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Legendary Women of World History #5
Empress Wu Zetian
The most hated woman in Chinese history!
Travel back in time over one thousand years and meet the first and only female emperor of China. Born Wu Zhao and given the reign title "Zetian" just weeks before her death in 705 CE, she was the unwanted daughter of Chancellor Wu Shihuo -- too bright, too educated, and too politically focused to make a good wife according to contemporary interpretations of the Analects of Confucius.
Can it be any wonder that to this day she remains the most hated woman in all of Chinese history and one of its most controversial?
Explore the life of Empress Wu and discover why the world is a vastly different place because she dared what no woman in China before or since ever dreamed of.
Travel back in time over one thousand years and meet the first and only female emperor of China. Born Wu Zhao and given the reign title "Zetian" just weeks before her death in 705 CE, she was the unwanted daughter of Chancellor Wu Shihuo -- too bright, too educated, and too politically focused to make a good wife according to contemporary interpretations of the Analects of Confucius.
Can it be any wonder that to this day she remains the most hated woman in all of Chinese history and one of its most controversial?
Explore the life of Empress Wu and discover why the world is a vastly different place because she dared what no woman in China before or since ever dreamed of.
70 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 21, 2016
12 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
About the author
Laurel A. Rockefeller
134 books224 followersBorn, raised, and educated in Lincoln, Nebraska USA Laurel A. Rockefeller’s passion for animals comes through in everything she writes. First self-published in 2012 as social science fiction author (the Peers of Beinan series), Laurel has expanded her work into the animal care/guide, history, historical fiction, and biography genres.
Find Laurel’s books in digital, paperback, and hardcover in your choice of up to ten languages, including Welsh, Chinese, and Dutch. Audio editions are published in all four available languages for audible: English, French, Spanish, and German.
Besides advocating for animals and related environmental causes, Laurel A. Rockefeller is a passionate educator dedicated to improving history literacy worldwide, especially as it relates to women’s accomplishments. In her spare time, Laurel enjoys spending time with her cockatiels, traveling to historic places, and watching classic motion pictures and classic television series.
Find Laurel’s books in digital, paperback, and hardcover in your choice of up to ten languages, including Welsh, Chinese, and Dutch. Audio editions are published in all four available languages for audible: English, French, Spanish, and German.
Besides advocating for animals and related environmental causes, Laurel A. Rockefeller is a passionate educator dedicated to improving history literacy worldwide, especially as it relates to women’s accomplishments. In her spare time, Laurel enjoys spending time with her cockatiels, traveling to historic places, and watching classic motion pictures and classic television series.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 9, 2016
This is a very interesting history of Empress Wu (whom I had never heard of before discovering this book). It reads much more like a story than a history textbook, which was very nice. It can be so much easier to comprehend and appreciate history when laid out in a way accessible to all (not just those who have received a good and/or advanced education, including children and teenagers). I think this is very important in today's society to have uncomplicated versions of history and other subjects so that they are accessible to everybody. I enjoyed reading this book, but, after reading the timeline at the end, I do question a couple of minor details or at least how they are presented in the novel. Overall, a great (not boring) source of knowledge on the life and accomplishments of Empress Wu.
June 25, 2017
This is the second Legendary Women of World History book I have read. The first, Boudicca, had my critique of not enough backstory to the characters. Even though this book was written with approximately the same page count, I found that Empress Wu's character was fleshed out much better than Boudicca's character. The story spans 50+ years and gave a really good overall idea of the hardships Wu endured in order to become Empress.
Much like Boudicca, I'm unsure about the age range for this book. It does mention sex a few times, which may be inappropriate for younger readers. However, it is a vital part of history that shouldn't be censored. In order to understand the present and future, we must understand the past.
I love learning about Asian cultures, so to be presented with a character in history that I hadn't heard of before gave me the opportunity for some research on my own time. I found her inspirational, albeit a bit mischievous and power hungry. Would I say she is the most hated woman in Chinese history? Probably not. The book made some good arguments as to why she was a decent Empress. But on the flipside, there were some dark moments that can't be ignored.
Themes involved with this story include feminism, Buddhism, obedience, and respect. I would recommend it to anyone interested in history regarding women, China, and human rights.
Much like Boudicca, I'm unsure about the age range for this book. It does mention sex a few times, which may be inappropriate for younger readers. However, it is a vital part of history that shouldn't be censored. In order to understand the present and future, we must understand the past.
I love learning about Asian cultures, so to be presented with a character in history that I hadn't heard of before gave me the opportunity for some research on my own time. I found her inspirational, albeit a bit mischievous and power hungry. Would I say she is the most hated woman in Chinese history? Probably not. The book made some good arguments as to why she was a decent Empress. But on the flipside, there were some dark moments that can't be ignored.
