The Lesser-known Stories of the Emperors - Son Marries Stepmother; Father Marries Daughter-in-law

Compiled from Secrets of the Chinese Palace

        Wu Zetian entered the palace at the age of 14 and became one of Emperor Taizong’s cairen or lowest-ranking concubine. When she was 27, Emperor Taizong died Wu Zetian was sent to Ganye Temple to be a nun. The new emperor, Gaozong, was Taizong’s son. When he became crown prince, he took a liking to his ‘stepmother’, Wu Zetian, and went to Ganye Temple to bring her back to be one of his concubines.

        She returned to the palace as one of Gaozong’s wives and was given the title of zhaoyi, the highest ranking concubine. Several years later, Wu Zetian became Emperor Gaozong’s empress. She was not just beautiful, but also ambitious, smart and ruthless. After becoming empress, she went on to become the only female emperor in Chinese history, taking the title of ‘emperor’.

        Yang Guifei, the favourite concubine of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, was initially married to his son, Li Mao. When Emperor Xuanzong first saw her, he became so infatuated with her that he desired to make her his own wife. He first arranged for her to enter a Taoist temple as a nun, where she was known as Taizhen. A few years later, he allowed her to leave and set her up as his guifei, the top-ranked wife below the empress.