Cao Cao(155-220)

Cao Cao was born in Pei Guohao (present Hao County in Anhui Province). He was known as a famous politician, strategist and a great litterateur during the Three Kingdoms Period.

Cao Cao started his military career at the age of twenty. In the process of cracking down the Yellow Turbans Uprising at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD), he built up his force. After the rebellion, the Eastern Han only reigned in name and the country fell apart into three confronting forces of Cao Cao,Liubei and Sunquan. Cao Cao outstripped the other two.

In 196 AD, Cao Cao had the Eastern Han capital relocated from Luoyang to Xu, (both in present Henan Province). He proclaimed himself the prime minister and made the puppet emperor his trump card. After several decisive battles with local forces in the north, he unified the region north of the Yellow River.
Thenceforward, Cao Cao targeted at major forces in the south. In order to fight back Cacao, the southern regimes of Liubei and Sunquan allied together. Quickly, the Battle of Chibi broke out. Cao Cao was badly defeated and had to draw back to the north desperately. Since then, Cao Cao has never stepped across the Yellow River until the time of his son.

In the north, Cao Cao had vast land cultivated by the garrison troops and ordered the construction of many irrigation projects. He set the governmental monopoly on the salt and iron commodities. In politics, he practiced merits system. All this contributed to the restoration of social economy. Meanwhile, he made accomplishments in poetry. Together with his two sons, they opened a new ear in the history of Chinese literature. Cao Cao died of heavy headache at the age of sixty-five.

Huang Di (Yellow Emperor)

Huang Di is regarded as ancestor of Chinese. He was mystical leader of one of the strongest tribes in the middle valley of Yellow River. Because his tribe honored the virtue of earth, he was addressed after the yellow color of earth, the symbol of farming. During his days about 4,000 thousand years ago, it was the time of patriarchal clan community. Many tribes came to settle down around the reach of Yellow River and were engaged in farming. Wars arose between different tribes in sought of occupation of more lands and people suffered a lot from turbulent life. Huang Di decided to put an end to this chaotic situation. He worked out a set of moral code and trained his army. After about 56 battlements with other tribes, he conquered wide area along the Yellow River and was made chief of tribe union.

Huang Di was said to be the founder of Chinese civilization. He coined bronze money, practised medicine, invented boats, raised silk-worm and divided his realm into provinces. The story went that at age of 110, a yellow dragon, alighting from the sky, summoned the emperor to heaven on behalf of the king of heaven. When the emperor, riding on the back of the dragon is about to leave, his subjects, who were reluctant to let him go, dragged by his clothes. However, all that left were only part of the emperor's clothes and hat. In commemoration of Huang Di, his descendents buried his remainder at Mt. Qiaoshan, in present Shaanxi province and had his mausoleum built. Tradition passes down from then that every year on fifth day of fourth lunar month, Chinese people of Huang Di's origin will come to visit his mausoleum that has become the symbol of Chinese nation.

Kang Xi(1654-1722)

Kang Xi was the second emperor of the Qing Dynasty, the son of Emperor Shun Zhi. His father was a mere six years old when put on the throne, and under the control of the regent Dorgon. He died, aged just 24, of heartbreak and smallpox after losing his beloved concubine to the disease. As such, Kang Xi was only seven years old when he ascended the throne in 1662.

Again, the child-emperor was dominated by his powerful regents. Among them was the ruthless General Oboi, who several times tried to usurp power from Kang Xi and installed his henchmen in the imperial court to ensure that one day, he would suceed. Thankfully he never did, for the teenaged Kang Xi arranged his assasination, and seized full power.

Yet that was only the beginning of Kang Xi's troubles. In 1674, the Ming turncoat generals Wu Sangui, Shang Kexi and Geng Jinmao led a great revolt against the Qing government. This is known as "The Revolt of the Three Feudatories" in Chinese history. It was among the largest civil wars in history, involving an area the size of the southeastern United States, and more men, weapons and deaths than all the wars of 17th-century Europe. These generals, most notably Wu Sangui, had helped build the Qing Dynasty, and were rewarded with large, almost-independent fiefs, and held the Manchu title of prince. However, they were not satisfied and demanded monetary subsidies from the Qing court in exchange for loyalty; a form of blackmail. When Kang Xi refused, the three rose up in arms.

Kang Xi acted quickly and decisively. The army was mobilised and sent against the rebels, with the emperor personally directing the operation. The rebellion lasted seven years, but there was never any real chance of it suceeding. The three generals were unable to coordinate their efforts, and their own greed and incompetence further hampered their individual efforts. By 1681, Wu was dead and Geng and Shang had been captured and executed, along with their sons. Wu Sangui's son fought on for another 32 years but presented no real threat to the Qing Empire.

