What does the real Wu Zetian look like?

There are various records about the appearance of the real Wu Zetian:

The first type: Wu Zetian's appearance is "strange moon". This statement comes from the book of mourning for the Great Sage Queen, which is similar to the current eulogy.

The second type: Wu Zetian looks like a "Pearl of Heaven and a Phoenix Neck". Yuan Tiangang, a physiognomist, told the Wu brothers and sisters about physiognomy.

Third place: Wu Zetian looks like a square forehead. This statement comes from New Tang Book. The Biography of the Emperor Princess (Volume 96), in which the article Princess Taiping said that "the Lord (Princess Taiping) was generous and full of intrigue, and later (Wu Zetian) often claimed to be like me".

"The strange moon is fading away" means that Wu Zetian has a very good face and a gentleman's life. "

"Tianzhu Phoenix Neck" refers to Wu Zetian's big eyes and slender neck;

"Wide forehead" means that Wu Zetian has a square forehead and big cheeks.

Combining these three appearances, it is not difficult to draw a conclusion that Wu Zetian is not a modern oval beauty like Fan Bingbing, but a square face and forehead. She looks dignified, rich and has a special temperament. Combined with Yuan Tiangang's interpretation of her gender in those years, it is further speculated that Wu Zetian is a woman with a somewhat masculine image, which accords with the characteristics that women in the Tang Dynasty regard fatness as beauty and advocate masculinity and generosity.

Extended data

Wu Zetian also has many stone statues, the oldest of which is in Guangyuan, Sichuan, where she was born. It is said that this image is closer to the real Wu Zetian. Unfortunately, Wu Zetian, who is close to reality, was instructed by a former governor to "beautify": she accepted a donation from overseas Chinese, put gold on her face, and destroyed precious historical relics, making it neither fish nor fowl-the stone statue of Wu Zetian became a Buddha statue.

Wu Zetian really had a relationship with Buddha, and finally she and Li Zhi established a world relationship, that is, during her becoming a nun. Later, she became an emperor, built a Buddhist temple in Daxing and carved Buddha statues widely. There are many Buddha statues in Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, which were excavated in the era of Wu Zetian. In Fengxian Temple, the largest open-air cliff niche in Longmen Grottoes, there is a statue of "Lushenafo", which is considered by many scholars as a "photo" of Wu Zetian at the age of 44.

According to the Statue Inscription, when Fengxian Temple was built, Empress Wu Zetian "helped to make a fortune of 20,000 yuan" and personally attended the opening ceremony of Lushenafo, which shows that there should be a certain relationship between Lushenafo and Wu Zetian. It is speculated that Lushenafo is the incarnation of Wu Zetian, and it is not groundless. If so, the real appearance of this Buddha and Wu Zetian will not be much different.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Wu Zetian