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Three years later, in [[655]], as the only one of Gaozong's wives to have given birth to a son, Wu managed to secure for herself the position of first (primary) wife, and the title of Empress. She then proceeded to eliminate the former empress, and another concubine who represented a threat to her; it is said she did so in a rather gruesome manner, having the two women's limbs cut off and their bodies disposed of in vats of wine.
 
Three years later, in [[655]], as the only one of Gaozong's wives to have given birth to a son, Wu managed to secure for herself the position of first (primary) wife, and the title of Empress. She then proceeded to eliminate the former empress, and another concubine who represented a threat to her; it is said she did so in a rather gruesome manner, having the two women's limbs cut off and their bodies disposed of in vats of wine.
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Emperor Gaozong suffered a stroke in [[660]], and Empress Wu took over his duties as ruler; following his death in [[683]], she served as regent for their son, [[Emperor Zhongzong]], before seizing power for herself in [[690]], declaring the start of a new dynasty: the Zhou Dynasty, which she named after the era in which [[Confucius]] lived, in order to help evoke conceptions of legitimacy and virtue. As rule by a woman was contrary to many of the established norms, Empress Wu took a number of steps to skew notions of legitimacy in her favor. She became an active patron of Buddhism, donating 20,000 strings of copper cash (the cost of her personal cosmetics for one year) to the [[Longmen Caves]] temple complex in [[672]] and funding various extensive projects there over the course of her reign. This extended, too, into a romantic affair in which she engaged with a trader of drugs & cosmetics in the 680s. She convinced the emperor to formally adopt the young man, and named him abbot of the White Horse Monastery outside [[Luoyang]]. The abbot then began, on behalf of his lover, Empress Wu, to construct a 295-foot-tall ''[[Mingtang]]'', symbolically connecting Empress Wu to long traditions of virtuous rule; in 690, he composed a new commentary on the Great Cloud Sutra which highlighted a female deity, again lending credence to Empress Wu's claims of legitimacy. The Empress then had a national network of temples re-established, and had them incorporate the Great Cloud Sutra into their sermons and lectures.
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Emperor Gaozong suffered a stroke in [[660]], and Empress Wu took over his duties as ruler; following his death in [[683]], she served as regent for their son, [[Emperor Ruizong]], before seizing power for herself in [[690]], declaring the start of a new dynasty: the Zhou Dynasty, which she named after the era in which [[Confucius]] lived, in order to help evoke conceptions of legitimacy and virtue. As rule by a woman was contrary to many of the established norms, Empress Wu took a number of steps to skew notions of legitimacy in her favor. She became an active patron of Buddhism, donating 20,000 strings of copper cash (the cost of her personal cosmetics for one year) to the [[Longmen Caves]] temple complex in [[672]] and funding various extensive projects there over the course of her reign. This extended, too, into a romantic affair in which she engaged with a trader of drugs & cosmetics in the 680s. She convinced the emperor to formally adopt the young man, and named him abbot of the White Horse Monastery outside [[Luoyang]]. The abbot then began, on behalf of his lover, Empress Wu, to construct a 295-foot-tall ''[[Mingtang]]'', symbolically connecting Empress Wu to long traditions of virtuous rule; in 690, he composed a new commentary on the Great Cloud Sutra which highlighted a female deity, again lending credence to Empress Wu's claims of legitimacy. The Empress then had a national network of temples re-established, and had them incorporate the Great Cloud Sutra into their sermons and lectures.
    
In [[693]], the empress declared herself the traditional great ruler of Buddhism, and banned fishing and the slaughter of animals; the following year, she declared herself to be an incarnation of Maitreya. This was yet another action intended to help strengthen her claims of legitimacy as a female ruler, but may in fact represent the first of many rumors, or activities, associated with her lack of virtue as a ruler, eventually leading to her downfall. Following on the heels of various rumors about her sexual proclivities and activities, Empress Wu was overthrown in a palace coup in [[705]]. Her son Emperor Zhongong, for whom she had served as regent from 683-690, retook the throne and restored the Tang Dynasty to power.
 
In [[693]], the empress declared herself the traditional great ruler of Buddhism, and banned fishing and the slaughter of animals; the following year, she declared herself to be an incarnation of Maitreya. This was yet another action intended to help strengthen her claims of legitimacy as a female ruler, but may in fact represent the first of many rumors, or activities, associated with her lack of virtue as a ruler, eventually leading to her downfall. Following on the heels of various rumors about her sexual proclivities and activities, Empress Wu was overthrown in a palace coup in [[705]]. Her son Emperor Zhongong, for whom she had served as regent from 683-690, retook the throne and restored the Tang Dynasty to power.
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{| border="3" align="center"
 
{| border="3" align="center"
 
|- align="center"
 
|- align="center"
|width="35%"|Preceded by<br>'''[[Emperor Zhongzong of Tang]]'''
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|width="35%"|Preceded by<br>'''[[Emperor Ruizong of Tang]]'''
 
|width="25%"|'''Empress of the Zhou Dynasty<br>[[690]]-[[705]]'''
 
|width="25%"|'''Empress of the Zhou Dynasty<br>[[690]]-[[705]]'''
 
|width="35%"|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Emperor Zhongzong of Tang]]'''
 
|width="35%"|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Emperor Zhongzong of Tang]]'''
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