Next Kangxi turned against the last Ming loyalists, based on Taiwan. These were led by the Zheng family, descendents of a Ming general who had earlier surrendered to the Qing. His son, however, fought on to restore the Ming Dynasty. This was none other than Zheng Chenggong, better known in the West as the pirate Koxinga. A capable military leader, Zheng was originally based in Fujian province. However, an unsuccessful Qing attack on his capital of Xiamen persuaded him to look for a safer base of operations. He turned to Formosa, or Taiwan, occupied by the Dutch since the early 17th century.

In 1661 Zheng Chenggong launched a massive onslaught on Taiwan. Badly outnumbered and outgunned, and also facing a native revolt, the Dutch were defeated and driven off the island. Zheng Chenggong immediately set about turning it into an advanced base of operations, but he died, in 1664, before this was completed.

For the next 20 or so years, led by his widow, the Zheng bloc carried out frequent raids on China's eastern coast with Taiwan as the springboard. Preoccupied with domestic affairs, the Qing Empire was unable to launch an expedition to conquer Taiwan. Finally, with the resolution of the Revolt of the Three Feudatories and the empire prosperous and at peace, Kang Xi ordered the construction of a large and modern fleet with the aim of retaking Taiwan.

Zheng Chenggong's successors were not nearly as capable as he was, and intrigues within the Zheng bloc resulted in disunity between his relatives. Thus, the Manchu armada easily conquered Taiwan in 1683.

After the victory, Kang Xi turned against the warlike northern Mongol tribes, which were a constant menace on China's borders. He personally led two expeditions which utterly defeated the enemy, ending a long-time threat to the peace and stability of the Middle Kingdom.

At this time too, other countries began taking notice of China. Russia's Tsar, Peter the Great, had been despatching large numbers of Cossack cavalrymen to the banks of the Amur River with the aim of taking Southern Siberia from the Chinese. Kang Xi, however, desptached troops that defeated the Russian armies and gained Southesatern Siberia for China.

During the 61-year-long reign of Kang Xi, China saw unprecedented growth and prosperity. The population soared to well over 100 million, and China's borders were greatly expanded. Arts and culture flourished, for Kang Xi was also a superb poet and essayist who actively promoted learning and literature. Among his great cultural contributions was the commissioning of the Kang Xi Dictionary, a volumnious book on the Chinese language that is still in use today. As such, the Emperor Kang Xi is regarded as one of the greatest rulers China has ever had. A man of great military and intellectual abilty, he led the Middle Kingdom into a Golden Age that spanned over a century.

Li shimin-Emperor Taizong of the Tang (599 - 649)

"The waters can both float and capsize a vessel" --- Zhuangzi (Circa 369 - 286 BC)
Taizong was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty. He was born as Li Shimin to the Empress Dou, the second son of Emperor Gaozu. Taizong is his posthumous temple name and means "Supreme Ancestor." His rule lasted twenty-three years (626-649) and he is considered to be one of the greatest Chinese emperors. His reign, which is known as the Prosperity of Zhenguan, was outstanding as an era of peace and prosperity, one of the most flourishing during the Tang period.

The closing years of the Sui Dynasty (581-618) was marked by civil unrest. At this time, the man who was to become Emperor Gauzu was Li Yuan the Duke of Tang, an administrator in Taiyuan. His ambitious son, Li Shimin persuaded the duke to stage a military coup against the Sui in 617. That year the rebel army captured the capital city, Chang'an, and the duke placed the Emperor Yangs's son, Emperor Gong, on the throne while holding power for himself. When Emperor Yang was assassinated in 618 by an aide, Li Yuan deposed the puppet prince and declared himself emperor, thus establishing the new Tang Dynasty.
Li Shimin continued to lead the army in a campaign to secure the whole of the empire for his father and finally overcame all rebels, creating a united China in 628.

On taking the title and name Emperor Gauzou, Li Yuan who had twenty-two sons in total, decreed that his eldest son, Li Jiancheng should be the Crown Prince. Li Shimin, the second son, was granted the title Prince of Qin. A third son, had died long before, so the fourth son, Li Yuanji was created Prince of Qi.
Of these three sons, Li Shimin was the most ambitious and intelligent. It was he who had made the greatest contribution to the campaign to secure the empire for his father. This fact troubled the Crown Prince for he saw Li Shimin as a threat to his own position. Conspiring with his younger brother, Prince Qi, he tried to get rid of Li Shimin.
Unhappy with his father's incompetence and tired of the constant threats against him by his brothers, Li Shimin launched a palace coup at the Xuanwumen Gate in 626. Both the Crown Prince and Prince Qi were killed and the emperor was forced to abdicate.
There were no longer any rivals for the throne and Li Shimin became Emperor Taizong. He declared that his reign should be known as the Zhenguan.

