Wu Zetian: The Brilliant, Bloody Concubine Who Seized the Throne 

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I do wish we’d get more Biographics from China’s long and fascinating history. The Hongwu Emperor, who was born a peasant but rose to become founder of the Ming Dynasty. Zheng Guofan, the ruthless but noble-hearted general who strove to reform and preserve the Qing Dynasty. Xu Guangqi, the Christian convert who helped introduce western science and mathematics into early modern China. Scholars and Warlords and Princes, oh my!

Empress wang was probably like “ She was supposed to be my sidekick not my replacement “

I had been hoping Biographics would do Wu Zetian for a long time. Such a fascinating figure. I wish more focus had been given to her achievements as ruler than in her 'taking out her rivals' angle. She reformed the civil service to include commoners, reformed the curriculum, wrote and published a biography of notable women, promoted the massification of the printing press and is who is essentially responsible for the rise/ influence of buddhism in imperial china. She built a huge imperial capital, had a super active court with ambassadors from the far reaches of the world present there and the center of the silk road and commerce at its height. So many cool things to learn about her reign.

Sounds like HBO should do a real life Game of Thrones style show on China. They should also do another show on Rome.

Would be super cool to hear about Empress Dowager Cixi. Similar sort of story!

1:10 - Chapter 1 - Concubine n°5 5:05 - Mid roll ads 6:30 - Chapter 2 - Empress consort 14:50 - Chapter 3 - Empress dowager 18:35 - Chapter 4 - Empress regnant

I like how casually Simon put the Emperor's thinking. "Hmmm... I want her dead but at the same time... she's pretty... I am perplexed..." 🤔

All the concubine story throughout Chinese history makes Cercy's action in Game of Thrones look like a children's fairy tale in comparison , and we had to read them in school. xD

You should do a video on Da Ji, She has a very similar story but she was unbelievably cruel. Most serial killers aren't as scary as she is.

I want to know the secret to Simon’s proactivity across five different channels, and why I can’t apply that to my own life 😔

You know you were good at your job when even your most hated enemies conceded you were competent as an administrator.

Her story is immensely popular today among the up and coming women of China. She's a bit of a role model. Scary. I've been to the mausoleum complex where she is buried. It's quite beautiful.

"No Wei!" - Bill and Ted

At the Longmen caves in China is a ginormous statue of the Buddha, supposedly commissioned by Wu Zetian; she had the sculptor carve the face as her own.

Really interesting I just found this RU-vidr today

Irene of Athens: Rome's first female Emperor. I definitely want to see that

I can understand how my modern brain would have trouble wrapping my head around the whole concubine system but from a historical perspective, it was what was considered normal. From a modern perspective......I’d have lots to say about it

Thank god, my father had so many concubines, I can't even imagine what would have happened to me if I lived in Switzerland 🇨🇭 during his last years....

Simon: spends a whole video narrating Wu Zetian's killings. Also Simon: "sexism and confusion has painted her as a bloodthirsty ruler"

No comments about Civ V? Never knew she existed until I played as her and took over the world with Chu-Ko-Nu's. Thank you Sid Meier

I like how you made sure that when you talked about her stories and what ever historical record of her, you made sure to talk about how much fiction there was mixed in. She was a woman in a history mostly written by men. She was , indefinitely, but in an ancient history so long ago there were so many incidences of convoluted stories disguised as warnings of "if women came to power this would happen".

Request: Do someone from the Three Kingdoms Period. Doesn't matter who, they are all interesting.

The US needs to have entrance exams for it's politicians and lawmakers before they can take the position, like China did for it's government employees.

I love that she’s been getting the recognition she deserves

A Biographics episode IDEA ; Willem van Oranje (a famous Dutch king ) that was murdered , thanks in advance . P.S. i realy like your channel's i watch almost every episode , Simon W. and Grant G. you are very personable people

History treated her like such a villain but she did a lot of good for her people......yet again, she had to be ruthless to do it. Great video! It will definitely go into my favorites playlist.

Just try to imagine having so much ill will toward two people that you order their hands and feet cut off, and then drowning them in wine. That's just so over the top

YES!!! I've wanted this to come out one day. Thank you so much Simon! So happy!

