There have been many female protagonists in Chinese history, but only one Wu Zetian was able to truly claim the title of emperor.
There are many kind words for Wu Zetian, the most obvious one is to give her the title of "Queen of the Generation".
Stills of "Wu Zetian", pictures from the Internet
Of course, for such a person who is "unprecedented and unprecedented", controversy is inevitable.
For example, she is cruel and murderous, and will not even spare her own children. The appointment of cruel officials such as Tathagata Junchen and others made people panic.
also had an unruly private life and had many male pets.
Stills of "Da Ming Palace", pictures from the Internet
Perhaps, some people will argue that personal ethics cannot cover up her excellent governance ability. From the perspective of her role as an emperor, she is excellent.
Facts, is this really the case?
Internal affairs: destroying the political tradition since Zhenguan
Tang Taizong Since Li Shimin ascended the throne, he has been open-minded and accepted advice. Although he regressed a little when he was old, in general, he respected the political authority of the prime minister.
He knows very well that if the world is to maintain long-term peace and stability, one person's ability is limited.
Therefore, the three provinces and six ministries system of Tang Dynasty continued to be perfected in his hands. After an edict is drafted by Zhongshu Sheren, it needs to be reviewed by the subordinate provinces.
Stills of "The Long Song of Zhenguan", pictures from the Internet
When the subordinates thought the edict was inappropriate, they had the right to reject the edict, which was called " Tu Gui ".
Only the edict approved by Zhongshu and Menxia Province can be issued to the six departments of Shangshu Province..
Such a system helps ensure the rationality of government orders, but efficiency will inevitably be compromised.
Therefore, Li Shimin set up the political affairs hall and asked Zhongshu and Menxia to form a joint meeting. However, the edict still needed to be stamped with the seals of Zhongshu and Menxia before it could be implemented.
This is also the institutional guarantee for Wei Zheng to dare to directly remonstrate.
Wei Zheng in "The Long Song of Zhenguan", the picture comes from the Internet
And this good operating mechanism was severely damaged by Wu Zetian. With Empress Wu's precedent, future emperors would follow suit.
The most abhorrent thing Wu Zetian did was to execute the prime minister Liu Yizhi.
Liu Yizhi had been Wu Zetian's political ally in the past, but he complained a few times about Wu Zetian's decision to rule in court : "Since the Queen Mother can abolish the dusk and establish the Ming Dynasty, why use the rule of law? It is better to return to power to calm the world."
But this sentence Soon Wu Zetian knew about it, and she said to her left and right: "What I quoted from you is betraying my heart. How can you pay attention to my kindness!"
Not long after, Wu Zetian ordered Liu Yizhi to be killed on the grounds that Liu Yizhi had bribed Sun Wanrong and had an affair with Xu Jingzong's concubine.
The central institution of the Tang Dynasty, the picture comes from the Internet
These orders of Wu Zetian were not discussed and recognized by the Zhongshu and the subordinates at all, so Liu Yizhi said: "If it does not go through Fengge Luantai, what is the name of the imperial edict? (Wu Zetian changed the subordinate province to Luantai, and the Zhongshu Province to Fengge)".
But Wu Zetian didn't care so much, and in the end Liu Yizhi died generously and calmly.
However, Liu Yizhi had a chance to commit suicide at least. If Wu Zetian's thugs Lai Junchen and others started to show up in a few years at night, I'm afraid not even a whole body would be left.
Material selection: Most of them are mediocre characters
The prime minister, as a dignitary who helped the emperor handle government affairs, was executed by Wu Zetian at will.
Even though this was a need for political struggle, it was also a naked destruction of the benign politics of the Tang Dynasty.
Perhaps, some people will think that Wu Zetian "knows people well and is good at assigning them" and "strives to find true talents and talents."
killed a prime minister, but selected a group of pillars of the country.
You must know that during Wu Zetian's reign, she had appointed 73 prime ministers, but "a quarter of them had no performance at all", and there were also many who had no merit.
such as Wu Sansi , Zong Chuke , Yang Zaisi and others.
Wu Sansi in "Da Ming Palace Temple", the picture comes from the Internet
Yang Zaisi is known as the "Two-legged Wild Fox", and history said: "He has been in charge of government for more than ten years, but he has never been recommended. If you don't want it, you will be destroyed for it. If you want it, you will be praised for it. "
When someone commented that Wu Zetian's male favorite Zhang Changzong looked like a lotus, Yang Zaisi said that it is not that Zhang Changzong is like a lotus, but that the lotus is like Zhang Changzong. This sentence makes people see his no limit.
In addition to this kind of treacherous sycophants, there are also many prime ministers who have not much stain on their character and morals, but are very mediocre, such as Su Weiwei.
Su Weiwei made no achievements in power, but sought to be wise and wise to protect himself. The idiom "ambiguity" comes from his allusion.
In addition, there is also Lou Shide who "does it in vain".
Lou Shide in "Song without Words", the picture comes from the Internet
When Lou Shide served as a feudal official, he did an impressive job, but after returning to the dynasty and serving as prime minister, he became submissive.
Judging from the transformation of Lou Shide, we can see that the atmosphere in the court during Wu Zetian's reign was extremely terrifying.
After all, between consolidating personal power and selecting talents for the world, Wu Zetian's top priority was the former.
Many people would choose to use Di Renjie to support Wu Zetian, but Di Renjie almost fell into the hands of Lai Junchen.