During his twenty-three year long reign, Taizong did more for the empire than any emperor before him. As a consequence the Tang Dynasty left a legacy that was to inspire many of those that followed it. By firm leadership and a positive example the new emperor set about reforming agriculture, manufacturing and commerce. The improvements achieved in both agricultural and manufacturing output meant there were surpluses that could be available for foreign as well as internal trade. This led to a strong economy and the commercial enterprise of the country became second to none throughout the known world.

Among the manufacturing industries that became highly developed were porcelain production, bronze and iron smelting and casting, shipbuilding, and textiles (with new techniques for weaving and dyeing).
Political progress was achieved by the overhaul of the examination system first introduced by the Sui for the appointment of officials. This system ensured that administrators were selected on merit rather than nepotism or bribery. In this way only the best men were appointed to vital posts within the government of the country. Political corruption was virtually unknown as a result of these sound administrative structures.

Much was done to enhance the transport infrastructure. This included the improvement of roads and waterway connections between major cities. The long period of stability meant it was possible to train and equip the army with a particular emphasis on strengthening border protection.
Strong economical and commercial links were established with Japan, Korea, India, Persia and Arabia. These factors have all led to the period being referred to as "The Prosperity of Zhenguan."
Having lived through the tumult which characterized the closing years of the Sui Dynasty, Taizong was appreciative of the power held by the common people. Unless the peasant classes were content, they could prove to be a very dangerous opposition under the leadership of anyone prepared to make a stand against the government. He realized that unless he was able to ensure that his people enjoyed a reasonable standard of living, those who had helped him and his father to power could quite easily overthrow him. Taizong would remind himself of this frequently by quoting a maxim of the great philosopher, Zhuangzi(who`who/mencius), 'the waters can both float and capsize a vessel.' The emperor clearly understood how these words were a metaphor for his relationship with the empire.
The political reforms he introduced were designed to ensure the ship of state sailed on calm waters. There were two main factors that ensured the political stability he sought to achieve. These can be summarized as (1) to pick the right person for the task and (2) to seek the opinion of others before making a decision.

(1) Emperor Taizong paid particular attention to the appointment of officials. He adopted and perfected the examination system that had been set up by the Sui. In this way men of talent, regardless of their class or background, who were prepared to study had an opportunity to gain positions within the administration. Close consideration was given to the selection of magistrates. Also, government inspectors were appointed, who at regular intervals were sent to audit local administration. By these means, promotion of those who had achieved progress in office was decided.
Taizong's capacity for recognising a man's ability, regardless of his background was demonstrated by appointments he made. Yuchi Jingde, a former blacksmith, became one of his ministers. Also, Qinqiong, a minor official, was appointed as a minister.
Possibly his most outstanding appointments was that of Weizheng, a former member of the Crown Prince's retinue. Weizheng had actually recommended the Crown Prince to do away with his brother, the Prince of Qin. Taizong had long recognized Weizheng's talent and rather than punish the man for his former loyalty to the Crown Prince, rewarded him with the position of a counsellor in his court. In time Weizheng was promoted to a position equivalent to that of a prime minister.

(2) Emperor Taizong's willingness to listen to the opinions of others and his ability to both seek and act upon good advice was a major factor of his successful reign. Of all his ministers, his former enemy, Weizheng was probably the most outspoken. Often he would argue vehemently with the Emperor, who would be left wild with anger. Eventually, despite his infuriation, Taizong would come round and see the wisdom of Wei's words and benefit from them.

Few men in history would be so frank and honest with their monarch and when Weizheng died, Taizong was overwhelmed with grief. The Emperor said to his ministers, "With a bronze mirror, one can see whether he is properly attired; with history as a mirror, one can understand the rise and fall of a nation; with men as a mirror, one can see whether he is right or wrong. Now I've lost my faithful mirror by the death of Weizheng."

The specific policies adopted by Emperor Taizong were as follows:
a). Simplification of bureaucracy, strict control of expenses, elimination of corruption.

b). State sponsored academies, an improved civil service examination system, selection by talent rather than position or birth.

c). Creation of a professional army (Fubing), deploying forces to defend the frontiers of the Empire.

d). Inauguration of irrigation schemes, the enhancement of agricultural productivity.

e). A fair system of taxation (Zuyondiao) coupled with the reintroduction of the land equalization system and reduction of corvee.

f). Reformation of the penal code, eliminating the harsh laws of the Sui Dynasty.

g). Defeat of the Eastern Tujue tribe, establish friendly relations with the Tubo (Tibet). [Secured by the marriage of Princess Wencheng to the Tubo king, Songtsan Gambo.]

h). A sound foreign policy, securing peace with minority nations on the frontiers, cultural, commercial and economic ties abroad, while encouraging foreigners to travel, live, trade and study within the Tang Empire.