Themes involved with this story include feminism, Buddhism, obedience, and respect. I would recommend it to anyone interested in history regarding women, China, and human rights.
March 24, 2018
I have always been a fan of history, mainly Europe and I know enough about China's history to do okay on Jeopardy, but I admit to not having heard about the first and only empress of China, Wu Zhao / Zetian. The history is based off of contemporary interpretations of Confucius' analects. Wu Zhao was married to Emperor Taizong as a low-ranking concubine at the age of 14. She was deemed beautiful, but her intelligence won over the Emperor and put her at his side.
Harsh history written as with most during this time-frame in our brutal history, I do not recommend this for young tween readers. Good read if looked at as a cliff-notes point-of-view; short read. Does cover roughly 50 years as she lived through her power hungry life (my opinion) and to set the discussion, "The most hated woman in Chinese history.". Was she? I will let you decide! Don't forget to check out the other novellas in The Legendary Women of World History, very thrilled I received Book 5, Empress Wu, opened my eyes even further in this book tour.
Harsh history written as with most during this time-frame in our brutal history, I do not recommend this for young tween readers. Good read if looked at as a cliff-notes point-of-view; short read. Does cover roughly 50 years as she lived through her power hungry life (my opinion) and to set the discussion, "The most hated woman in Chinese history.". Was she? I will let you decide! Don't forget to check out the other novellas in The Legendary Women of World History, very thrilled I received Book 5, Empress Wu, opened my eyes even further in this book tour.
December 29, 2020
I loved it! I usually do not like reading plays, but this one about Empress Wu Zetian is fun
In a very short book so much is compressed and not said that both imagination and curiosity go into massive forward thinking.
I am going to look up more about this empress if I can. Oh and the 4 stars? Only because there is so much more to uncover, so much more to think of and so much not filled in
In a very short book so much is compressed and not said that both imagination and curiosity go into massive forward thinking.
I am going to look up more about this empress if I can. Oh and the 4 stars? Only because there is so much more to uncover, so much more to think of and so much not filled in
March 29, 2021
3.5 estrellas
December 11, 2021
I guess I was expecting more history and less narrative historical fiction.
February 6, 2022
read this with my friend in school before winter break
January 30, 2016
I freely admit to never having heard of Empress Wu Zetian however I have been reading and enjoying Laurel A Rockerfeller's Legendary Women of World History series so got stuck in to learn about her.
Like the other books in the series this book is the perfect length to give a taste of the subject and how she made her mark without the reader being overcome by all the other people around and every tiny little thing that was happening.
Thanks to the excellent time line and links to materials used by the author I was able to dig just as far as I wanted to.
Another lovely, informative history book that will tempt the readers to look further.
Like the other books in the series this book is the perfect length to give a taste of the subject and how she made her mark without the reader being overcome by all the other people around and every tiny little thing that was happening.
Thanks to the excellent time line and links to materials used by the author I was able to dig just as far as I wanted to.
Another lovely, informative history book that will tempt the readers to look further.
March 25, 2018
When I first saw this tour, I got quite excited and signed up immediately. I think I have never read anything much in detail about Chinese history in our history books, as far as I remember. So this opportunity to enlighten myself about a Chinese Empress was something that got me really excited.
Coming to the review. I think I really liked the way this biography of Empress Wu was written. I liked the writing style a lot. It was written as a moving story, in third person narrative, where the story spans over a long number of years. In this book, it was like a few major scenes of Empress’ life was taken out and dramatised in it.
Empress Wu’s character can only be termed as controversial. She has done quite a few deeds in her life that could be considered as morally incorrect, like murder, but still she did a lot of things which was in the betterment of the people of her kingdom, most important was trying to give equal rights to men and women. Empress Wu’s character had quite a lot of shades, which you would get to know about if you read this book, plus you would get to know about how her way of thinking and thoughts changed over the years.
Final Words
I think you should all give this book a shot because Empress Wu Zetian’s story is worth to be known plus this book is very small, only 70 pages, so you will be able to finish this book in one sitting only.
Coming to the review. I think I really liked the way this biography of Empress Wu was written. I liked the writing style a lot. It was written as a moving story, in third person narrative, where the story spans over a long number of years. In this book, it was like a few major scenes of Empress’ life was taken out and dramatised in it.
Empress Wu’s character can only be termed as controversial. She has done quite a few deeds in her life that could be considered as morally incorrect, like murder, but still she did a lot of things which was in the betterment of the people of her kingdom, most important was trying to give equal rights to men and women. Empress Wu’s character had quite a lot of shades, which you would get to know about if you read this book, plus you would get to know about how her way of thinking and thoughts changed over the years.
Final Words
I think you should all give this book a shot because Empress Wu Zetian’s story is worth to be known plus this book is very small, only 70 pages, so you will be able to finish this book in one sitting only.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews