Wu Shihuo
Encyclopedia
Wǔ Shìhuò was the father of Wu Zetian
, the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant
. Posthumously honored with the title of King Zhongxiao, Wu was the son of Wu Hua and became a timber merchant. He was also known as the Duke of Ying and King of Wei serving as army commander of Yingyang Prefecture during the final years of Emperor Yang of Sui
(r. 605
-618
CE) and subsequently as Minister of Revenue and superintendent of Jingzhou City
, Hubei
during the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang
(r. 627
-649
CE).
Initially, Wu married a woman from the Xiangli family, who gave birth to two sons named Wu Yuanqing and Wu Yuanshuang. Later he remarried a woman from the noble Yang family
of the Hong Nong region. She was daughter, niece, and sister to several ministers and a close relation of the imperial family. By her, Wu had three daughters: Wu Shun (later the Lady of Han), Wu Zhao (Empress Wu Zetian
) and the Lady of Guo.
After Wu died in 635 CE his two sons were rude to their stepmother so Wu Zetian banished her brothers from the imperial court. At the same time she named her sister Madam Han's son Helan Minzhi as heir to her father. However, Wu Zetian became displeased with Helan Minzhi's conduct and sent him into exile where he died. Thereafter she recalled Wu Yuanshuang's son Wu Chengsi
from exile and made him Wu Shihou's successor.
Posthumously, Wu Shihou received the titles of Zhou Zhongxiao Emperor and Supreme Founding Emperor of the Southern Zhou Dynasty.
This article is based on a translation of Chinese Wikipedia
Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...
, the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant
Emperor of China
The Emperor of China refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning between the founding of Qin Dynasty of China, united by the King of Qin in 221 BCE, and the fall of Yuan Shikai's Empire of China in 1916. When referred to as the Son of Heaven , a title that predates the Qin unification, the...
. Posthumously honored with the title of King Zhongxiao, Wu was the son of Wu Hua and became a timber merchant. He was also known as the Duke of Ying and King of Wei serving as army commander of Yingyang Prefecture during the final years of Emperor Yang of Sui
Emperor Yang of Sui
Emperor Yang of Sui , personal name Yang Guang , alternative name Ying , nickname Amo , known as Emperor Ming during the brief reign of his grandson Yang Tong), was the second son of Emperor Wen of Sui, and the second emperor of China's Sui Dynasty.Emperor Yang's original name was Yang Ying, but...
(r. 605
605
Year 605 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 605 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* As a result of a quarrel between Numan III,...
-618
618
Year 618 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 618 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* The Sui Dynasty ends and the Tang Dynasty...
CE) and subsequently as Minister of Revenue and superintendent of Jingzhou City
Jingzhou
Jingzhou is a prefecture-level city in Hubei Province, People's Republic of China. The city is located on the banks of the Yangtze River.Its population is 5,691,707 at the 2010 census whom 1,154,086 in the built up area made of 3 urban districts.-Geography:Jingzhou occupies an area of...
, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
during the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang
Emperor Taizong of Tang
Emperor Taizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Shìmín , was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649...
(r. 627
627
Year 627 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 627 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* December 12 – Battle of...
-649
649
Year 649 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 649 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Arabs conquer Cyprus* Soga no Kurayamada no...
CE).
Initially, Wu married a woman from the Xiangli family, who gave birth to two sons named Wu Yuanqing and Wu Yuanshuang. Later he remarried a woman from the noble Yang family
Yang (surname)
Yang is the transcription of the Chinese family name 楊 / 杨. It is the sixth most common surname in Mainland China.- Characters :Yang is most often the transliteration of the character 楊 . The same character can also mean a type of poplar...
of the Hong Nong region. She was daughter, niece, and sister to several ministers and a close relation of the imperial family. By her, Wu had three daughters: Wu Shun (later the Lady of Han), Wu Zhao (Empress Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...
) and the Lady of Guo.
After Wu died in 635 CE his two sons were rude to their stepmother so Wu Zetian banished her brothers from the imperial court. At the same time she named her sister Madam Han's son Helan Minzhi as heir to her father. However, Wu Zetian became displeased with Helan Minzhi's conduct and sent him into exile where he died. Thereafter she recalled Wu Yuanshuang's son Wu Chengsi
Wu Chengsi
Wu Chengsi , formally Prince Xuan of Wei , was a nephew of Chinese sovereign Wu Zetian and an imperial prince during her Zhou Dynasty...
from exile and made him Wu Shihou's successor.
Posthumously, Wu Shihou received the titles of Zhou Zhongxiao Emperor and Supreme Founding Emperor of the Southern Zhou Dynasty.
This article is based on a translation of Chinese Wikipedia