Under the management of Emperor Taizong, the Tang Empire emerged as the most powerful feudal empire in the world. However, after 630 AD, towards the end of his reign, Taizong's public works became more grandiose and extravagant. In spite of this he is considered to be one of the most outstanding military strategists and statesmen in the history of China.
Following his death in 649 at the age of fifty-three, he was buried in the Zhaolin Tomb that is located near the present day city of Xi'an.

Liu Bang(259 - 195 BC)

Emperor Gaozu of the Han,also named Liu Bang, is the first emperor of the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 24 AD). He was born from a peasant family in Pei (present Pei County in Jiangsu Province), and used to be one of the leaders of the peasant insurrections in the late Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC).

At the end of the Qin Dynasty, having suffered a lot from the despotic rule, Liu Bang rose up and, together with Xiangyu, became two important leaders of the peasant uprisings at that time. In 206 BC, Liu Bang first broke Xianyang, the capital city of Qin, putting an end to the notorious Qin Dynasty. He abandoned the harsh laws, reduced taxes so as to protect the interest of normal people, which made him popular with people.

However, Liu Bang's actions and fame were envied by Xiangyu who intended to be an emperor controlling the whole country. So, after Xiangyu proclaimed himself the King of Chu, Liu Bang, realized that he was inferior to Xiangyu, adopted the suggestions of Xiaohe to move to Hanzhong (present Hanzhong in Shaanxi Province) with the title "King of Han" conferred by Xiangyu.

In Hanzhong, Liu Bang focused his efforts on developing agriculture and training army, through which reinforced his material accumulation and military power. Before long, Liu Bang left Hanzhong and stationed in the Central Shaanxi Plain, launching a war, known as Chu-Han War, against Xiangyu.The war lasted four years (206 - 202 BC) and ended with the victory of Liu Bang. Having defeated Xiangyu, Liu Bang established the Han Dynasty in 202 BC and made Chang'an (present city of Xi'an) his capital city. Liu Bang was historically known as Emperor Gaozu.

During Liu Bang was in power, he continued to use the centralism created by Qin, replaced original vassals and granted lands to his relatives. In economy, he reduced taxes and corvee, developed agriculture but restricted commerce. Emperor Gaozu's efforts laid a solid foundation to the over four-hundred-year reign of the Han Dynasty.

Liu Bei

Liu Bei, commonly called Liu Xuande, was a descendant of Prince Zhongshanjing. Liu Bei was born in Hebei Province. Started his life as a shoemaker and a weaver of mats, he made his name against the Yellow Turban Uprising and fought in wars all around China, finally becoming the first emperor of Shu.

Liu Bei was noted for his loyalty to friends and his respect to the talents. He met Guanyu and Zhangfei and became sworn brothers at the Peach Garden and vowed to combine their strengths and efforts to restore peace and order to the country. Another much-told story said that he ever paid three visits to the home of Zhuge Liang, one of the most resourceful men in history. In the end, with sincerity and persuasion from Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang gave up his seclusion and spent the rest of his life assisting the Shu rulers to govern the Kingdom.

In 208 AD, Liu Bei adopted the suggestion of Zhuge Liang and carried out a joint military action with the Wu Kingdom against the attacks of the powerful Wei Kingdom. The alliance had the final victory. And further on, Liu Bei occupied the vast land in present Sichuan and Shaanxi Provinces and thus reinforced the regime of Shu.
In 221 AD, Liu Bei crowned himself the King of Shu in present Chengdu City. The next year, he broke the alliance treaty and commanded the army downstream the Yangtze River to attack the Wu Kingdom. However, the Shu army lost the battle. On the way of their retreat, Liubei died at Baidicheng, in present Chongqing City.

Liu Che(156 - 87 BC)

Emperor Wu, namely Liu Che, was the sixth emperor of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - 24 AD). He reigned from 141 BC to 87 BC and his reign is one of the most celebrated in Chinese history. After his death, he was given a posthumous title of Emperor Shizong.

Emperor Wu, came to the throne at the sixteen years old, besides carried out a series of reforms, devoted himself to military conquests and territorial expansion. So, people call him Emperor Wu (Martial Emperor).

