The most hated woman in Chinese history!
Born in 624 CE in Wenshui County in Shanxi province, very little was expected of the beautiful and bright Wu Zhao (reign title Wu Zetian) -- except that she would be trouble to any man unlucky enough to marry her. The very opposite of a virtuous maiden by most interpretations of the Analects of Confucius, Wu Zhao was not only bright, but highly educated and equally ambitious.
Harshly judged by both contemporaries and generations of Chinese scholars since, the one thing everyone can agree upon about Empress Wu: the world is a vastly different place because she dared what no other woman of her time dreamed was possible. This is her true story, a truly legendary woman of world history.
Student - Teacher Edition features challenging study questions after every chapter, plus a detailed timeline, and an extensive suggested reading list.
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Wu Zhao met the shifu’s eyes before turning to the nearby crowds watching and listening to her coronation, “’May the merit of my practice adorn Buddhas’ Pure Lands, requite the fourfold kindness from above, and relieve the suffering of the three life-journeys below. Universally wishing sentient beings, friends, foes, and karmic creditors, all to activate the Bodhi mind, and all to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.’ All the reforms I have made in the name of others I shall expand upon. Gone are the days where the people labour and suffer to serve the selfish wants of those who have more than they need. In this sacred place where the sage gave us the Dao de Jing and more than one million people dwell, where the greatest poets and writers wrote and continue to write their master pieces and where the Silk Road enters our empire, here, in this city we are a beacon of light to the world. For here, for the first time in human history we declare the equality of women and the right of women to rule over all people – rich and poor, mighty and feeble, foolish and wise, male and female, Buddhist and Daoist. What say you my people? Will you stand with me?” A woman with her daughter in her arms worked her way to the front of the crowd, “I will!” Falling to her knees she bowed her forehead to the ground in reverence, “Huangdi wan sui!”
Impressed by her courage more people fell to their knees to bow before their emperor, “Wan sui!”
“Wan sui! Wan sui!” echoed the rippling crowd as more and more people heard the empress’ speech repeated, each falling to their knees and bowing with their heads to the ground out of respect.
As the bowing crowd passed over one thousand Empress Wu blinked with amazement, tears of joy falling from her eyes, “Praise Buddha, I have done it!”
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Italian
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Already translated.
Translated by Maria Vexille
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Author review: More great work from Maria! |
