A Chinese expert in my college said we had many empresses like Wu in ancient Chinese history, but he is mistaken. Wu is the only female emperor who ruled China directly, while the other empresses were mothers of emperors who ruled China by manipulating their sons, as a mother has a very high status in Confucianism.
I read this book in high school. It is the single most fascinating book on ancient history that I’ve ever read, so after I read a friend’s copy, I bought my own. I also read the next book about her daughter, but her daughter has only 1/10 of her talent.