Emperor Wu's most important military campaigns were against the Xiongnu, an ancient tribe that lived in North China who posed a powerful threat to the Han Empire. After three expeditions, Emperor Wu finally drove the Xiongnu into the far north of Gobi, thus maintaining the safety of the Hexi Corridor. In order to avoid the aggression of other nomadic tribes, Emperor Wu also ordered the construction of the Great Wall.

In 138 BC, Emperor Wu sent a diplomatic expedition to Central Asia to try to find allies against the Xiongnu. Failed in his original purpose, Chinese ruler became aware of the cultures and customs of other nationalities. Eventually, this lead to the opening of the Silk Road which later served as a route for cultural and economic exchange between the east and the west.

In order to pay his military cost, Emperor Wu raised taxes, nationalized many private businesses and confiscated property for the nobility. He also restrained other thoughts but made Confucianism a state ideology. During the reign of Emperor Wu, Western Han Dynasty was in a period of great.

Pu yi(the Last Emperor of China)

Pu Yi was born on February 7, 1906, the Ch'ing Dynasty was in trouble. China had come to be dominated by foreign powers, mainly Westerners. The country was ruled by Dowager Empress Tzu Hsi (or Cixi), who had imprisoned the nominal emperor, Kuang Hsu, for conspiring against her. On her deathbed the empress named young P'u Yi -- the son of the imprisoned emperor's brother -- to succeed her. To make sure the current emperor didn't interfere in her plans, it is said, she had him poisoned. P'u Yi was nearly three years old when the dowager empress died. As emperor he was given the reign name Hsuan Tung.

Pu Yi's father, Prince Ch'un, served as his son's regent. The prince disliked politics, and dissidents considered him weak. There was great resentment in China against foreigners and the Manchu government, and in 1911 rebellion swept through the country, forcing Prince Ch'un to resign as regent. Chinese general Yuan Shih-k'ai took over the government. He hoped to start his own ruling dynasty and suggested that P'u Yi should abdicate. Fearing the consequences if they refused, the Manchu Grand Council agreed, and on February 12, 1912, the five-year old emperor renounced his throne. He continued to live in the Forbidden City and was treated with enormous respect.

Although Pu Yi was no longer emperor, everyone knelt and kowtowed to him, including his parents, whom he rarely saw. He became emperor at age three and didn't see his mother again until he was 10. His upbringing was supervised by four consorts of previous emperors. In his own words, "Although I had many mothers, I never knew motherly love." His real mother argued with the consorts about how to raise Pu Yi. After one of these arguments she swallowed opium and died. P'u Yi was about 13 at the time. Pu Yi's father, Prince Ch'un, visited his son every two months and never stayed for more than two minutes.

The eunuchs also treated P'u Yi with great formality. Everywhere he went in the Forbidden City he was accompanied by a huge procession. He couldn't take a simple stroll without his entourage following him with food, medicine and clothing. He had no set meal times. When he wanted to eat he commanded, "Bring the food!" and immediately the eunuchs brought him six tables full of food: two tables of main dishes, one table of vegetables, and three tables of rice and cakes. He was "limited" to 25 dishes per meal; previous emperors had been served at least 100 dishes. The Forbidden City's cooks prepared food constantly, day and night, so that it would be ready at Pu Yi's whim.

The Restoration
In 1917, when Pu Yi was 9, a warlord named Chang Hsun decided to restore him to the throne. Chang's army surrounded Peking, and Pu Yi released a decree stating that he was the emperor once again. Leaders of the republican government accused the monarchists of using Pu Yi as a puppet, which, of course, he was.

Six days after Pu Yi's restoration a plane dropped three bombs on the Forbidden City. It was the first air raid in Chinese history. Pu Yi was in his classroom when he heard an explosions. He said later, "I was so terrified that I shook all over, and the color drained from my tutors' faces." One bomb damaged a lotus pond and another injured a sedan-chair carrier. The third bomb fell amid a group of eunuchs who were gambling, but didn't explode. Then the sound of gunfire was heard approaching the Forbidden City.

Pu Yi's supporters abandoned him, and once again he lost his throne. He remained in the Forbidden City, and his life went on much as it had before.

Qin Shi Huang --- First Emperor of China

Emperor Qin Shi Huang was the founder of the first unified empire in the history of China. He established an autocratic state with centralized power over the feudal society. Just as the exploits of Napoleon inspire the French, so the Emporer's life, political ambitions, gains and losses are fascinating to the modern world.

Ascent to the Throne

About 300 years after Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, was born in what is now India, a baby was born in Handan, an ancient town in China. Yingzheng (the name of Qin Shi Huang) led a tough childhood when his father, son of the King of Qin state, was held hostage in the State of Zhao until Lu Buwei, a wealthy merchant secured their release back to the Qin.

