Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian (624 – 16 December 705), personal name Wu Zhao, was the empress regnant (huangdi, 皇帝) and only ruler of the (Wu) Zhou dynasty.
Quotes
[edit]- How do you know seeing the Son of Heaven is not a blessing? Why are you being sad about this?
- 見天子庸知非福，何兒女悲乎？
- New Book of Tang, Volume 76
- I only need three things to subordinate it: an iron whip, an iron hammer, and a sharp dagger. I will whip it with the iron whip. If it does not submit, I will hammer its head with the iron hammer. If it still does not submit, I will cut its throat with the dagger.
- 妾能制之，然須三物，一鐵鞭，二鐵□，三匕首。鐵鞭擊之不服，則以□□其首，又不服，則以匕首斷其喉。
- Zizhi Tongjian (1084), Volume 206