Has Wu Zetian ever made meritorious service?

There have been merits and demerits, but I think she did more than that. At the very least, when she was in office, Wu Zetian was the only female emperor in the history of China, and many people praised or belittled what she had done. I think Wu Zetian's life is full of legends, but she is a real person and a woman after all. As a woman, Wu Zetian had to suppress those who were against herself and reuse all kinds of talents. What she did must have been done, and she did it well.

If it is accidental that she was recommended to the palace, then she can be ranked in the Ninth Five-Year Plan because of her hard work and wit. She used a trick to get rid of everyone who turned against her, even her own flesh and blood. However, her achievements are glorious through the ages. Mao Zedong commented on Wu Zetian as follows: Wu Zetian is really a talent for governing the country. She is capable, understanding and employing people.

On New Year's Eve (69 1), Wu Zetian was invited to watch peony in the middle of winter. Wu Zetian guessed it was a conspiracy and sent someone to check it first. Sure enough, she found that the flower viewing was fake and the killing was real, and ordered many people to be killed. In the first year of Shen Gong (697), another "thirty-six famous artists" attempted rebellion. Liu and others contacted many people in the name of fortune telling. However, this incident has been discovered by Tang Ming's great biography. He made a small report to Wu Zetian, making 36 prime ministers Li, Sun He, Shi Baozhong and Liu Qi, all celebrities in the country, all of whom were exterminated, and their pro-party members were even seated or exiled, reaching 1000 people. The most important thing is that she put down the rebellion in Xu Jingye. Xu Jingye's attempt to overthrow Wu Zetian in the name of "rehabilitation" was quelled in only forty or fifty days. It can be seen that Xu Jingye went against public opinion, while Wu Zetian was very popular.

In order to consolidate her rule, Wu Zetian attached great importance to all kinds of talents. At the beginning, she advocated informers, hired Suo Yuanli, Zhou Xing, Lai Junchen and other cruel officials, and killed many innocent people, causing public outrage. Wu Zetian, in turn, killed the cruel official with the anger of snow. As a matter of fact, cruel officials all follow her orders. On the surface, this is a political trick, which is not worth appreciating. However, it must be admitted that most of the royal family and ministers of the old dynasty in Li Tang were killed at that time, which objectively weakened the decadent gentry.

As long as honest and talented people are not suspected by Wu Zetian as traitors, Wu Zetian can try her best to preserve or reuse them. For example, Di Renjie, falsely accused by cruel officials, was not only rehabilitated, but also promoted to Prime Minister. Another example is the descendant of an enemy, Shangguan Waner, who is good at poetry. She was not only forgiven, but also retained by Wu Zetian as a courtier, and was doubly loved.

During the reign of Wu Zetian, the border was not peaceful. She decisively used Tang, Lou Deye, Guo and other fierce generals, and set up the North Campus in the northwest to protect the government. Defeated the southwest Tubo, showing national prestige.

However, in order to maintain her power and status, Wu Zetian also had a cruel side. She did not hesitate to kill a generation of loyal minister Sun Chang Wuji and killed her eldest son Li Hong with poisoned wine. Demote the famous calligrapher Chu Suiliang and his second son Li Xian, third son Li Xian and fourth son Li Dan. She is in hell to pay New Year greetings to the DPRK's important ministers, such as Lai Ji, Han Yuan and Liu Ying. Who dares to disobey herself? "Sisters" like the Queen Wang and her were falsely accused of many crimes, then tortured inhumanely, and finally executed, even their daughters. So there is a certain basis for saying that Wu Zetian is a tyrant.

However, on the whole, Wu Zetian's achievements are still greater than before. When she was in the palace of Emperor Taizong, Emperor Taizong had a strong horse named Lion Qi, which was so fierce that no one could tame it. Wu Zetian said to Emperor Taizong, I can subdue it, but I must have three instruments: iron whip, iron handle and dagger. First whip him with an iron whip, then beat him on the head with an iron, and then cut his throat with a dagger. Emperor Taizong praised her spirit very much. As expected, she used the method of making strong horses to control the minister, and as a result, she effectively ruled for half a century, making special contributions to further consolidating national unity and maintaining social peace for a long time. Compared with Wu Zetian, many male emperors in the history of China are afraid that they can't even touch a hair. I agree with Guo Moruo, a famous contemporary historian, who commented on Wu Zetian: "Politics opens a new era and governs macro festivals". Wu Zetian's historical achievements will last forever!