Ying Zheng became the King of Qin at the age of 13 upon the death of his father. However, rule was actually exercised by the prime minister Lu Buwei until 238 B. C. when Ying Zheng, then aged 22, assumed control of state affairs and immediately stripped the minister of his powers.

'Qin Shi Huang'- the Title of the First Emperor in China

With assistance of wise and innovative men, Ying Zheng carried out a series of reforms to develop agriculture and the military. When Qin defeated the other six states in 221 BC, for the first time in history, all China became a unified empire. Ying Zheng assumed the title "Shi Huangdi" as he considered his achievement surpassed those of "San Huang" (hree previous emperors) and "Wu Di" (five previous emperors), legendary rulers in remote antiquity. "Shi" which means the first, combined with "Huangdi", the given names of his predecessors signifies his supremacy over them. Although his reign lasted little more than a decade, it had a defining influence on Chinese civilization.

Achievements

To organize his new empire, Qin Shi Huang abolished the existing feudal system. He established prefectures and counties with further townships. These were put under the control of military and administrative officials who were his direct appointees.

Roads radiating from Xianyang, the capital, were built linking the former Yan, Qi, Wu and Chu areas. To strengthen the northern border, the Emperor sent slaves and criminals to build the line of defense now known as the Great Wall. He also standardized the script used for writing, the coinage, introducing a circular copper coin with a square hole in the center. Equally important reforms were the standardization of weights and measures, and codification of the law. These reforms benefited both the economy and cultural exchange during the period.

The Decline of the First Emperor

Qin Shihuangdi was apprehensive about the prospect of death. When he ascended the throne in 246 BC. he commissioned the construction of his tomb, work which intensified following conquest of the rival states. The emperor died whileaway from his capital on tour in 210 BC. His demise sparked uprisings across the country and thus the Qin dynasty ended in 206 BC.

A reformer as well as tyrant, Qin Shi Huang, left to posterity his immense and monumental Qin Mausoleum, a creation of both blood and tears.

Empress Wu Zetian (624 - 705)

Empress Wu was the only female monarch of China, influential and mysterious woman in Chinese history.

Opinion is sharply divided between those who admire her for her many achievements and those who regard her as a ruthless, merciless schemer and autocrat. Others will say merely that she did what she had to do and that her actions were no different from those of male emperors of the period. What then are the facts about this redoubtable woman?

She was born in 624 and named Wu Zhao. Her parents were rich and of noble families. Her father was one of the original supporters of Emperor Taizong(who`s who/Emperor tai zong of the Tang dynasty)and her mother was a member of the Sui (581 - 618) royal family. As a child she was taught to write, read the Chinese classics and to play music.

At the age of fourteen, this accomplished child became a concubine to Emperor Taizong. She was given the title Cairen (a fifth grade concubine of the Tang). Her perspicacity set her apart from others in the palace and her knowledge of literature and history and talent quickly found favor with the emperor. He bestowed the title Meiniang which means 'charming lady' upon his new favorite and she was assigned to work in the imperial study. Here she was introduced to official documents and quickly became acquainted with affairs of state.

In 649, when she was twenty-six years old, the emperor died. He was succeeded by his son Gaozong and following the established court procedures, the old emperor's concubines were sent to a nunnery to live out their days. Emperor Gaozong was fascinated by Wu's talent and beauty and frequently visited her in the nunnery. After a period of some two to three years, she was summonsed to the palace and became Zhaoyi, the second grade concubine of the new emperor.

By virtue of her intelligence and accomplishments, Wu gradually earned Gaozong's trust and became a favourite of the entire court. After giving birth to two sons, she gained still more influence. Stealthily, she began to compete with Empress Wang and the senior concubine Xiaoshu for the favour of Emperor Gaozong. Seizing upon an opportunity to accuse the empress of infanticide when her newborn daughter died, Wu Zetian finally succeeded in her quest for power.

In 655, Gaozong promoted Wu to the position of Empress in place of the now disgraced Wang. Before long both the former empress and the concubine, Xiaoshu, were put to death and Wu's position was finally secure. Having acquired the title and position she had coveted for so long, Empress Wu Zetian began her political career in earnest. A woman of ambition, she was not content to be merely the Empress, her immediate desire was to be the emperor in all but name.

