Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 54. Chapters: Soong May-ling, Jiang Qing, Wu Zetian, Empress Dowager Cixi, Princess Taiping, Empress Lu Zhi, Empress Dowager Hu, Empress Feng, Empress Dowager Ci'an, Soong Ching-ling, Empress Deng Sui, Empress Liu Jingyan, Wu Yi, Empress Liang Na, Empress Dowager Longyu, Empress Xiao, Mother Lu. Excerpt: Wu Zetian (simplified Chinese: traditional Chinese: pinyin: W Zeti n, Mandarin pronunciation: ) (17 February 624 - 16 December 705), personal name Wu Zhao ( ), often referred to as Tian Hou ( ) during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu ( ) in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant. As de facto ruler of China first through her husband and her sons from 665 to 690, not unprecedented in Chinese history, she then broke all precedents when she founded her own dynasty in 690, the Zhou ( ) (interrupting the Tang Dynasty), and ruled personally under the name Sacred and Divine Empress Regnant ( ) and variations thereof from 690 to 705. Her rise and reign has been criticized harshly by Confucian historians but has been viewed in a different light after the 1950s. Wu was born in Lizhou ( ) (modern day Guangyuan City in Sichuan Province) in 624, the seventh year of Emperor Gaozu of Tang's reign. In the same year, a total eclipse of the Sun was visible across China. Her father Wu Shihuo was engaged in the timber business and the family was relatively well off. During the final years of Emperor Yang of Sui, Li Yuan ( ) (who would go on to become Emperor Gaozu of Tang), whilst holding appointments in both Hedong and Taiyuan, Li stayed in the Wu household many times and became close to the Wu family. After Li Yuan overthrew Emperor Yang, he was generous to the Wu family, providing them with money, grain, land and clothing. Once the Tang Dynasty became established, Wu Shiho...