Mr. Whistler: I strongly wish that I had a better foundation in Chinese history because this program was so filled with facts and figures that my head is still spinning (and no alcohol/cannabis pre-op). China is simply fascinating. Thank you again. Warmly Yada, Yada, Yada.

I’ve been waiting for an episode on Wu Zeitan, I’m happy it’s here🥳

when you title the historical figure as 'Brilliant' and then go one to describe they dispatched their chief rival by pointing at them and saying 'WITCH!!!'

There is an interesting novelization of Wu, called "Lady Wu," written by Lin Yutang (in English) around 1964. It is partly fictional (perhaps) and partly historically correct. It is out of print and a little hard to find but worth the effort. I found this video very even-handed, given the initial bad press she got and the more recent revisionist approaches: good emperor/empress for China, horrible person to be related to or to have to work for. Thanks. Pat, in Chicago

I'd never heard of her until I played Civ 5. Now China is my favourite civ. Thanks for this. I learned a lot.

This is such a good one, i literally lol'd for like 5 minutes at "you dont just go from 5th ranked concubine to empress without a little usurping, do you?" @12:10

I chuckled at “Wang”, I am a child.

I am curious to learn about Hideyoshi Toyatomi as well. The great unified of Japan who used Nobunaga as a stepping stone to his dream and conquest.

Pitching Wu: No Hits, No Runs, No Errors!

duuuude, I was just finished watching Oversimplified's Three Kingdoms...well, a history teacher's reaction to it actually. Then this came out? Bonus.

Thank you, requested this ages ago, definitely didn't disappoint :D

Wu Zetian was a true ruler, she was very intelligent indeed

beautiful take on Wu，amidst all the oriental biases and twisted folk tales you guys had to circum navigate to get the bigger picture，alot more could be told but maybe not，well done

There are some other documentaries on RU-vid about her. She’s so fascinating.

I love that you mentioned GRRM because her life and rise to power always reminded me of Cersei Lannister in a way. Except that Wu was smarter and a way better ruler than Cersei.

I was just reading a book on her! Now I get to watch your fantastic video on her too! I'm so excited 😁

Could you please please please please do one on richard feynman, the great explainer

She pops up so often in cdramas, even when she's not the main character or if the story is not about her. She's quite the byword.

I will not stop asking. Please make more videos covering the people in the American Civil War, for example; Thomas Jackson, better known as Stonewall General William T. Sherman, who I really couldnt say anything about without someone getting pissed Confederate President Jefferson Davies Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, who commanded the first African-American Regiment in the Civil War Ulysses S. Grant, who needs no introduction Etc. I just wish there were more videos that tackled the people in the Civil War on your channel

I haven't commented in quite some time; usually when I do it is to make a suggestion for a video. Thos is no different... Brian Blessed: actor, explorer, mountaineer, martial artist. I know he is still alive, but he has lead an extraordinary life and accomplished some amazing things. Not only is he is the oldest man to have both summited Everest, and go to the north pole on foot, but he also survived a plane crash while exploring the Venezuelan jungle.

Funny enough, if you say “wu” with the right tones (mandarin), you can make a play on words that her name means “five.”

I always enjoy your videos, I remember finding out about this individual years ago by happenstance because my nephew convinced me to get a computer and one of the games I bought was civilization five and the civilization was led by Wu Zetain and I researched her and now it has come full circle because of the facts you have presented. She seems like an awesome lady, but I would not want to cross her.

You guys should do Syd Barret of Pink Floyd, the man who literally Acid tripped himself into self destruction and making some of the best music to listen to while on it

love your content! would you consider doing a video on Hildegard von Bingen?

After this, she became a loli that likes torturing other people and recently appeared during the Halloween.

The videos have been slowing down, but always welcome!! 🤓

Do oswald Mosley, been rewatching peaky blinders and I'd love to know about the real guy!

Sorry if I missed any announcements, but why have you stopped uploading podcast-versions? I for one found them really handy, and would appreciate it if they resumed. To be clear, I still appreciate the great work you do, keep it up.

