Let's look at Wu Zetian in the eyes of fortuneteller Yuan Tiangang, emperor Li Shimin and civilian Cui Rong.
Let's take a look at Wu Zetian in Yuan Tiangang's eyes. According to the Records of Legend of Tang Dynasty, Yuan Tiangang was a famous astrologer, astronomer and forecaster in the early Tang Dynasty. Shortly after Emperor Taizong Li Shimin ascended the throne, he heard that he was good at physiognomy and ordered him to come to Chang 'an from Chengdu. From Chengdu to Beijing, Lizhou is the only place to pass. At that time, Wu Shihuo, the father of Wu Zetian, was appointed as the secretariat of Lizhou, and asked Yuan Tiangang to visit his wife Shi Yang (this Shi Yang was the daughter of Yang Da, an aristocrat in Sui Dynasty). When Yuan Tiangang met Wu Zetian's mother, Yang Shi, he praised her for her extraordinary appearance and beautiful embryo. The point is that this Yang "will have a baby." Wu Shihuo was beaming at Yuan Tiangang's words, so he called all his children to his side and asked Yuan Tiangang to face each other one by one. "It can go to the Secretariat, but it will eventually be rejected." See Wu and Wu (Wu Zetian's two half-brothers), Yuan Tiangang first surprised to tell, after the two can at least be a secretariat, and their officer is not smaller than you. Seeing Han's wife (Wu Shun, the younger sister of Wu Zetian), Yuan Tiangang said, "Although this woman is expensive, it is also unfavorable."
Lushena Buddha in Longmen Grottoes
It's Wu Zetian's turn to play. At that time, Wu Zetian was still an infant child, wearing boys' clothes. When the wet nurse carried Wu Zetian out, Yuan Tiangang was frightened to disgrace and could not help sighing. The boy is full of energy, his eyes are rippling, and his future is limitless. "The neck of Tianzhu Phoenix is extremely expensive!" Yuan Tiangang couldn't believe his eyes. After focusing, Yuan Tiangang watched it again carefully and told Wu Shihuo that if the child is a woman, it will be the son of heaven in the future.
For this story, Old Book of the Tang Dynasty later quoted the record that Tang Xinyu described Wu Zetian as a "Pearl of Heaven and a Phoenix Neck". These two books were written after the death of Wu Zetian 100. Especially, the original intention of Liu Su, the author of "Da Tang Xin Yu", was to describe the essence of Yuan Tiangang's physiognomy. Can you predict the events of the emperor's family so accurately? Do you think this man is very good? Liu Su is really suspected of slapping Yuan Tiangang's face. However, for thousands of years, this story has been passed down from mouth to mouth and has almost become a fact.
Lushena Buddha in Longmen Grottoes
Let's look at Wu Zetian in the eyes of Emperor Taizong and Li Shimin. The history books do not record Li Shimin's description of Wu Zetian in detail, but there is a passage in the Book of the New Tang Dynasty that can be used as evidence for Wu Zetian in the eyes of Emperor Taizong and Li Shimin. "Zhenguan eleven years, emperor taizong said talent, fourteen years old. ..... When I met the emperor, I was given the name' Wu Mei'. " The meaning of this sentence "The Queen of Heaven and the Book of the New Tang Dynasty" is clear. Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong, heard that Wu Shihuo's daughter was beautiful, so he called in talents. Crucially, as soon as Li Shimin saw her, Emperor Taizong gave her a name-"Mei Niang". Mei Niang generally refers to a good boy (a good girl like Xiao Fang).
In the eyes of Cui Rong, Wu Zetian's copywriter, the image of the queen is "the moon monster is fading away and her heart is full." Boy, Cui Rong thinks that Wu Zetian is the king of the world, and her beauty is definitely not comparable to that of ordinary people. Speaking of Cui Rong, when Li Xian was a prince in Tang Zhongzong, he was a waiter, and he was also in charge of writing and things like that. However, the relationship between Cui Rong and Wu Zetian soon became close. In the first year of the holy calendar (698), when Wu Zetian meditated at Songshan Mountain in Zhongyue, she saw the Qi Mu Temple Monument inscribed by Cui Rong and was full of praise. She decided to let Cui Rong write a pilgrimage monument. Cui Rong, who is already brilliant, should certainly seize the opportunity to show his literary talent. Soon, his official position was promoted, and he went to the side of Emperor Wu Zetian to deal with the emperor's letters and visits. In the past few days, Cui Rong has been bathed in the sunshine and rain of the Queen, and her life has been very happy and comfortable. After the death of Wu Zetian, Cui Rong was responsible for drafting the Book of Mourning for Heaven. In this text summarizing Wu Zetian's life, Cui Rongfa wielded unparalleled copywriting skills, with gorgeous words and flying literary talents. "Honesty is the virtue, and sinking is the potential." The strange phase of the moon is where the heart belongs. "Wu Zetian's appearance, virtue, personality, political morality, etc. Make Cui Rong write very tall. This book of mourning for the sky has also become Cui Rong's masterpiece. The key point is that Cui Rong died of sudden illness because he thought too hard when he was writing the book of mourning. Many people suspect that Cui Rong brought his admiration for Wu Zetian to the article and don't believe Cui Rong's statement.
Stone Carving in Daming Palace Ruins Park
What does Wu Zetian look like? There are many speculations in later generations.
Some people think that the Buddha statue of Lushena in Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang is modeled after Wu Zetian.
Guo Moruo thinks that the "Tang Empress" in Zhang Xuan's Picture of the Empress of the Tang Dynasty is Wu Zetian. He said: "It is not a problem that Wuhou is beautiful. Otherwise, Emperor Taizong would not like her, and Tang Gaozong would not like her. " ("How do I write Wu Zetian")
In the speculation of Wu Zetian's appearance, the infinite charm of the queen is actually hidden.