#402 The “Evil” Empress: Wu Zhao

Image: Fan Bingbing portrays Wu Zhao in the television series Empress of China (Wei meiniang chuanqi 武媚娘传奇)

Concepts:

• What do we mean when we talk about gender? Are there any related terms we might add?

Discussion:

• Based on your reading of this chapter, what might have been some of the expectations of women within the imperial court?
  • How do these expectations fit within Ban Zhao’s “Admonitions”?
  • In what ways does Wu Zhao seem to conform to those expectations? When does she flout them?
  • Compare and contrast the expectations of male rulers with those of Wu Zhao.
• Chinese historians often portray Wu Zhao as a “bad example” (Wills, 128).
  • What are the key events in the chapter that might have been used to discredit Wu Zhao?
  • What might be possible sources for these claims?
  • How might you evaluate them as a historian?
  • To what extent do you think gender plays a role in how her actions are remembered?
• For a historian today, what might be the case for and against Wu Zhao’s success as a leader?
  • What initiatives seem particularly effective or important?
  • Which might be counted against her legacy?