchcraft and conspiracy to poison against Emperor Gaozong. Emperor Gaozong reduced both Empress Wang and Consort Xiao to commoner rank and put them under arrest in 655, replacing Empress Wang with Consort Wu. Soon, as recorded in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Empress Zhangsun
Empress Zhangsun (長孫皇后, personal name unknown, presumably Wugou (無垢) (15 March 601 – 28 July 636), formally Empress Wendeshunsheng (文德順聖皇后, literally "the civil, virtuous, serene, and holy empress") or, in short, Empress Wende (文德皇后), was a Chinese essayist and an empress of the Chinese Tang dynasty. She was the wife of Emperor Taizong and the mother of Emperor Gaozong. She was well educated, and her ancestors were of Xianbei ethnicity. Their original surname was Tuoba, later changed to Zhangsun. During her tenure as empress, she served as a loyal assistant and honest advice to her husband, Emperor Taizong. Background The future Empress Zhangsun was born on 15 March 601. Her father was the Sui dynasty general Zhangsun Sheng (長孫晟), and her mother was Zhangsun Sheng's wife Lady Gao, the daughter of the official Gao Jingde (高敬德). She had at least four older brothers—Zhangsun Sheng's oldest son Zhangsun Xingbu (長孫行布, who w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zhangsun Wuji
Zhangsun Wuji (; died 659), courtesy name Fuji (輔機), formally the Duke of Zhao, was a Chinese politician who served as a chancellor in the early Tang dynasty. He was Empress Zhangsun's brother, which made him a brother-in-law of Emperor Taizong (Li Shimin) and a maternal uncle of Emperor Gaozong (Li Zhi). He was an important advisor to Li Shimin when the latter was still the Prince of Qin during the reign of his father, Emperor Gaozu (Li Yuan). He helped Li Shimin overcome his brothers Li Jiancheng (the Crown Prince) and Li Yuanji (the Prince of Qi) in a succession struggle at the Xuanwu Gate Incident, eventually enabling Li Shimin to become the heir apparent and later the emperor. He was also instrumental in Emperor Taizong's selection of Li Zhi as the Crown Prince, and was exceedingly powerful after Li Zhi took the throne as Emperor Gaozong. However, he gradually fell out of his nephew's favour by failing to support Emperor Gaozong's decision to depose his first wife, Emp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Emperor Gaozong Of Tang
Emperor Gaozong of Tang (21 July 628 – 27 December 683), personal name Li Zhi, was the third emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, ruling from 649 to 683; after January 665, he handed power over the empire to his second wife Empress Wu (the future Wu Zetian), and her decrees were carried out with greater force than the decrees of Emperor Gaozong's. Emperor Gaozong was the youngest son of Emperor Taizong and Empress Zhangsun; his elder brothers were Li Chengqian and Li Tai. Emperor Gaozong's reign saw the primacy of Empress Wu, who became the effective power behind the Tang rule. Emperor Gaozong was aided in his rule by Empress Wu during the later years of his reign after a series of strokes left him incapacitated. Emperor Gaozong effectively after January 665 delegated all matters of state to his strong wife; After that Empress Wu acted as the power behind the emperor, "hanging the curtain and listening to politics" (''Chuílián tīngzhèng'' 垂簾聼政). Gaozong's person ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