Her resourcefulness and discernment meant that she was highly esteemed by her husband, the emperor. Wu recommended and had accepted new ideas regarding agriculture, tax reduction, social reforms and effective labour saving practices. Not least, she also introduced ideas for fighting fires. This was very important considering the amount of timber that was used in the traditional construction of buildings. Clearly, she was a very clever person. Within five years of her marriage, Wu took an active part in state affairs and fostered her henchmen with zeal. Those who opposed her in any way were quickly removed from office, exiled or forced to commit suicide.

The emperor suffered a crippling stroke in 660 and the Empress took over the administration of the court. She then created a secret police force in order to spy on those who might oppose her. As her power grew, so did her confidence. Showing no mercy toward anyone who failed to conform to her wishes, she would have them thrown into prison or executed. Her cruelty extended to members of her family as well as those high ranking officials who had contributed much to the founding of the dynasty.

Emperor Gaozong was disgusted by these actions but by now had become too feeble to make efforts to curb Wu Zetian. She would appear in court alongside the emperor whenever he held an audience. When in 674 Gaozong took the title the Heavenly Emperor and granted Wu Zetian the title Heavenly Empress, the pair became known as the Holy Sovereigns. From that juncture Emperor Gaozong became merely a figurehead and ruled in name only.

Gaozong died in 683 and Wu's third son, Li Xian (656 - 710) ascended to the throne and was named Emperor Zhongzong. In the February of the following year, Wu deposed Zhongzong as he was proving difficult to control and replaced him with his younger brother, her fourth son, Li Dan (661 - 716). This latest emperor was known as Ruizong. All along, Wu was the puppet master and ruled the empire through her son, who had no option but to do what she told him. Finally, in 690 Wu Zetian usurped the throne and declared the empire was henceforth ruled by the Zhou Dynasty from her capital city Luoyang.

In spite of her ruthless rise to power, Wu proved to be a very competent monarch and throughout her reign the legacy of prosperity bequeathed by the late Taizong.

The Empress was eager to draw into her government all manner of talented people. In the first year of her period of absolute power, she sent officials far and wide to search for people of outstanding ability. Wu Zetian even encouraged people to volunteer their services should they consider themselves of value to her. In this way no effort was spared to recruit able persons into the civil service. The imperial examination system was further revised in order that no man of ability should be excluded due to his lowly birth. She also initiated the practice of personally interviewing candidates. This became the sole means by which officials could be recruited. These formalities guaranteed appointments could no longer be obtained through patronage, bribery or corruption.

Surprisingly, she showed tolerance towards her critics. Ever willing to listen to new ideas and suggestions, she generously rewarded those who offered sound advice and demonstrated enterprise. This ensured that throughout her long reign, she always had the support of a loyal administration.

Wu Zetian attached great importance to the development of agriculture. She ordered the construction of irrigation schemes. So as to create a bank of knowledge about agricultural matters and develop expertise, she commissioned the compilation of farming textbooks. Local officials were charged with the task of bringing more land under cultivation. As an incentive for increased production, taxes were reduced and the imposition of corvee upon the peasant population was eased. By allowing peasant farmers to retain more of their produce, they were able to improve their lot and in general the population benefited from quite considerable prosperity.

The relationships that had been established between the empire and the neighboring Tubo deteriorated. A series of many border skirmishes led to a final defeat of the Tubo in 692. Afterwards, steps were taken to keep the vast lands to the north and south of the Tainshan Mountains secure from invasion. The Anxi Military Viceroy and the Beiting Military Viceroy were given responsibility for the area, with the consequence that Wu's defence policy effectively consolidated the north-western border region.

Wu's religious policy gave Buddhism precedence over Taoism as the favoured state religion. She encouraged gifted scholars to settle in China and many Buddhist temples were built. Also, many of the finest Buddhist cave sculptures were created. Under the patronage of the Empress, Buddhism made its greatest advances within China.

Wu Zetian poured scorn on the Confucian belief that women should always be subordinate to men. As well as furthering her own ambitions, she sought to enhance the position of women in society. This included employing scholars to write biographies of famous women. These works served as a reminder to everyone that women were every bit as capable of men. All they lacked was equal opportunity.

It is said there is good and bad in everybody. So far as Wu Zetian was concerned, when she was bad she could be very bad indeed. To achieve her ambitions she was as ruthless as was possible. She did not hesitate to arrange the murders of members of her family, her husband's concubines or ministers if they opposed her. Even Wu's infant daughter was sacrificed in order that she might succeed in her desire for power. The men whose loyalty to both Li Yuan and Li Shimin had helped establish the Tang Dynasty were subjected to her cruelty. These included Zhangsun Wuji, Zhu Suiliang, Yu Zhining and Cheng Wuting and many others who were either put to death or reduced in rank. Members of the Li royal family and their relatives were likewise eliminated.

Once she was on the throne, Wu was ever cautious lest any of her ministers proved to be disloyal or plot against her. She appointed sadistic and cruel officials to seek out and eliminate any opposition to her regime. Men such as Suo Yuanli, Zhong Xing and Lai Juncheng became infamous due to their methods of exposing so-called enemies of their mistress. In such times, it is possible to be rid of rivals by denouncing them as conspirators or laying trumped up charges against them. So, although those who opposed Wu were severely dealt with, also many other innocent people were cruelly put to death. However, once Wu Zetian was satisfied that her regime was secure, she did relax some of her repressive measures and there were far fewer executions.

In her later life, and probably to ease her conscience, Wu Zetian resorted to Buddhism for solace. Her enthusiasm for building temples and monuments placed a huge strain on resources and labour. This show of religious fervour could not hide her continued craving for greatness and acclaim as she enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle. In particular, her penchant for her male concubines contributed to her reputation for decadence!

As Wu grew older, so her hold on state affairs began to lessen. She also realised that as a woman, she could only be respected after her death as a member of the Li family. She therefore allowed herself to be persuaded in 698 to reinstate Li Xian as Crown Prince. In the year 705 there was a palace coup and Wu was forced to resign in favour of her son. He resumed the throne as Emperor Zhongzong thus restoring the Tang Dynasty to power. It was then that Wu was given her title Zetian which means 'Supreme Empress' and it is by that title she is best remembered.

Aged eighty-two, Wu Zetian died in the December of the year in which she had been deposed. She was buried alongside Emperor Gaozong in the Qiangling Tomb, located west of the present day Xi'an City. At her own wish, her final resting place was marked by a plain tombstone lacking any inscription. To some, this symbolises her absolute power that no words could describe. To others the absence of any comment suggests that she wanted future generations to decide for themselves how she should be eulogised.

So lived and died the only woman who ever ruled the Chinese empire in her own right. According to Confucius, having a female monarch is unnatural as 'a hen crowing like a rooster at daybreak.' However, for what proved to be one of the most glorious periods during the Tang Dynasty, a woman did rule the empire. What is more, she did so with more than fair measure of success. Down the ages, many have described Wu as a ruthless, cruel and despotic autocrat. Others, with rather more pragmatic views, have said she merely behaved as many men in her position had done, both before and since her notorious reign.

Yan Di

One of the first ancestors of the chinese nation.Possessed indelible achievements in the development of the human kind.He was born by rensi when she was visiting the Chang Yang Mountain.Because Yan Di grew up near Jiang River.He used Jiang as his name as well as his tribe's. He thought so highly of agriculture that he himself invented the LeiSi(Primitive Ploughing instruments) and taughe his People to farm. He tasted all Kinds of herbs and made medicine to treat the sick and wounded.He even devoted his life to the well-being of the People Therefore he has been honored not only as the God of agriculture the God of the Sun and the God of medicine,but also as the first ancestors of the chinese People with Huang Di,another legendary ruler.

About 5,000 years ago in the remote agos, BaoJi, the home of Yan Di Saw the Jiang Tribe breathed in the Jiang River Valley.And Yan Di was the head of the tribe. Even before the Tang Dynasty, here existed grand-scale Shen Nong Temples and Yan Di Ancestral Halls which could still be traced today. On July 7 every lunar year,a Sacred memorial ceremony would be held here with crescendos of music burning incense and people in an endless stream coming here to Pay homage to Yan Di This Kingof ceremony has lasted from the immemorial past up till now.

Yu Di

Yu Di was still remembered and respected as the ruler who put Yellow River under control. He lived about four thousand years ago. At that time, people suffered from big flood of Yellow River. Initially, King Shun, the ruler before Yu, assigned Yu's father Gun to handle the problem. Gun took the method by blocking up the water wherever flood occurred. After nine years, the situation turned out to be even worse with flood overflowing everywhere. King Shun was very angry about what Gun did. He dismissed Gun and reappointed Yu. Yu learned lessons from his father and adopted a new way of dredging water channel and conducting the river to the sea. He put his whole heart into this project of water control. It was said during this period of time, he had ever passed by his house three times but never went inside. It took him 13 years to tame the river. The story of Yu in fought of flood bespeaks fearless spirit of ancient people in front of natural disaster.

Later, King Shun who was impressed by Yu's exploits passed his throne to Yu. Yu Di was the last legendary leader of primitive society, in which the election of leader was under merit system. It was Qi, the son of Yu that violated this practice. He killed the person Yu Di appointed and succeeded his father's power. Qi founded the Xia Dynasty (21st-16th century BC) and initiated hereditary system of monarch.