Wu Zetian’s life was extremely legendary. She was originally a member of Emperor Taizong’s harem, and after Li Shimin’s death, she did not escape the fate of becoming a nun at the Gan Ye Temple. However, later we also learned that Li Zhi brought her back to the palace, and she was the only one from empress to emperor in a thousand years. However, when she became a nun, nuns naturally had to shave their hair, while Wu Zetian was able to practice with her hair. Why is that? Why did Wu Zetian have such preferential treatment?
The Tang Dynasty was the most prosperous period in Chinese history, but also the most intense period of internal power struggle. In front of Xuanwu Gate, there was a hand and foot fight, and Li Shimin stepped on his brother’s body, forcing his father Li Yuan to abdicate.
For Li Shimin, the throne was not easy to obtain. He first resisted external enemies, then pacified internal troubles, and after becoming emperor, he had to endure the direct advice of officials such as Wei Zheng, which earned him the title of a wise ruler. However, in Li Shimin’s later years, he had a very big knot in his heart that remained unresolved until his death.
During the reign of Li Shimin, there was a legend among the people that after three generations of the Tang dynasty, a woman surnamed Wu would seize the Li Tang kingdom and inherit the throne. For Tang Taizong, who spent his entire life in the military and had ruthless political skills, this was undoubtedly a huge hidden danger.
At that time, there were two extraordinary people and scholars in the Tang Dynasty, both of whom were masters of observing stars and the sky, proficient in feng shui and geomancy. One was Li Chunfeng, and the other was Yuan Tiangang; So Emperor Taizong invited Li Chunfeng to divinate for himself, using celestial devices to glimpse the future of Li Tang’s world?
After deduction, Li Chunfeng clearly told Emperor Taizong of Tang that the prophecy was about to come true, but women surnamed Wu could not be killed. The Li Tang royal family should have this calamity, which was the will of heaven.
If this woman is not killed, fate will still belong to Li Tang decades later. If this woman is killed, the Tang Dynasty will perish, and Emperor Taizong of Tang will break out in a cold sweat and his back will turn cold. Later on, it was true that Wu Zetian ascended the throne and became the empress, but after her death, the descendants of the Li family returned to the historical stage.
In fact, Emperor Taizong had already noticed his beloved concubine Wu Meiniang around him. This woman was different from other concubines in that she had a deep understanding of politics and even had her own unique insights.
Emperor Taizong initially chose her as his concubine because he appreciated her more than favored her. How many men could control such a talented and beautiful woman? On the occasion of Emperor Taizong’s death, he specially summoned Wu Zetian and tentatively asked her, “I am about to return to heaven, where are you waiting for.
Smart Wu Meiniang had long known that Emperor Taizong was not at ease with her. If he said the wrong thing at this moment, she might be buried with her like other concubines.
She cried and replied, ‘I promise to become a nun and recite scriptures day and night at the Gan Ye Temple, praying for the longevity of our Tang Dynasty.’. Emperor Taizong was very satisfied and passed away in his own palace that night, and Wu Meiniang also escaped unscathed.
While the concubines at the Gan Ye Temple were shaving their heads, the other concubines were sobbing due to the loss of their green hair. Only Wu Meiniang’s eyes remained fixed, and she whispered softly, “Hair can fall, but the head is difficult to recover.
It was precisely this sentence that scared the old lady who shaved her head so much that she threw her razor on the ground. She dared not shave for this woman again, so Wu Zetian took her hair to practice until she returned to the palace.
