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Vairocana Buddha: said to be modeled after the empress Wu Zetian. Because of its enigmatic smile, the statue has earned the nickname "Eastern Mona Lisa". The Vairocana Buddha is located in Fengxian Si : this cave, dated back to AD 675, is the largest of all the caves
Empress Wu Zetian: Wu Zhao was the first, and only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant. She had founded her first dynasty in 690. Zetian, first entered the palace at the age of thirteen and became the concubine of Emperor Taizong. Emperor Taizong died in 649, leaving Zetian to spend the rest of her life as a Buddhist nun. But successor Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wang, the wife and empress of Emperor Taizong's son, wanted another beautiful female concubine to divert the Emperors favors. Zetian had been struggling to win Emperor Gaozong's affection and in the end Consort Xiao and Empress Wang were killed. Leaving Zetian to become Empress. She gradually gained more and more influence on the government there over Gaozong's reign. Near the end of the reign she eventually ended up making most of the decisions. She was labeled as ruthless in her attempt of seizing power, and it was believed that Zetian had killed her own daughter in an attempt to frame Empress Wang, and her own Eldest son in a power struggle. She had her other son deposed and exiled. She continued the deposing with her third son for having a sense of independence. She made her fourth son Emperor Ruizong. Preventing him though from taking any role in the the government. In Empress Wu's early reign she elevated Buddhism to be above Taoism. Officially sanctioning the religion by building a temple named Dayun Temple. Also making nine senior monks dukes. In her middle reign, 696, an army she sent, commanded by Wang Xiaojie and Lou Shide against Tufan, was soundly defeated by Tufan generals. Zetian began to engage herself with two new lovers. Brothers Zhang Yizhi andZhang Changzong, who became honored within the palace and were created dukes later on. In her late reign the same brothers who were created dukes, became very powerful. Which Zetian relied on them frequently to handle the affairs of state. Empress Wu Zetian became ill in the spring of 705 and despite her sickness planned a coup to kill the Zhang brothers. She also continued, despite her age, to find talented officials and promote them. As Zetian grew older, she lessened the power on the secret police. She also was pressured in 705 to give up her throne to her son in favor to her older son. Then in the same year, she died peacefully at the age of eighty.
Empress Wu Zetian Wikipedia source
Empress Wu Zetian: Wu Zhao was the first, and only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant. She had founded her first dynasty in 690. Zetian, first entered the palace at the age of thirteen and became the concubine of Emperor Taizong. Emperor Taizong died in 649, leaving Zetian to spend the rest of her life as a Buddhist nun. But successor Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wang, the wife and empress of Emperor Taizong's son, wanted another beautiful female concubine to divert the Emperors favors. Zetian had been struggling to win Emperor Gaozong's affection and in the end Consort Xiao and Empress Wang were killed. Leaving Zetian to become Empress. She gradually gained more and more influence on the government there over Gaozong's reign. Near the end of the reign she eventually ended up making most of the decisions. She was labeled as ruthless in her attempt of seizing power, and it was believed that Zetian had killed her own daughter in an attempt to frame Empress Wang, and her own Eldest son in a power struggle. She had her other son deposed and exiled. She continued the deposing with her third son for having a sense of independence. She made her fourth son Emperor Ruizong. Preventing him though from taking any role in the the government. In Empress Wu's early reign she elevated Buddhism to be above Taoism. Officially sanctioning the religion by building a temple named Dayun Temple. Also making nine senior monks dukes. In her middle reign, 696, an army she sent, commanded by Wang Xiaojie and Lou Shide against Tufan, was soundly defeated by Tufan generals. Zetian began to engage herself with two new lovers. Brothers Zhang Yizhi andZhang Changzong, who became honored within the palace and were created dukes later on. In her late reign the same brothers who were created dukes, became very powerful. Which Zetian relied on them frequently to handle the affairs of state. Empress Wu Zetian became ill in the spring of 705 and despite her sickness planned a coup to kill the Zhang brothers. She also continued, despite her age, to find talented officials and promote them. As Zetian grew older, she lessened the power on the secret police. She also was pressured in 705 to give up her throne to her son in favor to her older son. Then in the same year, she died peacefully at the age of eighty.
