Wu Zetian Remains In A Convent and Does Not Become Emperor of China 649 AD

Point of Divergence ... One of my all time historical figures is Emperor Wu Zetian, the only woman in Chinese history to take control of the Chinese Empire and rule in her own name. Ruling during her own dynasty, known as the Zhou Dynasty, from 690 AD to 705 AD, she has been villanized by Chinese historians, even though she did make many rulings that resulted in positive change, including some edicts that benefited the lower classes. She had to kill some rivals to establish her position and remain in power, but all in all, what ruler didn't during these times?

Its amazing she was able to achieve this based on the fact that she had been involved first as a concubine of Emperor Taizong. When Emperor Taizong died in 649 AD, his concubines suffered two fates. Certain favored concubines were placed in boxes and buried alive with the dead emperor. While it may seem horrific to us, the practice would not be abolished until 1464. Wu escaped this fate, and instead was condemned to live out the rest of her days in a convent as a nun. She would have spent the rest of her life there had not Empress Wang, the wife of Emperor Gaozong (the son of Emperor Taizong), decided to bring Wu out of retirement as it were and place her as one of the concubines of her husband, who was entranced with Wu's beauty. Wang would live to regret this decision when several years later, Wu took over her position and had Wang's arms and legs cut off and drowned her in a barrel of wine.

What if Empress Wang had not called for Empress Wu? How would the non existence of the Zhou Dynasty effect China then and now?
 
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