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Wu Zetian became China's first and only female Emperor on 16th October, 655 - cementing an extraordinary rise from Concubine to Secretary to Consort to Queen. On the day of her coronation in 690, a massive earthquake rocked China, a supposed sign of divine disapproval. But Wu flipped the narrative, declaring that the upheaval was a blessing, a symbol of Buddhist paradise manifesting on earth.\xa0\nHer path to power was unconventional, defying deeply entrenched Confucian ideals that regarded female rulers as unnatural, even catastrophic. It was a rise marked by brutal rivalries, during which she allegedly orchestrated the downfall of enemies, including her rival Empress Wang, and even faced accusations of murdering her own daughter to frame a competitor to the throne.\nIn this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly weigh up the sexist commentary of the time with the genuine ruthlessness Wu seemed to display; explain how her all-male hareem helped bring about her downfall; and consider how, even as recently as 2014, she remains a controversial, sexualised and divisive figure in China\u2026\nFurther Reading:\n\u2022 \u2018The First and Only Woman Emperor of China\u2019 (Google Arts & Culture): https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-first-and-only-woman-emperor-of-china/PQWR-NRltC6QFA?hl=en\n\u2022\xa0\u2019Empress Wu Zetian: The Only Woman To Rule China\u2019 (HistoryExtra, 2023): https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/empress-wu-zetian-china-rule-life-reputation/\n\u2022 \u2018Wu Zetian: China's First & Only Female Emperor | Empress Who Ruled The World\u2019 (Timeline, 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeZ7esmQcm4\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices