Introduction

This chapter analyzes the specific case of the most controversial sovereign ruler in Chinese imperial history: Wu Zetian, and her founding of the Zhou dynasty (690– 705). Wu Zetian's reign (690– 705) occurred during the Tang dynasty (618– 906) and was regarded as a milestone in the history of Chinese dynastic changes and legitimacy processes, for she was a woman and the sole female emperor (Huangdi 皇帝) in Chinese history. After a short biographical introduction, this chapter delineates how Wu Zetian faced the problem of legitimacy. She was aware of being a woman claiming the power destined, by Chinese tradition, to men, and her greatest innovation was to look to the ancient Chinese past as a model, as well as her use of religion, magic, and symbolism to legitimize her swift rise to the dragon throne, where she remained for almost fifty years.

Women Shall Not Rule is the provocative title of Keith McMahon's book, reminding the reader how difficult it was for any woman to aim to ascend the throne in imperial China. The Chinese traditional bureaucratic structure was not conceived for women, and they could not participate directly in the political, economic, and social leadership of the empire. This did not mean that women were not powerful, of course. In this sense, McMahon's book presents many examples of court ladies (imperial wives and concubines, among others) and demonstrates how they were not mere “wantons” but actually played a key role in Chinese imperial politics. Women were powerful in China and treated political affairs as if they were playing chess, manipulating and influencing heirs apparent or weak emperors, most of the time hidden behind the curtain of their seraglio. Chinese history contains plenty of stories about arriviste concubines, malicious empress dowagers, and female status seekers, in general depicted as orchestrators of intricate plots aimed to influence the imperial power in their favour. Women's actions were planned “from within,” never overtly acted, developing a kind of “shadow power.”