Maybe you could do videos on other powerful women, such as Catharine de Medici or Queen Margareth the 1st of Denmark

Another excellent video, I learned something new today again! Well done indeed!

Erich Von Manstein: The strategist of the Wehrmacht might be a great biography to present

Now we know where George got the idea for the character of Cersei Lannister... Truth is far more intriguing than fiction can ever dream up!

Ah, the classic mistake of grabbing as much power as you can, eliminating anyone who disagrees with you or gets too powerful and in the end wondering why you have nobody competent enough to pass the torch to.

You should do one on Margaret Thatcher

Rafael Trujillo: the Dominican Butcher

I have been waiting for this for so long!

‘Brilliant and Bloody’ makes me think they were Brilliant, and bleeding a lot, lol

Wow!! What a mouthful!! Good job!! Smarter everyday!! 😉

I was begging y’all in my other RU-vid account Vida Hasselburg (forgot my pw) to do Empress Wu for like months last year. You made a sad dude happy AF today guys! Thank you!!! If you like historical fiction I recommend Evelyn McCune’s “Empress,” it’s a well-researched version of the story of Wu’s life told from her perspective ; from the beginning of her court life to her death. I would be reading this by my night light when I was in seventh grade because I was so enraptured and had to know what happened. (Obviously totally agreeing with they who brought up Cixi btw) 👍👍👍🙏🙏🙏🙏

when will you make a biography on mackenzie king?

And how she is depicted in a certain mobile game... (Cough fgo cough, cough)

I know I’ve commented before but I love how you put a new lens on an old fave story of mine.

Glad to see more videos about China, I like learning about Asia.

One of my favorite Biographics Episode Ever!

Me before even clicking on this video: *finger snap* Yes _-queen-_ Empress

Great Video!

The script is so well written and your delivery is spot on too

I was just thinking to myself last night you should make a video about her lol

While it’s more interesting to tell the worst parts about a persons life, what saddens me is that this channel failed to even mention the very good things she did. She helped stopped famines, improved farming techniques, lowered taxes for the poor, expanded the education system and many other things. This channel does her a disservice by just telling a one sided narrative and saying “oh yea she was smart.”.

Very well researched!

Wow, what a monster!

After hearing this, I would like to hear your take on Empress Cixi.

Loved this video. I would love to see a video on Manuel Noriega.

'he began to be incapacitated by headaches and blindness, he remained in his chamber for weeks on end allowing empress Wu to make rulings in his stead' hmm. poisoning anyone? what's impressive is assuming that were even the case, she didn't have him outright snuffed out, but removed from the equation just long enough for him to return several months later, just enough time to see that she was an effective ruler. Smart, and confident enough that she knew she'd be good at running the show in his absence.. nice move (if only she abstained from all the actual poison-murders that followed) The favourite tool of tyrants and usurpers since time immemorial; from the Roman Republic & Empire, to ancient Chinese dynasties, all the way up to present day nation states, everything from nightshade to hemlock to Novichok has been used on people of import, everyone from monarchs (Cleopatra), Emperors (Caligula, many if not most Chinese emperors - seriously) to sitting rulers (Artaxerxes III and IV, Persian emperors) to purported enemies of the state (just ask Putin - i.e. anyone he doesn't like).

Finally here at the second it came out

“A scholarship to Arizona State” had me rolling! You truly know American culture! Hahaha

Good video 👍

I enjoy the show. I have watched it from the beginning and I hope. Simon Whistler a longtime fan... Thanks

She also moonlighted as a Night-Lite.

Wu Zhao Sounds like Wu Jow.

Great vid!!! Could u do one about Alfred The Great or Henry Hotspur or Montgomery pleeeeeease?

Wu Zetian... Fate: a little girl she'll be

"He began to be infrequently capacitated" I think you mixed up your syllables there Simon! :D

Good evening and congratulations! I am Mrs Wu and you're our first customer! Meet Tanya the Lotus Eater!😂😂

Since you already have this one done, how about another for her famous frenemy subject, the legendary Judge Dee?

Empress Ki

Can you do Alfred the great or Narmer

Great job, all!

Please do Hernán Cortés!

Brilliant idea with the copper mailboxes.

This content is godly