Why couldn’t Changsun Wuji defeat a woman named Wu Zetian? Next, the History Encyclopedia editor will take you to a detailed understanding of the historical truth. Let’s take a look together!
Changsun Wuji was the leader of the twenty-four meritorious officials of Lingyan Pavilion in the early Tang Dynasty. The ultimate outcome was being forced to commit suicide.
So, why is his life so dramatic?
01. The reason why Changsun Wuji was resented by Wu Zetian is that he did not agree with Wu Zetian’s appointment as empress dowager
In the context of the successive downfall of Empress Wang and Consort Xiao Shufei, Emperor Gaozong of Tang believed that the harem could not remain unclaimed for a day, so he had the idea of conferring the title of Empress Wu Zetian.
One day, Emperor Gaozong of Tang shared his thoughts with the ministers below. Unexpectedly, Changsun Wuji disagreed and appointed Wu Zetian as the empress.
According to the New Book of Tang, “When the emperor wanted to establish Wu Zhaoyi as his successor, he had no taboos or fixed words
Tang Gaozong did not expect that this matter would face strong opposition from Changsun Wuji. In order to win his consent, he constantly tried to please him.
He was rewarded again, promoted the official positions of his descendants, and sent other ministers to advise Changsun Wuji.
According to the “New Book of Tang”, “Emperor Mi bestowed upon him more than ten chariots of precious treasures, including silk and brocade. Fortunately, his third son was promoted to the rank of Grand Master,
Zhao Yi’s mother returned to her family to apply. Xu Jingzong repeatedly advised him, but he refused sternly. ”
Later on, perhaps Tang Gaozong was provoked, regardless of whether the ministers agreed or not.
He said directly to the minister, “There is no hope for the future. Zhaoyi has a son and must be established
In the end, Wu Zetian was still crowned empress. She believed that Changsun Wuji, who had accepted the reward, did not agree to be crowned empress.
Therefore, he held a grudge against Changsun Wuji. According to the “New Book of Tang,” “After being established, he was granted without hesitation and did not help himself, and was given the title
That is to say, the reason why Changsun Wuji was resented by Wu Zetian was because he accepted the award or did not agree with Wu Zetian’s posthumous title.
02. Changsun Wuji’s fate: falsely accused of rebellion, demoted, and ultimately forced to commit suicide
As mentioned earlier, Changsun Wuji was resented by Wu Zetian for not agreeing to her posthumous title.
And Xu Jingzong, a member of the Wu Zetian faction, observed this very keenly.
So, together with other ministers, they falsely accused Changsun Wuji of plotting rebellion.
According to the record in the New Book of Tang, “Emperor Jingzong held back his finger and the Yin envoy Li Fengjie, a native of Luoyang, rebelled. He and the attendant Xin Mao were pressed against him, and Fu Zhi rebelled
At the beginning, Tang Gaozong did not believe that Changsun Wuji would rebel.
However, after multiple persuasions from Xu Jingzong and others, they ultimately believed in the fact that Changsun Wuji was plotting rebellion and demoted him from his official position.
According to the “New Book of Tang”, “The emperor never questioned. Therefore, he issued an edict to reduce official titles and enfeoffment households, and placed the first grade salary of the governor of Yangzhou in Qianzhou, where he would send troops to escort;
Liuqizi Secretary Jian Chong is equivalent to Ling Wai; Zhi Ren, the younger brother of the Governor of Yuzhou, was demoted to the position of Sima of Yizhou.
In the following months, he ordered Sikong Ji, Zhongshu Ling Jingzong, and Shizhongmao Jiang to retaliate against the imprisonment. Emperor Jingzong ordered Dali Zheng Yuan Gongyu, Imperial Censor Song Zhishun, and others to report the Qianzhou Uprising.
Wuji surrendered his troops, rushed to avoid death, killed his clan son Xiang, and exiled his younger brother Si to Tankou. Most of his relatives were exiled. ”
Thus, Changsun Wuji was forced to commit suicide.
03. From the perspective of identity, the difference between the two is:
Changsun Wuji was a prime minister during the reigns of Emperor Taizong and Emperor Gaozong of Tang, and can be said to be an extremely powerful minister.
Wu Zetian was a talented person during the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang. After Emperor Taizong’s death, she first became a monk at the Gan Ye Temple and was later summoned to the palace by Emperor Gaozong of Tang.
In the power struggle between Empress Wang and Consort Xiao in the palace, she slowly stood firm and ultimately emerged victorious.
Analyze from the identities of both. Even if Changsun Wuji has made many contributions, in the end, he is still a servant and serves the imperial family;
But Wu Zetian was different. She was the emperor’s confidante, and in terms of relationships, she was closer than Changsun Wuji.
To put it simply, Changsun Wuji was an important minister to the emperor and belonged to a work-related relationship;
For the emperor, Wu Zetian was a family member, belonging to the relationship of daily life. Interfering in the private affairs of the emperor’s family is a taboo for courtiers.
Furthermore, such matters as the establishment of the empress dowager are, at a larger scale, national affairs, but at a smaller scale, private affairs of the emperor’s family.
Moreover, the characteristics of the ancient feudal system determined that the emperor was the one with the ultimate decision-making power.
Even if Changsun Wuji’s words are reasonable, as long as the emperor does not agree, it cannot be implemented.
That is to say, it was destined from the beginning that Changsun Wuji could not defeat Wu Zetian.
