"Whether completely deserved or not, Wu has a reputation of being one of the most cruel rulers in China’s history. She remains a controversial figure primarily because of stories about her personal actions against rivals. Male Confucian officials who were deeply prejudiced against strong and ambitious women undoubtedly exaggerated this aspect of Wu’s life in later accounts of her reign." (Lee 14)
Wu Zetian, who ruled from 690 to 705 CE, was the first and only female supreme lead in China's history of approximately 5,000 years. She was an enlightened ruler who practied religious tolerance and enhanced the role of women in society. Nevertheless, she was criticized for executing officials and other political maneuvers. This is unfair because historians are wearin lenses of double standards and only criticizing her because her actions are not traditionally associated with feminity. This article explores Wu's accomplishments, life track and how society views her.
Wu challenged the prevailing stereotypes that women could only exert influence through male affiliations. This article gives an all-round assessment to Wu and explains why the gender stereotypes against her exist. This is because historians are predominantly male and Chinese historians are mostly Confucian, which states that women are affiliations of men. She was female, and that gave her a lot more standards to meet such as being caring and motherly compared to her male counterparts. This article shows a stereotype that is still present nowadays, because female representation in media and leadership fields is still lagging behind equality.