If the Empress, as Emperor, had built a separate tomb for a joint burial, those who hated her would have surely pulverized her remains. Look at Fu Zhaoyi, grandmother of Emperor Ai of the Western Han; after her death, Wang Mang retaliated. Accusing her of great disrespect, he had her coffin opened, took the Empress Dowager's golden seal, and destroyed her tomb. It was truly a tragic fate!
Conversely, if the Empress had renounced her imperial title and been buried as Empress alongside Li Zhi, she would have feared no retaliation. I would remain within the Qianling Mausoleum, daring any unfilial descendant to desecrate our ancestral graves and dig up my coffin!
Director Hua is amazing. He’s analyzed Empress Wu Zetian’s final edict in such detail. She truly was an empress for the ages, incredibly formidable. Even on her deathbed, she remained clear-headed and arranged her afterlife so masterfully!
This arrangement by the Empress makes Qianling the only imperial mausoleum in ancient times to be the joint burial site of two emperors!
Not only is it the only imperial mausoleum with two emperors buried together, but it's also the only Tang dynasty tomb among all eighteen imperial tombs that remains unlooted. The other Tang imperial tombs have all been plundered, but Qianling is perfectly intact. Perhaps the Empress's spirit fiercely protected her husband, making it impossible for anyone to dig it up!
Amazing, truly amazing! I just checked, and Empress Wu Zetian did indeed leave behind such an edict after her death. She was eighty-two years old when she passed, yet she managed her final arrangements so well. It’s hard to believe!
As expected, a powerful woman ascends to the throne through wisdom, not beauty. This wisdom is terrifyingly profound!
What a formidable mind. No wonder she could break through the patriarchal society dominated by men and become an empress!
The audience’s minds buzzed. They finally understood why Hua Ruyi had said Empress Wu Zetian’s wisdom truly shone after her abdication.
This edict was incredibly brilliant, meticulously calculated, and utterly astonishing!
As the plot progressed, Shangguan Wan'er finished writing the edict and presented it to Wu Meiniang.
Wu Meiniang gazed at it for a long moment, then sighed deeply. "Wan'er, with this edict issued, I have completely surrendered."
Shangguan Wan'er was taken aback again, staring at her blankly.
Wu Meiniang sighed wistfully. "My entire life has been a struggle. I have lost to no one, to nothing, not even to my husbands. Neither of my two husbands defeated me. But I lost to tradition, to this patriarchal society where men are superior and women are inferior. In the past, when the Li and Wu families vied for the position of Crown Prince, I hesitated for many years and ultimately chose to establish a son. It wasn't just because a son is closer than a nephew, but because I finally understood one thing."
Shangguan Wan'er quickly asked, "What is it?"
Wu Meiniang said, "After becoming emperor, I constantly wondered: who am I? Am I a member of the Wu family, or the Li family?"
Shangguan Wan'er was puzzled. "Your Majesty, your surname is Wu, so you are naturally part of the Wu family."
Wu Meiniang shook her head with a bitter smile. "No, I am part of the Li family. Although my surname is Wu and I am the daughter of the Wu family, a married daughter is like splashed water. In the eyes of the world, I have long been an outsider. Therefore, I am not a member of the Wu family, but of the Li family, the daughter-in-law of the Li family. Under the dominance of such a mindset, any dynasty established by a woman is destined not to be passed down through generations of the same surname as a man's. It can only become a monstrosity within the patriarchal society, unacceptable to the world, ending after one generation. That is why I lost, lost completely."
She could defeat anyone, but she could not defeat the patriarchal lineage of the social structure.