#93 - Tang 11: Dynasty of One

The History of China

Chris Stewart

History

4.6 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 21 March 2016

⏱️ 56 minutes

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Summary

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to an Airwave Media Podcast.
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0:06.0	This Christmas at Tesco,
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0:27.0	Hello and welcome to the history of China.
0:34.0	Episode 93, Dynasty of One.
0:40.0	When last we left to China, the impossible had been made reality.
0:47.0	A woman sat on the throne of heaven, wore the yellow robes of the emperor, and personally
0:51.3	ruled the whole of the Empire as divine sovereign, and that woman
0:55.4	was Wu Zetien.
0:57.9	Not only had she come into unprecedented total power, but had gone so far as to replace the ruling dynastic line and name with her own.
1:06.5	The Tong was gone.
1:08.0	Now was the era of the Joe.
1:11.0	And through it all a deadly and delicate balancing act between her sons of the Lee Clan and her relatives of the Wu Clan, over who would win her favour and either remain or replace the Imperial Clan altogether.
1:24.5	This new Joe dynasty, while generally regarded as not being a huge break from the Tongue, was
1:29.8	in the process of seeing a near total reorganization in its own expanding bureaucracy.
	...

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