Stills of "Detective Di Renjie", pictures from the Internet
What's more, Wu Zetian also made many mistakes in individual personnel appointments.
Turks silently invaded the fortress, so Wu Zetian sent her male favorite Xue Huaiyi to be the commander-in-chief of Shuofang Road's march, and asked the prime ministers Li Zhaode and Su Weiwei to be Xue Huaiyi's marching commander Shi and Sima. When
Xi and Khitan harassed Hebei, Wu Zetian sent Wu Youyi and Wu Yizong two martial arts disciples to act as commanders, while the censor Lou Shide and the prime minister Di Renjie became their subordinates.
There are precedents for sending clan members and cronies as commanders, but the key is to be capable.
Wu Youyi in "Wenzong of the Tang Dynasty", the picture comes from the Internet
Take Wu Yizong as an example, when the Khitan invaded, he ran away. The people who were coerced by the bandits and then fled back were considered by Wu Yizong to be accomplices, and they were brutally killed.
Such a cowardly and cruel civilian thief was reused just because he was a nephew of the Wu family. It can be seen that the so-called Wu Zetian "knows people and is good at responsibilities" must at least be greatly discounted.
Military: Both the eastern and western fronts suffered major defeats
Wu Zetian appointed her own children and male favorites as military commanders, which also reflected her amateurism in military affairs.
And the stable situation established during the Tang Gaozong period was all ruined in the hands of Wu Zetian.
The territory of the Tang Dynasty during the Yonghui period, the picture comes from the Internet
During the usurpation stage, Wu Zetian used Prime Minister Pei Yan to unjustly kill the famous general Cheng Wuting, and the famous general Wang Fangyi was also exiled because he was a distant relative of the king and queen . These two people are the nightmare of the Turks. When the Turks heard that the two famous generals were dead, they drank wine to celebrate.
In the tug-of-war with the Turks, the famous general Hei Te Changzhi who entered the Tang Dynasty from Baekje performed brilliantly. However, Junchen falsely accused Hei Te Changzhi and even knocked out the teeth of the famous general to see whether they were black or not. Hei Te Changzhi could not bear the humiliation and hanged himself.
Li Shimin's younger brother Huo Wang Li Yuangui also defeated the Turks many times. Since he wanted to usurp the throne, a clan like Li Yuangui would naturally not be able to escape the murderous hands.
The territory of Wu Zhou Dynasty, the picture comes from the Internet
After Wu Zetian liquidated a group of famous generals, the Turks became Wu Zhou 's nightmare.
In addition to the Turks, the Tibetans on the Western Front also frequently confronted the Central Plains.
After Wu Zetian became emperor, she appointed Wang Xiaojie to defeat Tubo, which is one of the few bright spots.
But when the famous Tubo general Lun Qinling appeared, Wang Xiaojie's luck ran out. In the battle of Suluohan Mountain , Wang Xiaojie and Lou Shide fought against Lun Qinling and returned with a disastrous defeat. The loss of troops was conservatively estimated to be one hundred thousand.
Wang Xiaojie in "Detective Di Renjie", picture from the Internet
Later on the Eastern Front, the Khitan rebelled, and Wu Zetian sent Wang Xiaojie again. This time, in addition to losing his troops and humiliating the people, Wang Xiaojie himself was also killed on the front line.
In the later period of Wu Zetian's rule, if it were not for the frequent internal strife in the border regimes, Wu Zhou's national defense would have faced greater tests.
It was not until the early period of Tang Xuanzong that the Tang Dynasty regained its absolute advantage over the four parties and even extended its tentacles of power to Central Asia.
Re-evaluation of Wu Zetian: The level of people in the material
Wu Zetian’s series of poor performances in domestic and foreign affairs can hardly be called a British leader.
But why, under her rule, the number of people with registered residence in the world was still higher than during the Zhenguan period? Isn't this a political achievement?
In ancient China, as long as there were no huge natural or man-made disasters, the overall population was growing.
Wu Zetian's reign was several decades later than Zhenguan. If this is considered an achievement, then the population during Song Huizong's years was greater than Song Renzong's years. Does this mean that Song Huizong governed the country well?
Tang Dynasty population growth chart, the picture comes from the Internet
Wu Zetian benefited from the foundation laid by Tang Taizong and Tang Gaozong, which gave her the capital to squander.
Her personal ethics are not good, and her governance is difficult to achieve. Just because she is the only female emperor, she cannot be extra tolerant.
I really want to find a female politician, Lu Pheasant , Deng Sui , Liu E , which one would not dump Wu Zhao Eighteen Streets?
Liu E in "Qing Ping Le", the picture comes from the Internet
Even if she also messes with the relationship between men and women, Northern Wei Civilization Empress Dowager Feng is better than her.
Wu Zetian is just a king with a human level.
Some people may say that as a woman, it would be good for her to become the emperor.
At this point, I hope to make it clear that what we evaluate is how good the emperor is, not how she became the emperor.
Otherwise, people Zhao Gou also have something to say, who would be easy to become the emperor? But it is already a consensus that Zhao Gou is not good as emperor.
Don’t put gender first, female protagonists are just as mediocre protagonists, there’s nothing to say.
The creative team of this article is
author | Zhao Xiyi
planner | Zhao Xiyi
editor | Zhao Xiyi
*The pictures are from the Internet. If you have any questions, please contact
